You can buy costumes from real productions at the Chicago Opera Theater’s costume sale

Ever dreamed of making a dramatic, center-stage entrance at your morning coffee run—or simply sweeping into a room draped in full-blown diva velvet? Your moment has arrived. This fall, Chicago Opera Theater (COT) is throwing open its legendary costume vault and giving the public a rare chance to raid their closet.

Mark your calendar for Friday, October 9, from 5 to 9pm, when COT hosts “Take Home the Drama: COT Costume Sale.” Taking place during the Fine Arts Building’s popular Second Fridays event, this warehouse pop-up is bound to be an absolute goldmine for fashionistas, theater aficionados and anyone looking to own an outfit with incomparable flare. Not to mention Halloween—ditch the store-witch outfit and wow fellow revelers with a piece of theater history.

We’re not talking about ordinary secondhand finds here. These are genuine, stage-worn pieces straight out of past COT productions. Perhaps you’re searching for a regal cloak to add gravitas to your autumn wardrobe, an extravagant headpiece to finish off an outfit or an impossibly voluminous skirt just because. Combing through these racks will reveal an eclectic mix of show-stopping oddities and elegant garments. Where else in the city can you buy a costume that has literally hit high notes in front of a live audience?

Best of all, you can shop completely guilt-free. Every dollar raised from the sale goes directly to Opera for All, COT’s flagship education program. This initiative brings music, creativity and opera education into 30 classrooms across the greater Chicago area, introducing the next generation to the power of the performing arts.

So leave the boring department store outfits behind this season. Head down to the Fine Arts Building on October 9, snag a piece of theatrical history and bring a little extra drama home with you—all while supporting local students. Your closet (and your inner opera star) will thank you.

What: Take Home the Drama: COT Costume sale
When: Friday, October 9, 5–9pm
Where: Fine Arts Building, 4th Floor, 410 South Michigan Avenue