Bien plus qu’une Soirée : trente ans de célébration de notre communauté

Bien avant que le Lycée Français de Chicago (LFC) ne s’installe dans le quartier de Ravenswood et ne devienne une institution reconnue à Chicago et au delà pour l’excellence de ses programmes, il s’agissait d’une petite école novatrice, portée par la détermination, l’audace et les talents de ses parents fondateurs. En cette année anniversaire — trente ans d’existence — et à quelques semaines de l’édition 2026 de la Soirée "Les années folles", nous souhaitons revenir sur l’histoire d’un événement qui a toujours été bien plus qu’un simple gala de levée de fonds, et plutôt une véritable célébration de notre communauté et de notre mission.

The All-Hands-on-Deck Origins

In the mid-1990s, the school’s founders faced a daunting task: building a reputation from scratch while calming the nerves of families putting their faith in a brand-new school. Nancy Lerner Frej—a founding parent, the first Parent Association President, and fundraising lead—knew that building "esprit de corps" and general awareness was the priority.

The first true fundraiser wasn't even a dinner. In December 1995, the Lycée held the Fête du Cinéma to celebrate the 100th anniversary of French film pioneers, the Lumière brothers. The evening began with a screening of their rare first film in the Bittersweet auditorium with live piano accompaniment, followed by a lecture on the Lumière brothers by WBEZ film critic Jonathan Miller. The crowd then moved to the gymnasium, which was transformed into Parisian streets for the night, complete with food, drink, and live music. The event raised $25,000.

The Great Chef Debate

By the spring of 1996, founding parent and board chair Patrick Balson wanted to take things to the next level. His vision was a special meal prepared by Chicago’s top French chefs to bring the city’s French elites and the Ecole Française Internationale de Chicago (the founding name of the LFC from 1995-1997) community together.

Through Michel Tournier, then-President of the Chicago French Chef Association, Balson invited a group of French chefs into the kitchen of the former Nikko Hotel to work their magic. “They were all arguing,” he recalls with a laugh, noting their formidable personalities. Yet, despite a kitchen full of clashing artistic visions, the result was a masterpiece. Every one of the ten courses was perfection. And, as a reminder of the evening’s purpose, on every plate, "Ecole Française de Chicago” was written in elegant gel script. While the event barely broke even financially, it achieved its true goal: it galvanized the French-American community. Over 300 people attended, and the "Soirée Gastronomique" was a success.

A Legacy of Art and Innovation

As the school grew, the Soirée became a showcase for the Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program, founded in 1997. The 1998 gala—the second official Soirée—was a cultural milestone celebrating the first visiting artist, French conceptual artist, Christian Boltanski. From then until 2004, the "Soirée des Arts" featured world-renowned artists like Boltanski and Sheila Hicks. At the outset, the "Soirée des Arts" strategy included the production of a fine art edition with the artist in residence that could be sold to collectors internationally.

"We were breaking molds in many ways," says Nancy Lerner Frej, “with approaches to fundraising that went beyond conventional thinking about seated dinners and travel packages. We were successful in large part because we were able to tap an enormously talented pool of community members, including Mary Jane Jacob, a former Chief Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art, the school‘s founding art teacher, Jean-Brice Wallon, and so many others.”

Changing Themes, Constant Mission

Since those early years dedicated to the arts, the Soirée has enjoyed a multitude of creative identities. Starting with the 10th-anniversary Soirée in 2005, Casino de Paris, we’ve enjoyed a different theme each year—from the casual fun of Blue Jeans and Diamonds (2007) and the mystery of Nuit du Film Noir (2012) to the resilience of the virtual Silver Lining (2021) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the themes changed—from the rugged Hard Hats and High Heels celebrating the new campus’s construction in 2014 to the Art Deco elegance of this year's Les Années Folles—the purpose remains steadfast. Today, the Soirée is the school’s largest fundraising event, directly supporting the LFC Annual Fund. Every dollar raised directly impacts teacher training, financial aid, and the student experience.

Looking back 30 years, the Soirée remains a testament to what happens when a community decides to build something together. From that first plate of gel-scripted dessert to the celebration planned for 2026, the Soirée continues to illuminate the spirit of the Lycée.