Pasta 'n Pops

About Pasta 'n Pops

Pasta 'n Pops is the main fundraiser of the Niles West Music Parents Association.

Held every May, this dinner concert features the talents of the Niles West Band, Orchestra, and Choir, in addition to extracurricular music groups such as the Niles West Jazz Band and Guys and Dolls Vocal Jazz. This annual event started in 1981 and has grown in popularity ever since.

This is the only concert at the school where all three musical disciplines perform at the same venue. Audiences of family, friends, alumni, administrators, and staff have enjoyed this show for years, along with the famous dessert table filled with goodies donated by the families.

Other concerts during the school year have no admission fee. Pasta 'n Pops is the only student concert where a ticket is required. Please invite family, friends, and neighbors to enjoy all our concerts, but especially Pasta 'n Pops, the culminating music event of the school year. If you would like to attend Pasta 'n Pops but do not have a student in the music programs at Niles West, please use the registration methods above. Ticket prices include pasta dinner, salad, bread, and drink. Copious amounts of desserts are provided by the families.

The income generated from Pasta 'n Pops supports music education at Niles West.

Place an Ad in the Concert Program

Merchants and businesses can support the Niles West Music Programs by purchasing an advertisement in the Pasta 'n Pops concert program. This dinner concert routinely attracts 600+ attendees from the Lincolnwood, Niles, Morton Grove, and Skokie communities served by Niles West High School. Showing your support with an ad in the Pasta 'n Pops program is a great way to locally advertise your business or service. Please encourage your contacts or businesses that you frequent to place an ad in our program book. ¼ page, ½ page, and full page ads are available, currently priced at $40, $75, and $100 respectively. Here is a formal letter to send to prospective businesses. If interested in placing an ad, please fill out this form.

Recognize your Student with Message Squares in the Concert Program

Families can place “message squares” in the concert program to recognize their student performer. Each square is 2" x 2" and can contain up to 7 lines of text, 16 characters w/o spacing per line max. Squares are $20.00 each. You may combine squares for larger messages: 2 squares for $40, 4 squares for $60, and 8 squares for $80. There are 8 squares per page. If interested, please fill out the message squares form.

Donate to the Silent Auction

We are seeking quality items of interest for donation to our silent auction. Popular items in the past have included restaurant gift certificates, sporting event tickets, small kitchen appliances, jewelry, artwork, and private music lessons. We ask you to think of your expertise, a connection you may have, or a business you frequent for consideration of a donated product, service, or gift certificate. All contributors are acknowledged in the Pasta 'n Pops program, and donors who provide gifts valued as $200+ will receive a complimentary full page ad. Auction donations can be accepted anytime throughout the school year. If interested in contributing a donation, please fill out this this form.

Donate a Themed Basket

We kindly request that the families of the students consider contributing baskets for the bucket raffle. These baskets will be placed in the area of our Silent Auction and may be from individual families or groups of families. Ideas are: 1) movie tickets and popcorn or 2) coffee, mug and Starbucks gift card. Please fill out this form to donate a basket.

This is how the basket raffle works: There will be a bucket next to each basket. Purchase tickets, Write your name and contact info on each ticket. Place one or more tickets in the bucket next to the basket you wish to win. After the concert, check your basket to see if you've won!

Volunteer the day of the Event

The success of Pasta 'n Pops depends on our members and their oversight of the volunteer stations throughout the evening. For example, volunteers are needed for the concession stand, dessert table, silent auction, and raffle. Volunteer shifts run approximately 45 minutes and are designed so you will not miss your student's performance.

We are using an online sign-up to fill over 100 volunteer positions!

If we do not receive enough volunteers online, expect a phone call about two weeks prior to the dinner concert. When you receive your call, please volunteer for a shift. The efforts of all are vital to the success of the concert and your contributions are greatly appreciated.

Please email nwmusicparents@gmail.com or pastanpops@gmail.com with any questions concerning Pasta 'n Pops.

Enjoy the Show!