National guitar champion Muriel Anderson is bringing her annual Saturday-after-Thanksgiving concert back to Downers Grove, with the show set for Saturday, Nov. 28, at 7 p.m. at First Congregational UCC. This year's special guest is international fingerstyle guitar champion Christie Lenée, who joins Anderson for an evening billed as featuring music from all over the world, homemade baked goods, hot apple cider and a guitar giveaway.
The concert will take place at First Congregational UCC of Downers Grove, located at 1047 Curtiss St., according to murielanderson.com. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., half an hour ahead of the performance, and the show will also be streamed for those watching online. Every ticket, whether purchased for in-person attendance or online viewing, gives buyers a chance to win a new guitar.
In-person tickets cost $28, while online tickets are priced at $18, per the event listing. In-person guests will also enjoy complimentary hot apple cider and homemade baked goods as part of the evening.
A Tradition Rooted in Local Charity
A portion of the concert's proceeds will go to the Music for Life Alliance charity, according to the event page. Last year, Shaw Local reported that proceeds from the 2025 edition of the concert similarly benefited Anderson's Music for Life Alliance charity, which supports organizations that bring music education to young people who may not otherwise have the opportunity.
The 2025 concert, held Nov. 29 at the same Downers Grove church, featured Italian guitarist Alberto Lombardi as Anderson's special guest, the outlet's report noted. That event's in-person tickets also cost $28 and included a chance to win a new Eastman guitar courtesy of Tobias Music, along with other prizes, while $18 live-stream tickets carried the same Eastman guitar giveaway chance.
A Concert With Decades of History
Shaw Local's report on the 2025 show described the concert as having become an annual tradition for many, featuring homemade baked goods, hot apple cider, a guitar giveaway and world-class music. The tradition stretches back years in the western suburbs — a 2021 page from the Daily Herald described that year's show as Anderson's 30th annual Saturday-After-Thanksgiving concert, with tickets then priced at $25, or $17 for students age 18 and younger and seniors age 65 and older.
Tickets and more information for this year's concert are available at murielanderson.com/DG. With Christie Lenée joining Anderson on stage and the chance to win a guitar built into every ticket, the Downers Grove tradition looks set to carry its post-Thanksgiving pull into another year.
