Don't Miss the Holiday Concerts in the Cathedral District

One of the most rewarding positions I've had in my life was as co-founder of the Cathedral District. This culturally rich neighborhood was originally founded by the City in 1988, yet nothing was done to promote it until until 2002, when Christopher Carley, chairman of the Fordham Co., hired me to help him develop the Cathedral District.

The boundaries of the Cathedral District range from just west of Michigan Avenue on the east, LaSalle Street to the west, Ontario Street on the south and Delaware Avenue to the north. In this area are three prominent Cathedrals, including Holy Name Cathedral, St. James Episcopal Cathedral and Fourth Presbyterian Church.

Each of these Cathedrals has strong musical programs year-round, but are particularly beautiful during the December holidays. I had the pleasure of meeting their talented team of professional musicians. Music is taken very seriously in these Cathedrals. The following is a list of holiday concerts:

St. James Cathedral Located at 65 East Huron Street, the holiday concert is titled A Cathedral Christmas Concert, and is being held on Saturday, December 17 at 7pm. Bruce J. Barber, II is the director for this enriching event and one of the best in the country. Call 312.787.7360 for more information.

Holy Name Cathedral This famous Cathedral located at 735 North State Street has a Midnight Mass that is so popular, it sells out very quickly. Carols for the mass begin on Christmas Eve at 11:20pm. For more information, call 312.787.8040. If you miss out on the Midnight Mass, the Christmas Day masses are also quite good.

Fourth Presbyterian Church Situated on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Delaware Avenue, Fourth Presbyterian has a number of holiday concerts during the month of December. For more information, call 312.787.7360.

For three years, some of the best musicians from all of these Cathedrals would join me on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Superior Streets for the Cathedral District Holiday Concert series. I stood in the frigid cold, rain, wind and occasional sun watching these talented musicians sing. At the time, I often complained about the raw Chicago weather, yet looking back, the holiday music brought smiles to even the most jaded shoppers on Michigan Avenue.

So, don’t miss out on the holiday concerts this year. Wherever you go, enjoy the magic of the season. Have a very Happy Holiday and a very Merry Christmas!

Tagged as: Cathedral District, Holiday concerts, Holy Name Cathedral, St. James Cathedral, Fourth Presbyterian Church, Bruce Barber ll and Holiday music

Terri Lee Ryan is a former Chicago commercial real estate broker, marketing consultant and hotel developer. An avid writer, she is the author of Life Is One Big To-Do List. In “People, Places and Property” she dishes on leaders in real estate, new places in your neighborhood and deals being done in Chicago.