This gathering marked the 50th annual reunion held by the Bidwell Family Association. While the original Association founders and early reunion participants are no longer with us, the annual tradition that they began in the early 1970s continues today. Each reunion offers Bidwell cousins, spouses, and friends the opportunity to celebrate their shared heritage while exploring new destinations together.
Hampton Inn & Suites Chicago – Downtown served as the official reunion hotel and meeting facility. Conveniently located in the heart of downtown Chicago, this hotel offered easy access to Chicago’s top attractions and restaurants and gave out-of-town attendees the opportunity to explore downtown Chicago in between reunion activities. Five attendees were local to the Chicago metropolitan area and joined the out-of-town attendees for various meals, meetings, and activities.
Thursday, July 24 was the official arrival day. The meeting room opened late Thursday afternoon for check-in. Attendees were welcomed by reunion hosts and had the opportunity to meet and mingle.
Reunion hosts treated attendees to a delicious welcome dinner at The Berghoff. The Berghoff is an iconic Chicago restaurant which has been serving up authentic German cuisine and its renowned beer since 1898.
Friday, July 25 was the first full day of reunion activities. Following breakfast at the hotel, attendees boarded a private bus to the Museum Campus area of Chicago. This 57acre lakefront park is home to The Field Museum of Natural History, Shedd Aquarium, and Adler Planetarium. Attendees enjoyed self-guided tours at one of the three institutions of their choice.
Shortly before lunch, attendees boarded a private bus to the Willis Tower. Formerly known as the Sears Tower, the 110-floor Willis Tower is an iconic landmark and easily one of the most recognizable buildings in the Chicago skyline. Attendees ordered lunch from a diverse selection of quick-service restaurants located in the food hall at the base of the Willis Tower. Following lunch, attendees eagerly entered Skydeck. Located on the 103rd floor, Skydeck is the highest observation deck in the United States and 12th highest observation deck in the world. Those brave enough stepped out on the glass floored balconies which extend four feet outside the 103rd floor. It was a truly memorable experience and photo op!
Friday evening was filled with food, fun and competition during game night! Kicking off the evening, attendees indulged in a wide selection of Chicago-style deep-dish and thin-crust pizzas catered by Gino’s East. Following dinner, the fun and competition immediately began. Roberta Bidwell graciously volunteered to host a series of games. Everyone had the opportunity to compete with one another for prizes while being thoroughly entertained. To close out the evening, the group played “Bidwell Bingo” – bingo cards contained a variety of pictures and words in place of numbers to highlight Chicago, Bidwell places and history, reunion locations, and Route 66. Winners had the opportunity to select a prize, and by the end of the evening, everyone walked away with a prize!
Saturday, July 26 opened with the annual BFA Board Meeting. The meeting was attended by 14 BFA Directors – eleven in person and three remotely. Reunion attendees that did not attend the meeting had Saturday morning free.
Immediately following the BFA Board Meeting, a box lunch was delivered by Manny’s Deli. This offered attendees a taste of the long-standing and renowned Chicago delicatessen.
Shortly after lunch, attendees embarked on a two-hour journey into Chicago’s gangster past with the Untouchable Tour. A private guide provided an entertaining account of people, places and events in Chicago during the Prohibition era.
Saturday evening activities began with the annual BFA General Meeting. BFA Secretary, Barb Lewison, read a summary account of the BFA Board Meeting. BFA President, Tina Bidwell, announced the 2025 BFA Scholarship recipients – Max Bidwell Moggy, Marissa Pries, and Blake John Bidwell. BFA Director and 2026 Reunion Host, Carol Bidwell, announced that the 2026 reunion will be held in Nashville, Tennessee, and asked for suggestions and recommendations. BFA Director, Sandra Maslen, led the annual installation ceremony of the 2025-26 officers and appointed positions. Janice Butler spoke regarding a project the Society of the Descendants of the Founders of Hartford (SDFH) is working on to document the first three generations of descendants of the Founders of Hartford. Nan Eagan and Sherry Parmenter remembered those we lost over the past year as they read the BFA Memorial List.
The annual BFA Banquet dinner was served following the meeting. Greg Breese offered a dinner prayer. Attendees enjoyed a variety of delicious meats and sides from a popular Chicago barbeque restaurant – Green Street Smoked Meats. The annual, and much-anticipated, BFA Auction commenced shortly after dinner. Jacob Parmenter served as sole auctioneer for the first time and kept everyone engaged and entertained throughout the evening! Blue Pries and Marissa Pries assisted Jacob. Ann Cline and Pamela West served as recording secretaries. Approximately 55 items were auctioned ranging from handmade and hand painted items to gift cards, themed gift sets, unique food, and historical memorabilia. Bidwell Beach Break, a 6 night/7 day stay at a beachfront condo in Panama City Beach, brought the most money at this year’s auction.
Sunday, July 27 was the last full day of reunion activities. Following breakfast at the hotel, attendees boarded a private bus to Millennium Park. Attendees gathered for a group picture at The Bean / Cloud Gate and then set off to explore Millennium Park at their leisure. After exploring Millennium Park, attendees grabbed lunch at the legendary Billy Goat Tavern, famous since 1934 for its cheezborgers, its infamous Cubs curse of 1945, and a classic 1978 Saturday Night Live skit.
From there, attendees strolled just two blocks to the Chicago River to board the Chicago River Architecture Tour. During the 90-minute cruise, an expert guide highlighted iconic landmarks while sharing insights into the city’s rich history and distinctive architectural styles. Attendees enjoyed taking in Chicago from this relaxing, unique and scenic vantage point.
For the final evening and meal together, attendees walked two blocks from the hotel to dine at Harry Caray’s Italian Steakhouse. Named after the legendary sportscaster known for his exuberant baseball commentary and decades as the voice of the Chicago Cubs, the restaurant offered a lively, old-school atmosphere where attendees savored prime steaks and classic Italian fare.
The 50th annual BFA reunion officially concluded Sunday evening following dinner. Attendees shared goodbyes and well wishes until next year’s gathering in Nashville, Tennessee.
Attendees of the 2025 BFA Reunion – Chicago, IL
(*denotes first reunion)
Arizona
Ann Cline
California
Zeb Bidwell and Amy Misawa-Bidwell
Miles Bidwell
Mya Bidwell
Illinois
Richard Bidwell*
Bryce Bidwell*
Miles Breese* & Cara Shelley*
Janice Butler*
Indiana
Maureen Foy & Gregory Breese *
Iowa
Cindy Bidwell
Danielle Bidwell
Janelle Hall
Linda Jakubowsky
Barb Lewison
Joyce & Steve Oaks
Maryland
Pamela West
Michigan
Roberta Bidwell
Minnesota
Carol Bidwell
New York
Nan Egan
Sandra Maslen
Ohio
John and Sherry Parmenter
Jacob Parmenter
Oklahoma
Kevin White
Tennessee
Judi Pries
Blue Pries
Marissa Pries