Tickets

Admission to the Destination Asia Festival is included with Arboretum general admission.

Purchase Arboretum general admission online in advance for Friday, July 31, Saturday, August 1, or Sunday, August 2. The further in advance you purchase your tickets, the more you save. Buy online to save $2 per ticket and save time entering the Arboretum.

Become an Arboretum member to visit any day without purchasing general admission tickets.

You can apply the cost of your general admission towards the cost of an Arboretum membership on the day of your visit at the Member Services Desk inside the Visitor Center.

Festival Schedule and Map

View and download the map.

An information tent, as well as food trucks and concessions, can be found at Location 5.

Sunday, August 2

9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Bonsai Show
Location 4

9:00 to 10:00 a.m.
Pungmul drumming, Korean Performing Arts Institute of Chicago
Location 3

10:00 a.m.
Raku pottery firing demonstration, Clayspace Ceramic arts
Due to the unpredictable nature of the firing process, raku demonstration times are approximate.
Location 7

10:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Chinese traditional music, Kerry Leung
Location 3

Hindustani Raagaas
Location 1

10:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Prairie State Bonsai Society demonstration
Location 1

10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Chinese yo-yo interactive booth
Location 6

Interactive origami folding
Location 6

Midwest Cricket League
Location 7

Face painting, Naperville Chinese Storytime
Location 8

10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Storytelling, Naperville Chinese Storytime
Location 8

Taiko drumming and shubukai dance, Tsukasa Taiko and Asian Improv aRts Midwest
Location 2

11:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Ikebana demonstration
Location 6

11:00 a.m. to noon
Japanese ensemble music, Chicago Koto Group
Location 1

Indian dance, Acharya Performing Arts Academy
Location 3

11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Japanese archery, Fuko Kyudojo
Location 7

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Sumo wrestling performance, USA Sumo
Location 2

Noon
Raku pottery firing demonstration, Clayspace Ceramic arts
Due to the unpredictable nature of the firing process, raku demonstration times are approximate.
Location 7

Noon to 12:30 p.m.
Storytelling, Anne Shimojima
Location 6

Noon to 1:00 p.m.
Classical Cambodian dance, Tep Nimitt Dance Troupe
Location 1

Indian musical performance, Akshaya Music Academy
Location 3

12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Japanese shinkendo swords
Location 2

1:00 to 1:30 p.m.
Ikebana demonstration
Location 6

1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
Indonesian gamelan music, Friends of the Gamelan: Javanese Ensemble
Location 1

Folk dancing and Mandala arts, Mandala South Asia Performing Arts
Location 3

1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Tsukasa Taiko drumming and shubukai dance, Asian Improv aRts Midwest
Location 2

Year of the Fire Horse puppeteering, Zachary Sun
Location 7

2:00
Raku pottery firing demonstration, Clayspace Ceramic arts
Due to the unpredictable nature of the firing process, raku demonstration times are approximate.
Location 7

2:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Japanese storytelling, Anne Shimojima
Location 6

Traditional Bali music and dance, Friends of the Gamelan: Balinese Ensemble
Location 1

Pungmul drumming, Korean Performing Arts Institute of Chicago
Location 3

2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Sumo wrestling performance, USA Sumo
Location 2

3:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Traditional Chinese lion dance, Seven Star Lion Dance Group
Location 1

J-pop and anime music, ORiHANA
Location 3

Prairie State Bonsai Society demonstration
Location 1

Saturday, August 1

9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Bonsai Show
Location 4

Interactive origami folding
Location 9

Noon to 1:00 p.m.
Japanese storytelling, Anne Shimojima
Location 9

Noon to 4:00 p.m.
Chinese yo-yo interactive booth
Location 5

Midwest Cricket League
Location 7

Face painting, Naperville Chinese Storytime
Location 8

12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Sumo wrestling performance, USA Sumo
Location 2

1:00 to 1:30 p.m.
Ikebana demonstration
Location 9

1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
Cambodian traditional music, Cambodian Traditional Music Ensemble
Location 1

Indian musical performance, Akshaya Music Academy
Location 3

1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Taiko drumming and shubukai dance, Tsukasa Taiko and Asian Improv aRts Midwest
Location 2

2:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Saving Asia’s Threatened Trees: Global Partnerships in Action
Cudahy Room, Administration and Research Center

Japanese storytelling, Anne Shimojima
Location 9

Mongolian folk music, Tuvergen Band
Location 1

South Indian classical dance, Kaivalya Arts
Location 3

2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Prairie State Bonsai Society demonstration
Location 4

Sumo wrestling performance, USA Sumo
Location 2

3:00 to 3:15 p.m.
Chinese yo-yo performance
Location 5

3:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Indian classical dance, Kalakriti School of Dance
Location 3

3:30 to 4:00
Koto performance, Guzheng Studio
Location 1

Friday, July 31

5:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Cranes of Peace origami folding and Toro Nagashi lantern making
Location 10

5:30 to 5:45 p.m.
Opening speech, Chai-Shian Kua
Location 10

5:45 p.m. (8-minute performance)
Chinese yo-yo demonstration, Eddie Lu
Location 10

6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Chinese folk music, Xiaoli Shen
Location 10

7:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Sumo wrestling performance, USA Sumo
Location 10

8:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Toro Nagashi lantern ceremony
Location 10

Food and Drinks

Meals, snacks, and beverages will be available to purchase from food trucks on Friday evening and throughout the weekend, and the Ginkgo Café will feature special menu items.

Sushi will be available to purchase in the Visitor Center, near the Ginkgo Café seating area, from Friday, July 31, through Sunday, August 2.

Summer concessions will be available to purchase in Arbor Court on Sunday, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Food Vendors

Hello Boba (Saturday and Sunday)
Boba, milk tea, smoothies, coffee drinks, and fruit refreshers

Gaijin (Sunday)
Savory Japanese griddle pancakes

Lu’s Fine Asian Cuisine (Sunday)
Chinese and Japanese cuisine, and sushi

Mahal Tea Co. (Sunday)
Small batch cold brew tea

Yum Dum (Sunday)
Dumplings, baowiches, and rice balls

Ginkgo Café

The Café offers freshly made packaged salads and sandwiches, bakery items, espresso beverages, hot tea, and drip coffee, daily from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The café will offer special items during the Destination Asia Festival. Imported Asian beers, sake, and a nonalcoholic ginger spritz will be available from Friday, July 31, through Sunday, August 2.

Ginkgo Restaurant

The Ginkgo Restaurant is a sit-down space that offers a full lunch and beverage menu, including freshly made sandwiches, salads, burgers, and assorted alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages. The restaurant is open from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Friday, and from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Accessibility

The Destination Asia Festival takes place along the paved walking paths of the Visitor Center area, Meadow Lake Trail, and the Conifer Walk. These paths are fully accessible for wheelchairs and walkers, but do include a few inclines. Performance stages will be located on the grassy areas near these walking trails.

Manual wheelchairs are available for loan by visiting the Information Desk inside the Visitor Center, as are other aids for guests with special needs.

Parking

Accessible parking is available in parking lot P-1, which features a permeable concrete paver system that allows rainwater to pass through. These pavers are uneven, but the accessible parking spaces and pathways from parking lot P-1 to the Visitor Center and throughout the Arboretum’s central area have smooth pavers.

Restrooms

Accessible restrooms are available in the Visitor Center until 6:00 p.m.

Accessible restrooms and a large all-gender restroom with a changing table are available in the West Pavilion of the Visitor Center until sunset. The entrance to the West Pavilion does not have steps and is accessible to wheelchairs and walkers.

See Accessibility at The Morton Arboretum for more information.

Bonsai Show and Workshops

The Prairie State Bonsai Society is pleased to present an exhibition of bonsai at The Morton Arboretum’s Destination Asia Festival. Bonsai is the Japanese art of growing and developing trees and other woody-stemmed plants in pots. View a display of mature bonsai trees and trees in training at the Bonsai Show on Saturday, August 1, and Sunday, August 2.

Bonsai Workshops

Discover the art of bonsai, develop your styling and wiring skills, or receive advice on your own bonsai tree. Bonsai workshops take place onsite at The Morton Arboretum on Saturday, August 1, and Sunday, August 2. Advance online registration is required. Registration cost varies by workshop.

Saving Asia’s Threatened Trees

Science is the foundation of The Morton Arboretum’s work for trees. Arboretum researchers conduct on-the-ground tree conservation action projects with local partners in Southeast and East Asia, to benefit ecosystems while supporting local communities.

Saving Asia’s Threatened Trees: Global Partnerships in Action

Register to attend Saving Asia’s Threatened Trees: Global Partnerships in Action, a free one-hour presentation on Saturday, August 1. Join The Morton Arboretum’s Global Tree Conservation Program to learn about our efforts to protect endangered tree species across Asia. As a biodiversity hotspot, Asia faces urgent threats to its forest ecosystems, including rapid development and habitat loss. Advance online registration reserves your seat; walk-up registrations will be accepted while seats remain.

Conservation Gap Analysis of Select Native Asian Oaks

According to the Global Tree Assessment published by Botanic Gardens Conservation International, one-third of all tree species are threatened with extinction. To help address this global conservation challenge, The Morton Arboretum partners with communities and conservation organizations to prioritize and coordinate conservation efforts through conservation gap analyses, which identify at-risk tree species and determine where action is most needed. Learn more about the Conservation Gap Analysis of Select Native Asian Oaks.

Toro Nagashi Lantern Ceremony

Please note: All Friday programming has been relocated to the Firefly Pavilion (Location 10) in response to weather conditions. Toro Nagashi lanterns will be lit and placed on the Firefly Pavilion lawn, weather permitting.

The Destination Asia Festival kicks off on Friday, July 31, with engaging performances, culinary delights, and a breathtaking Japanese lantern display known as Toro Nagashi on Meadow Lake.

Toro Nagashi, (灯籠) “toro”, means “lantern”, while (流し) “nagashi”, means “cruise” or “flow.” Toro Nagashi is a traditional element of the Obon festival in Japan. Each lantern is dedicated in memory of a loved one who’s passed away, or a wish for the future, and is launched into a lake or river at night for everyone to admire.

Walk the Meadow Lake trail to admire hundreds of floating lanterns flickering in the calm waters. Viewing of the lantern ceremony is free with Arboretum admission. For an additional cost of $12, purchase a lantern to release as part of the ceremony, while supplies last.

Purchase a Lantern

Purchase a lantern online.

Cost: $12

Lanterns are limited and available to purchase online while supplies last. Advance purchase is highly recommended.

Personalize your lantern to remember a loved one, commemorate an important moment in your life, or express a wish for the future.

Lantern decoration will take place from 5:30 to 7:45 p.m., and lanterns will be released onto Meadow Lake starting at 8:00 p.m.

Extra lanterns will not be available to purchase and take home, and lanterns cannot be taken home after they have been released into the lake.

An Evening in Japan

Upgrade your Destination Asia experience by purchasing tickets to An Evening in Japan, an exclusive program of Japanese art, music, and tradition in the Visitor Center’s Ginkgo Room on Friday, July 31, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Tickets

Purchase An Evening in Japan tickets and member tickets online.

Cost: $50
Member cost: $40

This event is for attendees aged 16 and older.

The program includes contemporary koto performances, a showcase of Japanese textiles and clothing, and a complementary sake spritz.