DANK Haus upcoming events

Exhibition | Ausstellung: Better than Sliced Bread, German Scientists & Inventors (Monday, August 31, 2026)

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 05:00:00 GMT

Better Than Sliced Bread

German Scientists & Inventors

Exhibition Open: August 31 - October 24
DANK Haus Treffpunkt Gallery

From bread sliced by machine to the invisible rays that transformed medicine, German-speaking innovators have helped shape the modern world in remarkable ways.

Better Than Sliced Bread: German Scientists & Inventors explores the groundbreaking discoveries, inventions, and ideas of German, German-American, Austrian, and other German-speaking scientists and innovators. Meet the people whose curiosity, creativity, and ingenuity changed how we live, work, communicate, travel, and understand the world around us.

Discover the stories behind Otto Rohwedder, inventor of the bread-slicing machine; Hedy Lamarr, whose pioneering work helped lay the foundation for modern wireless technology; Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit, whose temperature scale became a household standard; Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, whose discovery of X-rays revolutionized medicine; Karl Benz, a pioneer of the automobile; Levi Strauss, whose denim invention became an enduring part of American culture; and many more.

From Gutenberg to Geiger, jeans to sliced bread, this exhibition celebrates the men and women whose ideas turned imagination into innovation—and whose discoveries continue to shape our everyday lives.

Come discover just how much of the modern world has German-speaking roots. You may be surprised by how many things we simply couldn’t imagine living without!

This exhibition will be open From August 29 - October 24 in the 1st Floor DANK Treffpunkt Gallery.

This exhibition was supported by:

Herbst Stammtisch Open Haus (Friday, October 16, 2026)

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 00:30:00 GMT

October 16 |7:30 - 11:00 pm | Brauhaus Room

Celebrate the change of the seasons and welcome fall with an evening of Bier, Brez'n, und Gemütlichkeit from the Brauhaus Room at our monthly Stammtisch!

Bis dahin!/See you there!

Open House Chicago Weekend 2026 (Saturday, October 17, 2026)

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Open House Chicago

at the DANK Haus

Saturday, October 17 & Sunday, October 18

We are super excited to open our doors once again during the citywide Open House Chicago weekend hosted by the Chicago Architecture Center! From Oct. 17th-18th, we will show off our schönes altes Haus and all we have to offer.

Entry is free, our Brauhaus bar will be open for drinks and snacks, and we will have guided tours through the Haus. Stay tuned for more detailed information!

We still need volunteers for both days! Shifts are usually 2.5 hours long, and you get to hang out with a great crowd. Sign up now!

Achtung: Some floors may be off-limits for certain times as they are in use during Open House Chicago hours. Contact us at contact@dankhaus.com for more information.

Open House Chicago Weekend 2026 (Sunday, October 18, 2026)

Sun, 18 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Open House Chicago

at the DANK Haus

Saturday, October 17 & Sunday, October 18

We are super excited to open our doors once again during the citywide Open House Chicago weekend hosted by the Chicago Architecture Center! From Oct. 17th-18th, we will show off our schönes altes Haus and all we have to offer.

Entry is free, our Brauhaus bar will be open for drinks and snacks, and we will have guided tours through the Haus. Stay tuned for more detailed information!

We still need volunteers for both days! Shifts are usually 2.5 hours long, and you get to hang out with a great crowd. Sign up now!

Achtung: Some floors may be off-limits for certain times as they are in use during Open House Chicago hours. Contact us at contact@dankhaus.com for more information.

Hell Hath No Fury: The Epic Saga of the Dark Age Queens Brunhild und Fredegund (ONLINE) (Wednesday, October 21, 2026)

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Hell Hath No Fury: The Epic Saga of the Dark Age Queens Brunhild und Fredegund

Presented Online by Mike Haas

Wednesday, October 21 | 7-9 PM

It’s the early Middle Ages. The Frankish kingdom of the Merovingian Dynasty has already been already rent asunder by blood borne rivalry and betrayal, when the rival spirits of two of its queens, Brunhild and Fredegund, collide and splinter into what becomes a legendary feud that has fascinated historians and storytellers for centuries.

Today, the saga of Brunhild and Fredegund stands as one of the most gripping chapters in the history of the Early Middle Ages. Illustrating not only the brutality of Dark Age politics but the extraordinary influence of two medieval “Power Frauen” in a Germanic world dominated by men.

Cost:
Members: $20 | Non-Members: $25

Prefer to attend the in-person presentation? Join us at the DANK Haus for the in-person presentation on October 22nd from 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM!

Neighborhood Nights 2026 (Thursday, October 22, 2026)

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

DATE CHANGE: The first August Neighborhood Nights has been rescheduled to Thursday, August 6th.

ENJOY A BEVERAGE WITH A SPECTACULAR EXPERIENCE IN OUR HAUS

A perfect place to meet your neighbors and socialize! All proceeds support the DANK Haus Museum

WHEN

Each 2nd & 4th Thursday of the month from 7-11 PM.

LOCATION

Winter months - Brauhaus Room (2nd floor)

Summer/Fall months - Skyline Lounge/Terrace (6th floor)

Subject to change. Be sure to check elevator signs when arriving!

Hell Hath No Fury: The Epic Saga of the Dark Age Queens Brunhild und Fredegund (IN-PERSON) (Thursday, October 22, 2026)

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Hell Hath No Fury: The Epic Saga of the Dark Age Queens Brunhild und Fredegund

Presented by Mike Haas

Thursday, Oct. 22 | 7-9 PM

Cost:

Members: $20 | Non-Members: $25

Can't make it to the in-person presentation? Join us instead for the online presentation from the comfort of your own home on October 21 from 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM!

Cabaret Connexion | Kabarett direct from Berlin! (Wednesday, November 04, 2026)

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 01:00:00 GMT

Cabarett Connexion | Kabarett direct from Berlin!
Anne Fromm, Thomas Kellner, and Johanna Paliege
Wednesday, November 4 | 7:00 - 9:00 PM
General Admission: $40 | DANK Haus Members: $30

Why sit alone in a room. Come to the KABARETT!

Step into a relaxed nightclub atmosphere as three German cabaret artists, actors, and singers—Anne Fromm, Thomas Kellner, and Johanna Paliege —invite you on a wild ride through the history of German cabaret.

This witty, frivolous, yet deeply touching showcase weaves together songs, anecdotes, and mini-scenes into a captivating historical mosaic.

The journey begins at the dawn of the 20th century. Heavily inspired by the Parisian avant-garde of Montmartre and Montparnasse, these early artistic experiments paved the way for the Golden Twenties and Thirties—a roaring heyday of variety shows in Berlin and Munich that sparked an explosion of creativity, originality, and diversity.

This open-minded, critical golden age met a brutal end under the Nazi regime. The forced emigration and deportation of Jewish, queer, and labeled “degenerate” (Entartete Kunst) artists stripped the art form of its bite, weaponizing it into mere wartime propaganda and distraction. Yet, small glimmers of hope endured through underground resistance and exile in Zurich and overseas.

The post-war era split the stage: in the GDR, political cabaret survived behind a veil of strict censorship, forcing artists to deliver encrypted messages between the lines, while West Germany’s economic miracle years brought a lighter, more exuberant style of entertainment. The late 1960s revived cabaret’s combative spirit, fueled by the peace, anti-nuclear, and ecological movements. Over time, the traditional revue evolved into the distinctly German Kabarett—a sharp, spoken-word format driven by biting socio-political satire and razor-sharp linguistic wit rather than music and spectacle.

What remains of cabaret today? It lives on. Sometimes steeped in historical nostalgia, other times loud, cheeky, and underground, the scene across Berlin, Munich, and Cologne is constantly being reinvented by international artists and diverse, boundary-pushing art movements.

Free parking at the 5/3 Bank on the northside of Lawrence.
Cash beer bar

Get Tickets

Neighborhood Nights 2026 (Thursday, November 12, 2026)

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 01:00:00 GMT

DATE CHANGE: The first August Neighborhood Nights has been rescheduled to Thursday, August 6th.

ENJOY A BEVERAGE WITH A SPECTACULAR EXPERIENCE IN OUR HAUS

A perfect place to meet your neighbors and socialize! All proceeds support the DANK Haus Museum

WHEN

Each 2nd & 4th Thursday of the month from 7-11 PM.

LOCATION

Winter months - Brauhaus Room (2nd floor)

Summer/Fall months - Skyline Lounge/Terrace (6th floor)

Subject to change. Be sure to check elevator signs when arriving!

Neighborhood Nights 2026 (Thursday, December 10, 2026)

Fri, 11 Dec 2026 01:00:00 GMT

DATE CHANGE: The first August Neighborhood Nights has been rescheduled to Thursday, August 6th.

ENJOY A BEVERAGE WITH A SPECTACULAR EXPERIENCE IN OUR HAUS

A perfect place to meet your neighbors and socialize! All proceeds support the DANK Haus Museum

WHEN

Each 2nd & 4th Thursday of the month from 7-11 PM.

LOCATION

Winter months - Brauhaus Room (2nd floor)

Summer/Fall months - Skyline Lounge/Terrace (6th floor)

Subject to change. Be sure to check elevator signs when arriving!

Weihnachtsmarkt 2026 (Saturday, December 12, 2026)

Sat, 12 Dec 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Weihnachtsmarkt | Indoor Christmas Market
december 12 from 11-5 PM | 5th Floor, Marunde Ballroom

Come join us for a warm indoor Weihnachtsmarkt with German-inspired Christmas shopping, Glühwein, food, music and more!

Our Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas Market) takes place on Saturday, December 12th from 11:00am to 5:00pm. We will have German food and drink for sale as you stroll through rows of festive stands. This is a great holiday event for families and children of all ages. Our Haus will be decorated in beautiful holiday splendor, a perfect back drop for your own cherished memories.

Bring your youngest children for a special visit with Santa in our ballroom. Admission to the market will be a suggested $5 donation at the door. All proceeds from the event will support cultural and educational programming at the DANK Haus.

Doors Open - 11:00 AM with Shopping, Food & Drinks until 5:00 PM

Pictures with Santa: 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Interested in being a vendor? Submit the vendor application by following the link below:

Vendor Application

Visit the DANK Haus at 4740 N. Western Ave. Chicago IL, located just one block west of the Western Brown Line for all of your Christmas cheer!

Questions? Contact samantha@dankhaus.com

DANK Haus upcoming events

Exhibition | Ausstellung: Better than Sliced Bread, German Scientists & Inventors (Monday, August 31, 2026)

Herbst Stammtisch Open Haus (Friday, October 16, 2026)

October 16 |7:30 - 11:00 pm | Brauhaus Room

Bis dahin!/See you there!

Open House Chicago Weekend 2026 (Saturday, October 17, 2026)

Open House Chicago

Saturday, October 17 & Sunday, October 18

Open House Chicago Weekend 2026 (Sunday, October 18, 2026)

Open House Chicago

Saturday, October 17 & Sunday, October 18

Hell Hath No Fury: The Epic Saga of the Dark Age Queens Brunhild und Fredegund (ONLINE) (Wednesday, October 21, 2026)

Neighborhood Nights 2026 (Thursday, October 22, 2026)

Hell Hath No Fury: The Epic Saga of the Dark Age Queens Brunhild und Fredegund (IN-PERSON) (Thursday, October 22, 2026)

Cabaret Connexion | Kabarett direct from Berlin! (Wednesday, November 04, 2026)

Cabarett Connexion | Kabarett direct from Berlin!Anne Fromm, Thomas Kellner, and Johanna Paliege Wednesday, November 4 | 7:00 - 9:00 PM General Admission: $40 | DANK Haus Members: $30

Neighborhood Nights 2026 (Thursday, November 12, 2026)

Neighborhood Nights 2026 (Thursday, December 10, 2026)

Weihnachtsmarkt 2026 (Saturday, December 12, 2026)

Weihnachtsmarkt | Indoor Christmas Marketdecember 12 from 11-5 PM | 5th Floor, Marunde Ballroom

Cabarett Connexion | Kabarett direct from Berlin!
Anne Fromm, Thomas Kellner, and Johanna Paliege
Wednesday, November 4 | 7:00 - 9:00 PM
General Admission: $40 | DANK Haus Members: $30

Weihnachtsmarkt | Indoor Christmas Market
december 12 from 11-5 PM | 5th Floor, Marunde Ballroom