This month, we’re proud to spotlight Tom McPeek! Tom is the kind of volunteer you can always count on, no matter what the task. A longtime ArtsQuest Ambassador and member of our 1,000-hour volunteer club, Tom consistently goes above and beyond while always looking for ways to make the experience even better for his fellow volunteers. He enjoys booth-sitting for vendors at many of our major events, including at Handwerkplatz during Musikfest and Christkindlmarkt. Tom is also a familiar face in the Musikfest Café and has supported our visual arts team by assisting with educational field trips throughout the year. His dedication and impact are long overdue for recognition, and we’re thrilled to celebrate Tom this May.
How did I get started Volunteering at ArtsQuest?
I’m not really sure how I got started volunteering at ArtsQuest. I think my first job was setting up for Musikfest in 2016. I’m not even sure how I found out about it. I retired in 2013, went to Europe for two months in 2014 and, after that, didn’t have a lot of activities, so I decided to look for something to do. I completed Ambassador training in 2018.
What has been your favorite musical performance you’ve seen while volunteering here, either at Musikfest, in the Cafe or Levitt?
I think my favorite music act/performance was Chicago in 2025. I had seen them the last time they performed here, but this performance stood out. Also, I would like to add that a rainy Train concert at The Wind Creek Steel Stage was special, but the best part came halfway through the concert when my daughter-in-law went to get a drink. As she was returning to her seat, the lead singer, Pat Monahan, was walking through the crowd, singing right in front of her. She threw her arms for a hug, and he gave her a nice hug!
What is a fun fact about yourself that other volunteers would be surprised to learn about you?
I am 78 and have been married for 57 years to the same woman, the love of my life. We lived in NJ and discovered Musikfest in 1985 when we were looking for something musical to take our Swedish exchange-student-of-the-year to. Since it was so much fun, we started taking that week as vacation from work to attend and haven’t missed any years except during Covid.
In 2025, we created Lounge Lizard tee shirts for some of the die-hard visitors to the Members Lounge.
I did a stint in the Navy aboard the USS Nautilus submarine, worked for the telephone company for 40 years, happily retired 12 years ago, and am still going strong.
