Individual Seat
$100 per person
One seat at a shared table. The simplest way to join us for the evening.
- One seat at a shared table
- Full dinner service
- The full evening program and Muslim Achievers Awards
- Seating assigned at check-in
The Invitation
For thirty-four years, the Council’s Annual Gala has been the one night when all of Muslim Chicago sits at the same table.
On Sunday, October 4th, more than 800 guests will gather at Drury Lane. Imams and principals, business owners and students, elected officials and families, together for an evening of dinner, reflection, and recognition, and to honor the Muslim Achievers whose work has shaped this city over the past year.
The Council brings together more than 65 member organizations, including mosques, Islamic schools, and community groups, representing over 400,000 Muslim Americans across Illinois. Much of what the year ahead makes possible begins with this night: the advocacy day at the state Capitol, the “know your rights” work that protects immigrant families, teacher training for our Islamic schools, interfaith partnerships, and the grants that go straight back into member masjids.
One ummah. One city. Come stand with us.
34th
Annual Gala
800+
Guests Expected
65+
Member Organizations
400K
Muslim Americans Represented
“Hold firmly together to the rope of Allah, and do not be divided.”
Qur’an 3:103
Reserve Your Seat
Tickets & Tables
Come on your own, bring your family, or reserve a full table for your masjid, school, or organization. Every seat includes dinner and the full evening program.
Most popular
Table of Ten
$1,000 per table
Ten seats reserved together for your masjid, school, or family.
- Ten seats held together in your name
- Your table assigned on the floor plan before the event
- Your organization or family name on the table
- Full halal dinner service for all ten guests
- The full program and the Muslim Achievers Awards
Secure checkout All major cards accepted Emailed receipt & confirmation
Buying for a member organization, or need to be invoiced? Email info@ciogc.org or call (312) 465-0169.
The 2026 Lineup
Confirmed Speakers
Civic and community leaders joining us on stage at Drury Lane.
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Rami Nashashibi
Founding Executive Director, Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN)
Confirmed Speaker
Brandon Johnson
Mayor of the City of Chicago
Confirmed Speaker
Toni Preckwinkle
President, Cook County Board of Commissioners
Confirmed Speaker
Abdelnasser Rashid
Illinois State Representative, 21st District
The Evening
Program Schedule
Doors open at 5:15 PM. Come early, the room fills quickly.
5:15 – 5:45 PM
Check-in & Registration
Collect your table assignment and meet the room before we sit.
6:00 PM
Welcome & Sponsor Recognition
6:15 PM
Maghrib
Prayer space is provided at the venue.
6:30 PM
Program & Dinner
6:50 PM
Fundraising
7:15 PM
Muslim Achievers Awards
7:45 PM
Keynote Speaker
8:30 PM
Closing Dua
Schedule is provisional and may be adjusted closer to the event.
Muslim Achievers Awards
The 2026 Muslim Achievers
The Muslim Achiever Award, established by CIOGC, honors exceptional individuals and highlights their contributions to both the Chicago Muslim community and the broader Chicago area. Recipients are selected for their impact in fields such as academia, business and finance, engineering, journalism, law and law enforcement, medicine, public service, science, and sports. By recognizing their achievements we hope to inspire excellence within our community and show the meaningful ways Muslims contribute to society.
2026 Muslim Achiever
Nabeela Syed
Illinois State Representative, 51st District
As a proud native of Palatine, Illinois, Representative Nabeela Syed made history as the first South Asian woman, one of the first Muslims, and the youngest woman ever elected to the Illinois General Assembly.
In office, Nabeela is a leading voice for expanding access to healthcare and mental health services, strengthening education, and prescription drug affordability. She has successfully passed over 25 laws, including legislation banning price-gouging of generic drugs, creating paid leave for organ donors, and allowing 16-year-olds to pre-register to vote, an initiative that has already enabled thousands of teenagers to engage in the democratic process.
Nabeela has focused on what matters most: lowering costs, protecting access to healthcare and delivering real results. She’s passed legislation to cap prescription drug costs, expand breast cancer screening, secure paid leave for organ donors and make voting more accessible to young people. Nabeela fights for the people who feel unseen: working parents struggling with healthcare costs, retirees facing rising utility bills and every Illinoisan trying to get ahead. Nabeela believes in leadership rooted in listening and action, and is proud to serve her community.
2026 Muslim Achiever
Zamaan Qureshi
Co-Founder, Design It For Us
Zamaan is an advocate, policy expert, and strategist focused on tech accountability, online safety, and privacy. He is the co-founder and Director of Campaigns and Policy at Design It For Us, where he leads advocacy on emerging technology policy, builds coalitions, and drives the youth online safety movement.
His work has been featured in national media for elevating young voices in the fight for a safer digital world. He is a graduate of American University, where he earned a B.A. in international studies and political science. Zamaan is on the 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30 list.
Both honorees will be recognized on stage at the 34th Annual Gala on Sunday, October 4.
Beyond a Ticket
Ways to Support the Night
Sponsors, raffle prizes, and volunteers are what make the gala possible. There is a place for you whichever way you can help.
Become a Sponsor
Sponsors receive recognition across gala materials and CIOGC platforms throughout the year, and visibility with community leaders and guests on the night itself.
Donate a Raffle Prize
Gift cards, gift baskets, restaurant vouchers, electronics, home goods, books and Islamic gifts, spa or wellness packages, tickets and experiences, products or services from your business, or an Umrah package.
Volunteer With Us
Earn volunteer hours and resume-building experience, meet people across Chicagoland, and get real leadership and event-management practice, with internship opportunities at CIOGC for some volunteers.
Save the Date
Share the
Invitation
Help us fill the room. Download this year’s artwork and send it to your board, your congregation, or your group chat.
Last Year
The 33rd Annual Gala
Over 800 guests joined us at Drury Lane in October 2025.
Good to Know
Questions
Drury Lane Theaters, 100 Drury Ln, Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181, the same venue as last year. On-site parking is available. Open in Maps.
Check-in runs from 5:15 to 5:45 PM and the program begins at 6:00 PM. Arriving in that window gives you time to find your table and greet people before we sit down.
Yes. Every seat includes a full halal dinner alongside the evening program. If anyone in your party has a dietary requirement, email info@ciogc.org ahead of the event and we will do our best to accommodate it.
If you reserve a full table, all ten seats are held together in your name and we assign your table on the floor plan before the event. Individual seats are assigned at check-in. If you are buying several individual seats and want to sit together, tell us at checkout and we will seat you together where we can.
Yes. Maghrib is part of the program at 6:15 PM and prayer space is provided at the venue.
Formal or modest business attire. It is a celebratory evening, and most guests dress up.
Yes. Email info@ciogc.org or call (312) 465-0169 and we will arrange an invoice and hold your table.
Tickets are transferable. Just let us know the new guest’s name. For refunds, contact info@ciogc.org and we will help where we can.
Sunday, October 4, 2026 · 6:00 PM
Take Your Seat
Eight hundred people, one room, one night a year. We would like you to be in it.