Here is our FULL 3-DAY itinerary with times, locations, schedules for the 2-part, 2-day filming locations bus tour, and venue street addresses. This itinerary is subject to change. Tickets for all our events can be found RIGHT HERE.
FRIDAY, SATURDAY, AND SUNDAY – FERRIS BUELLER’S ROOM RE-CREATION
Place: Virgin Hotels 203 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL
Hours: 9am-5pm each day
A meticulously immersive 360-degree re-creation of the place where the day off began, this highly detailed representation of Ferris Bueller’s bedroom is created by Toronto artist/designer Sarah Keenlyside and will exclusively be on display at Virgin Hotels for the entire weekend. As an added bonus, when you purchase a ticket to this attraction, the ‘Twist and Shout’ live parade re-creation is included for FREE! The parade will be held at a downtown Chicago location to be announced to ticket holders via e-mail notification.
FRIDAY, MAY 20 – SHERMER HIGH SCHOOL 1986 SPRING DANCE
Place: Athletico Center 1900 Old Willow Rd, Northbrook, IL
Hours: 6-10pm
Check our 1986 SHERMER HS DANCE page for full details!
SATURDAY, MAY 21 – FILMING LOCATIONS BUS TOUR PART 1,
FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF 30TH ANNIVERSARY Q&A SCREENING WITH THE STARS
Starting from: Gorton Community Center 400 E Illinois Rd, Lake Forest, IL
Begins: 8am
Ends: 5pm
Six 52-55 passenger coach buses will depart from Gorton Community Center at 8am. IMPORTANT: You MUST arrive prior to that time because they will leave promptly! Parking is available for free at the Gorton Community Center where the buses will be parked. Each bus will travel to a different FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF filming location from the suburbs on the north shore to downtown Chicago, all converging back at the Gorton Community Center about 5pm in the afternoon.
Saturday’s scheduled stops:
- Cameron’s house: Borrowing, then crashing Dad's 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder.
- Glenbrook North High School (Shermer High School): Ferris picks up Sloane disguised as her father, Mr. Peterson.
- lunch (available for purchase by local Chicago food vendors)
- Ferris Bueller’s room re-creation, Virgin Hotels 203 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL.
- Willis (formerly Sears) Tower: Ferris, Sloane and Cameron take in the view from 1,350 feet above.
Dinner will be made available for purchase at Gorton Community Center, provided by local restaurants and food vendors.
SUNDAY, MAY 22 – FILMING LOCATIONS BUS TOUR PART 2,
FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF 30TH ANNIVERSARY Q&A SCREENING WITH THE STARS
Starting from: Gorton Community Center 400 E Illinois Rd, Lake Forest, IL
Begins: 8am
Ends: 5pm
Six 52-55 passenger coach buses will depart from Gorton Community Center at 8am. IMPORTANT: You MUST arrive prior to that time because they will leave promptly! Parking is available for free at the Gorton Community Center where the buses will be parked. Each bus will travel to a different filming location from FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF from the suburbs north of the city to downtown Chicago, all converging back at the Gorton Community Center about 5pm in the afternoon.
Sunday’s scheduled stops:
- Lake Michigan overlook: Ferris and Sloane console a catatonic Cameron.
- Northbrook Water Tower: SAVE FERRIS!
- Wrigley Field: Ferris, Cameron and Sloane catch an afternoon game.
- Ferris Bueller’s room re-creation (Sunday ticket holders only), Virgin Hotels 203 N Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL.
- Art Institute of Chicago: Ferris, Sloane and Cameron appreciate some fine art.
- lunch available for purchase at the Art Institute of Chicago.
- Dearborn Street in downtown Chicago: Ferris commandeers a parade float and performs 'Twist and Shout'.
- 3-4pm, ‘Twist and Shout’ LIVE parade re-creation in downtown Chicago. The location of this event will be revealed via e-mail to ticket holders only very soon!
Dinner will be made available for purchase at Gorton Community Center, provided by a few local restaurants and vendors.
Second 30th anniversary Q&A screening of FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF
Place: The John and Nancy Hughes Theater
Gorton Community Center 400 E Illinois Rd, Lake Forest, IL
Hours: 7-11pm
(For Sunday single day and individual screening ticket holders only)
There will be a Q&A immediately following with Edie McClurg, Cindy Pickett, Lyman Ward, Jonathan Schmock, Larry “Flash” Jenkins. Afterward you’ll have the opportunity to meet the stars and get autographs and photos.
On display for the entire weekend and during the evening’s screening event at the Gorton Community Center will be an expansive collection of original FERRIS BUELLER memorabilia from the film’s original 1986 release. Included is one of Ferris’ film-used jackets, worn by Matthew Broderick, along with storyboards, promotional items and other goodies you won’t want to miss, all courtesy of a local Chicago area collector of all things John Hughes.
If you have any questions, please contact us at: info@ferrisfest.com
2016 marks the 30th anniversary of FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF, released in theatres on June 11, 1986.
And to celebrate this milestone in the same city where Ferris, Sloane and Cameron ditched school and decided to live a little couldn't be any more choice!
That's why we, a few passionate fans of this iconic movie, have decided to put together a special weekend event that will feature screenings of the film with its stars in attendance for a special Q&A, a tour of all the filming locations, a Shermer High School 1986 dance and more!
Here's what we have planned so far! A more detailed itinerary can be found on our TICKETS page.
- Two special screenings of FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF will be held on Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22 at the John and Nancy Hughes Theater located in Lake Forest, Illinois with stars from the film for a special 30th anniversary Q&A. Noted Chicago film critic Richard Roeper will be hosting the screening, with guests Cindy Pickett, Lyman Ward (Ferris Bueller's parents), Jonathan Schmock (French restaurant maitre d') and Larry "Flash" Jenkins (garage attendant who borrows Ferrari) in attendance. We're currently in talks with more stars and production members from FERRIS BUELLER to join us for this event, as well as the entire weekend.
Richard Roeper Edie McClurg Cindy Pickett Lyman Ward
moderator "Grace" "Katie Bueller" "Tom Bueller"
The John and Nancy Hughes Theater is graciously supported by the Hughes family, and this screening has received their approval and blessing. For more information about this unique venue, please check out the official website:
Jonathan Schmock Larry "Flash" Jenkins "Maitre'd of Chez Quis" "Garage Attendant"
- A LIVE re-creation of the film's 'Twist and Shout' parade sequence, with many surprises!
- A 2-day, 2-part bus tour of all the filming locations, which will include:
Cameron's House
Borrowing, then crashing Dad's
1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder
Glenbrook North
High School
Ferris picks up Sloane disguised as her father, Mr. Peterson
Art Institute of Chicago
Ferris, Sloane and Cameron enjoy
many fine works of art
Deerborn Street
Downtown Chicago
Ferris commandeers a parade float and performs 'Twist and Shout'
Willis (Sears) Tower
Ferris, Sloane and Cameron take in the view from 1,350 feet above
Lake Michigan overlook
Sloane and Ferris console
a catatonic Cameron
Northbrook
Water Tower
SAVE FERRIS!
Wrigley Field
Ferris, Cameron and Sloane
catch an afternoon game
On display for the entire weekend...
Toronto artist/designer Sarah Keenlyside's incredibly precise re-creation of Ferris Bueller’s room, which recently premiered at a special event at the Gladstone Hotel in Toronto, will be on display for all attendees to step inside for an immersive 360-degree experience! This painstakingly assembled, brilliantly brought to 3-dimensional life, exact replica has received rave reviews and much positive media coverage! Click on photos to enlarge, and check out these great stories in The Toronto Star and Vice.
CLICK on poster for larger image.
Our Friday, May 20 from 6-10pm we’ll be staging what we’re calling the “Shermer High School 1986 Spring Dance”, which will take place at the Athletico Center, 1900 Old Willow Rd in Northbrook, IL; right in the center of FERRIS BUELLER writer/director John Hughes’ hometown!
Your host for the evening will be legendary KROQ and Sirius XM DJ Richard Blade, who’ll be spinning all 80s tunes including those heard on the soundtrack of FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF and many other John Hughes 80s teen movies.
The stars of FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF, which include Edie McClurg, Cindy Pickett, Lyman Ward, Jonathan Schmock and Larry “Flash” Jenkins, will also be our guests for the evening as they'll be mingling with the crowd!
First 30th anniversary Q&A screening of FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF
Place: The John and Nancy Hughes Theater
Gorton Community Center 400 E Illinois Rd, Lake Forest, IL
Hours: 7-11pm
There will be a Q&A immediately following with Edie McClurg, Cindy Pickett, Lyman Ward, Jonathan Schmock, Larry “Flash” Jenkins, and hosted by Chicago Sun-Times film critic Richard Roeper. Afterward you’ll have the opportunity to meet the stars and get autographs and photos.
On display for the entire weekend and during the evening’s screening event at the Gorton Community Center will be an expansive collection of original FERRIS BUELLER memorabilia from the film’s original 1986 release. Included is one of Ferris’ film-used jackets, worn by Matthew Broderick, along with storyboards, promotional items and other goodies you won’t want to miss, all courtesy of a local Chicago area collector of all things John Hughes.
