Bring your family and friends to The Morton Arboretum to explore the rich cultures and diverse traditions of Asia during the annual Destination Asia Festival, from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. on Friday, July 31, and 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 1, and Sunday, August 2.
Taste delicious food from local vendors, enjoy live music, and take in traditional dances and performances celebrating the many Asian cultures.
Admission to the Destination Asia Festival is included with Arboretum general admission.
A special Toro Nagashi lantern ceremony will take place on the evening of Friday, July 31, on the Arboretum’s Meadow Lake.
Highlights
The Destination Asia Festival is a weekend-long event featuring arts demonstrations, musical and cultural performances, and interactive activities for all ages.
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The festival takes place along ADA accessible, paved walking paths throughout the Visitor Center area, Meadow Lake Trail, and the Conifer Walk.
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.
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.
An Evening in Japan
Upgrade your experience by purchasing tickets to An Evening in Japan, an exclusive program of Japanese art, music, and traditions in the Visitor Center’s Ginkgo Room on Friday, July 31, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Toro Nagashi Ceremony
On Friday, July 31, experience a breathtaking Japanese lantern ceremony known as Toro Nagashi on Meadow Lake.
Bonsai Show
The Prairie State Bonsai Society is pleased to present an exhibition of bonsai at The Morton Arboretum’s Destination Asia Festival. View a display of mature bonsai trees and trees in training at the Bonsai Show on Saturday, August 1, and Sunday, August 2.
Explore the Arboretum’s Temperate Asia Collection
The Temperate Asia Collection includes trees and shrubs from temperate Asian countries—including China, Japan, and Korea—which share a climate similar to the Midwest. A paved, accessible path connects the Temperate Asia Collection to parking lots P-2, P-16, P-17, and P-18 on the Arboretum’s East Side.
Saving Asia’s Threatened Trees
Arboretum scientists and conservation practitioners partner with experts across Asia to advance tree science, conservation, and forest management and to conduct conservation gap analyses that identify at-risk tree species and determine where action is most needed.
