From the first week of November through the first weekend of December, much of downtown Barrington's cultural calendar happens at one address, 145 W. Main St. Barrington's White House doesn't schedule that stretch the way a single venue usually would. It runs several series side by side, and each one has its own time of day. There's a late-morning lunch talk, a 4:30 cocktail hour, a Sunday afternoon history talk, a weeknight health evening, and a free Thursday night art reception. If you know which slot fits your week, the season gets much easier to plan.
A House That Has Already Had Several Jobs
John and Julia Robertson Jr. built the house in 1898, 43 years after Barrington Village was platted in 1855. The design took its cues from the 1893 Columbian Exposition: fluted Corinthian columns on the porch and oak windows, trim, wainscoting and pocket doors inside. After the Robertsons died in 1917 and 1918, the house served as a makeshift hospital during the World War I flu pandemic. It later became a single-family home, then a nursing home, and then divided office space. The Village of Barrington bought it in 2007.
After a museum-quality restoration, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The Barrington Area Council of Governments gave it the Donald P. Klein Award for repurposing the building as a self-sustaining cultural resource.
Keeping the house self-sustaining is one reason its calendar mixes ticketed and free events. The Village owns and operates the mansion. Two volunteer boards, the Barrington White House Advisory Board and the Friends of Barrington's White House Board of Directors, oversee its operations, finances, fundraising and long-term care. Some events are ticketed programs with partner organizations. Others are free events hosted by the house's historical docents. Throughout the year, those docents host the Fourth of July and Holiday Open Houses and the Third Thursday artist receptions. You can see both kinds of event clearly in November.
The November Clock
Here's the stretch from Nov. 4 to Dec. 6, sorted by when each event starts. Times come from the venue's own event pages. Prices come from the linked Eventbrite ticket pages unless noted otherwise.
| Date | Time | Event | Series or partner | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wed., Nov. 4 | 6:00–8:30 p.m. | Women's Health Night Out with Dr. Pauline M. Maki | Barrington Health & Wellness Summit | From $28.52, 2-for-1 deal |
| Sun., Nov. 8 | 3:00–4:30 p.m. | Dr. Pamela Toler on journalist Sigrid Schultz | Barrington Cultural Commission, Barrington Writers Workshop | $0–$28.52 |
| Thu., Nov. 12 | 4:30–6:00 p.m. | Betty Briceño on art collecting | Cocktails & Conversation | $28.52 |
| Tue., Nov. 17 | 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. | Jennifer McHugh of Parker Players Theater Company | Lunch & Learn | $15 per person, per the venue |
| Thu., Nov. 19 | 6:00–8:00 p.m. | Third Thursday art sale opening | Barrington Area Artists Association | Free |
| Fri., Nov. 20 | 2:00–6:00 p.m. | Art sale, final day | Barrington Area Artists Association | Free |
| Sat., Nov. 21 | 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. sessions | Clara's Nutcracker Tea | Barrington Dance Ensemble | $55.20 per session |
| Sat., Dec. 5 | 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. | Holiday Open House with Santa | Docent-hosted | Free, registration required |
| Sun., Dec. 6 | 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. | Annual Holiday Tea | House event | From $92.55, ages 21+ |
The Parker Players talk is listed at $15 per person on the venue's page and $17.85 on Eventbrite. The ticket page shows what you'll actually pay at checkout.
Picking a Slot by the Hour You Have Free
The table works best when you read it by time of day.
The lunch hour. The only weekday daytime talk this month is Lunch & Learn on Tuesday, Nov. 17, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Jennifer McHugh, artistic director of Parker Players Theater Company, will talk about how the company is growing, with contemporary productions, a playwrights lab and new education campaigns. The talk is in person only, with no virtual tickets.
The end of the workday. Cocktails & Conversation on Thursday, Nov. 12, is built around a commute. The bar opens at 4:30 p.m. and Betty Briceño, an art advisor and market specialist, starts her talk at 5. The venue says she'll explain how collecting and the global art market work.
Sunday afternoon. On Nov. 8 at 3 p.m., historian Dr. Pamela Toler tells the story of Sigrid Schultz, a journalist who worked to expose Hitler and stayed a step ahead of the Gestapo. The Barrington Cultural Commission and the Barrington Writers Workshop are co-presenting, and the ticket range starts at $0.
A full weeknight. The Women's Health Night Out on Wednesday, Nov. 4, is the longest evening on the calendar, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. Dr. Pauline M. Maki will talk about how menopause affects mood, memory and sleep. The Barrington Health & Wellness Summit presents it with the house.
The Week the Free Series Takes Over Every Floor
Third Thursday is how the house greets the public every month. The venue describes it as a free, salon-style exhibition of local and regional artists, held in the first-floor gathering rooms with a cash bar.
November's edition is much bigger. The Barrington Area Artists Association is putting on a two-day sale with 30 artists, and the venue says the painters, sculptors and jewelers will fill every floor of the mansion. The opening runs Thursday, Nov. 19, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The final day runs Friday, Nov. 20, from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. Both days are free on Eventbrite, and both pages link there to sign up.
The house markets the Friday session as a chance to find a one-of-a-kind holiday gift. Its afternoon hours suit anyone who can't make a weeknight. The Thursday opening is the version with the usual reception feel.
The Saturday That Belongs to Younger Guests
Clara's Nutcracker Tea on Saturday, Nov. 21, is presented with the Barrington Dance Ensemble. It's meant for children 12 and under and the adults who bring them. There are two sessions, at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., and each has its own ticket link. The afternoon includes short dance performances, treats and a ticket raffle. The vintage treats are donated by Ambrosia Euro-American Pâtisserie. Eventbrite lists each session at $55.20.
Families who want more Nutcracker have an earlier option a few weeks before. The Barrington Area Library lists Family Story & Ballet: The Nutcracker on Monday, Nov. 2, from 11:00 a.m. to noon.
December 5 Starts at the House and Moves to Cook Street
On the first Saturday of December, the house and the Village schedule their events back to back. The White House's free Holiday Open House is described as taking place during the Village's Holiday Festival. If you follow the day in order, it looks like this:
- 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The Holiday Open House at Barrington's White House, with family photos by the tree, cookies and wish lists for Santa. Registration is required, and it's free on Eventbrite.
- 3:00 p.m. The Village Holiday Festival & Tree Lighting opens at Cook & Station Streets.
- 4:30 p.m. The BHS Madrigals perform.
- 5:00 p.m. The tree is lit.
- After the lighting, until 6:00 p.m. Santa arrives and visits at Santa's House on Cook Street.
The Village notes that Santa visits at the White House require registration, with details to come closer to the date. The afternoon visit on Cook Street comes after the 5 p.m. lighting. So a family that misses the morning sign-up still has a second chance to see Santa the same day.
The next morning the house hosts its Annual Holiday Tea on Sunday, Dec. 6, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. It's for adults 21 and older and includes hot tea, finger sandwiches and champagne. Tickets on Eventbrite start at $92.55.
Getting a Seat
Every event on the November calendar links to Eventbrite, including the free ones. The Holiday Open House is the only event whose venue page says outright that registration is required. The quickest way to plan is to pick the time slot you have free, then open that event's page on the Barrington's White House events calendar and follow its ticket link. The free art sale and the Dec. 5 open house are good ones to start with if you haven't been inside since the restoration.
Our team at Tami Hamilton lives and works in these suburbs, and we love seeing a historic Main Street house this busy. If you're hosting family this holiday season and want a short list of downtown Barrington plans to work around their visit, reach out. We're happy to share what's on our own calendars. Start Your Move — Schedule a Consultation.
