The 14th Annual Steam Department Benefit at the Sanfilippo Estate is on Sunday, November 23, 2025, at 1:00pm. The afternoon will feature a concert in the Estate’s Music Theatre on one of the world’s largest theater pipe organs. The original theater organ, a 1927 Wurlitzer from the Omaha Theater in Nebraska, has expanded and now controls 8,000 pipes, percussions, and sound effects. This year’s event features requests from attendees. Request cards will be available at the registration desk at the main entrance. Organist Dave Calendine will perform as many of the requests as time allots, as well as accompany a short silent film. Prior to the concert, attendees are invited to explore the display rooms of the Sanfilippo Estate, which feature one of the largest collections of mechanical music in the world, several steam engines, and an array of arcade machines. After the concert, the Carousel Pavilion will be open, with rides available on the grand carousel.
Proceeds from this event benefit the Illinois Railway Museum Steam Department, supporting the restoration and operation of the steam locomotives.
Steam Department Benefit Concert and Raffle
The grounds open at 12:30pm on Sunday, November 23rd, and the estate opens at 1:00pm. At that time guests will be able to tour the Residence and its collections. Docents will be throughout the Estate to demonstrate many of the instruments for your enjoyment. The concert will begin at 2:15pm. No food or drink is permitted inside the Estate. There will be multiple raffles and prize opportunities (all raffles are cash only).
- Door prizes include a family pass to the museum and two tickets to next year’s Steam Benefit
- 50/50 raffle – take home half the money collected for this raffle. Tickets are $1 each, or six for $5.
- Two special drawings will take place. Tickets for this special raffle are $5 each, or five for $20:
- Throttle Time on the Shay. You get to operate a real locomotive! You must be 18 years of age or older to win this raffle.
- Cab Ride on the Shay. Ride in the cab and watch the engineer and fireman as they operate the locomotive. You must be 13 years of age or older to win this raffle.
About the Sanfilippo Estate
The Sanfilippo Estate, nicknamed Place de la Musique, is a 55,000 square foot private residence filled with magnificent collections of beautifully restored antique music machines, phonographs, arcade and gambling machines, chandeliers, art glass, a theatre pipe organ, clocks, steam engines and other functional mechanical antiques, displayed within a breathtaking French Second Empire setting. Step into a Parisian streetscape with the new Perfume Passage. Visit the Carousel Pavilion to see and hear several fairground organs, and take a ride on the Eden Palais, the most spectacular European salon carousel in existence. In addition, several restored steam engines will be on display. The Estate, owned by Jeff Sanfilippo, CEO of the parent company of Fisher Nuts, hosts charities holding fundraisers through the Sanfilippo Foundation.
Purchasing Steam Benefit Concert Tickets
Tickets, which are only available to purchase in advance, are $75.00 per person. NO TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR. Tickets and directions are sent by email. Your order may take several minutes to arrive. If you do not receive your tickets, please check your spam folder. The Estate is located in Barrington Hills, about 45 minutes northwest of Downtown Chicago.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Estate handicap accessible?
Yes, many of the rooms are accessible via lifts or elevators. Only a small portion of the house is “stairs only” with two or three steps needed to access the area. There is a lift at the main entrance. The Carousel Pavilion is mostly barrier free, with the exception of the carousel.
Does the event include food and beverages?
No, the event does not include food service. Water is available in the bar area on the lower level of the Estate and a water fountain is available in the Carousel Pavilion. At the request of the family, beverages are not permitted in the display rooms.
Is photography/videography allowed?
Small personal cameras are permitted. Audio and video recording is prohibited at the request of the Sanfilippo family.
Is there ticketed seating for the concert?
No, seating is first-come, first-serve. Seating is available on both the main floor and in the balcony of the music room. Regardless of where you sit, the organ can be seen and heard (and sometimes, felt!) while it is being played.
I’ve got my tickets. Where do I go?
Directions to the Estate will be emailed with your tickets. If you did not receive them, contact IRM at (815) 923-4391. The grounds open to the Sanfilippo Estate at 12:30pm. Signs will be posted to direct everyone on where to park. Shuttles are available for those that wish to ride from the parking lot to the Estate. If you choose to walk to the house from the parking lot, please remain on the road. Due to the many active geese in the area, please do not walk in the grass.
Please do not arrive prior to 12:30pm! Remember, this is someone’s private home. Please help IRM remain good guests of the Sanfilippo Estate by treating it as such.
Help! I need more information.
Please contact IRM at (815) 923-4391 or musician Dave Calendine at dave@calendine.net.