Events

Blues, Brews, and BBQ

Enjoy live blues music, flavorful beers, and chef-crafted BBQ on a midsummer afternoon.

Content Detail

Spend an afternoon outdoors this June listening to live performances by Chicago-area blues bands while you taste beers from local craft breweries and savor the smoky flavors of BBQ.

Blues, Brews, and BBQ will take place on Saturday, June 7, 2025, from noon to 3:00 p.m. on the Arboretum’s East Side. Tasting tables will be stationed along Meadow Lake Trail, the Conifer Walk, and throughout The Gerard T. Donnelly Grand Garden.

Event Highlights

Blues musicians Marty “Big Dog” Mercer, Brother John, and Windy City Rev Ups will perform from noon to 3:00 p.m.

Sample from a diverse selection of craft beers, ciders, and meads from local Illinois and Midwest breweries.

BBQ and beverages will be available to purchase from concession tents in Arbor Court and on Tram Road.

All event ticket holders receive a commemorative pint-sized tasting glass.

Ticket Details

Event Ticket
Cost: $68
Member cost: $58

Early Entry Event Ticket
Cost: $83
Member cost: $73

A limited number of early-entry tickets offer a chance to enjoy the tasting starting at 11:00 a.m., one hour before all other event ticket holders.

All Blues, Brews, and BBQ tickets include 20 3-ounce beer samples and admission to the Arboretum on Saturday, June 7.

Arboretum general admission is required for anyone aged 4 and older who is accompanying a Blues, Brews, and BBQ event ticket holder. Designated driver tickets are not available for this event. Nondrinking attendees should purchase Arboretum general admission for Saturday, June 7.

Your ticket purchase helps support the Arboretum’s vision of a greener, healthier, more beautiful world where people and trees thrive together.

Event Highlights

Live Blues Music

Chicago-area blues bands Marty “Big Dog” Mercer, Brother John, and Windy City Rev Ups will perform from noon to 3:00 p.m. at Frost Hill. See the full performance schedule.

Craft Breweries

Enjoy 20 3-ounce samples of beers, ciders, and meads from local Illinois and Midwest craft breweries while listening to live music from Chicago-area blues bands.

During the event, BBQ and nonalcoholic beverages will be available to purchase from concession tents in Arbor Court and on Tram Road.

Arboretum Admission

Blues, Brews, and BBQ event tickets include admission to the Arboretum on Saturday, June 7, to spend the day exploring tree-filled landscapes, flower-filled gardens, and extensive walking trails.

Tasting Glass

All event ticket holders receive a commemorative Vivid Creatures pint-size tasting glass.

Ticket Details

Event Ticket
Cost: $68
Member cost: $58

Early Entry Ticket
Cost: $83
Member cost: $73

A limited number of early-entry tickets offer a chance to enjoy the tasting starting at 11:00 a.m., one hour before all other event ticket holders.

All Blues, Brews, and BBQ tickets include 20 3-ounce beer samples and admission to the Arboretum on Saturday, June 7.

Designated driver tickets are not available for this event. Arboretum general admission is required for anyone aged 4 and older who is accompanying a Blues, Brews, and BBQ event ticket holder. Nondrinking attendees should purchase Arboretum general admission for Saturday, June 7.

Food and beverages from concession tents must be purchased separately and are not included in the cost of the event ticket.

Breweries and Map

Tasting tables will be stationed along Meadow Lake Trail, the Conifer Walk, and throughout The Gerard T. Donnelly Grand Garden on the Arboretum’s East Side.

Brewery Tasting Tables

Table 1 Casa Humilde Cerveceria
Maizal Mexican Lager
Piñata Hazy Pineapple IPA

Table 2 ERIS Brewery and Cider House
Pedestrian Hard Cider
Strawbarbarella Strawberry Rhubarb Hard Cider

Table 3 Standard Meadery
Peaches & Dreams Mead
Prickly Pear Lemonade Mead
Snakes & Sparklers Mead

Table 4 Unpossible Mead
Raspberry Tesla Coil Mead
Session Bluebeary Cheesecake Mead

Table 5 Homewood Brewing Company
20-Minute Lunch Break Hazy Pale Ale
Sunsinger Golden Ale with Tropical Notes

Table 6 Riggs Beer Company
American Lager
Hefeweizen
Hopilly Sparkling Hop Water
Illinois Kölsch

Table 7 Penrose Brewing
Crocodile Boots Hazy IPA with Southern Hemisphere Hops
Lemon Seltz-Up Crafted Hard Seltzer with Real Lemons
Summer Crush Hazy Wheat IPA with Orange Zest

Table 8 Pollyanna Brewing & Distilling
Pixelated Sun Wheat IPA
The Full Lemonty Golden Ale

Table 9 Church Street Brewing Company
Blueberry Sour Ale with Blueberry and Vanilla
Lil Luci Session Hazy IPA

Table 10 Alter Brewing
Ambigram Hazy IPA
Day Sipper German Style Pilsner
Rally Point IPA

Table 11 Pipeworks Brewing Co.
Barrel Aged Hyper Dog Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Milk Stout
Horchata Ale wit Rice, Lactose, Vanilla, and Cinnamon
Socks and Sandals Weather Hazy IPA

Table 12 Brother Chimp Brewing
Antonio Italian Pilsner
Ludwig Vienna Lager

Table 13 Revolution Brewing
Freedom Lemonade Session Sour
DDH Nelson-Hero Double Dry-Hopped Hazy IPA

Table 14 Scorched Earth Brewing
Bleuprint Blackberry Blueberry Wheat Ale
Exiled Angel Belgian Style Golden Ale
Giant Killer IPA

Table 15 Carbliss
Carbliss Black Raspberry Vodka Cocktail
Carbliss Peach Vodka Cocktail
Carbliss Watermelon Vodka Cocktail

Table 16 Drop Needle Drinks Co.
Berry Rosé Sparkler Wine Cocktail with Blackberry and Raspberry
California 75 Wine Cocktail with Lemon, Juniper and Elderflower
Modern Mimosa Wine Cocktail with Orange, Tangerine and Clementine

Table 17 Noon Whistle Brewing
Blue Wheatberry Wheat Ale with Blueberry
Georgia Peach Cozmo American Pale Ale
Golden Leaf Ale (Brewed especially for The Morton Arboretum)

Table 18 Spiteful Brewing
Alley Time Pale Ale
Bleacher Bum Blonde Ale with Peaches

Table 19 Avery Brewing Co.
Electric Sunshine Fruited Tart Ale
White Rascal Belgian Style White Ale

Table 20 93 Octane Brewery
Clown Car Cream Ale with Cake Batter and Vanilla
Panhead Pilsner

Table 21 Owl’s Brew
Boozy Tea Black Tea & Pineapple
Boozy Tea Green Tea & Peach
Boozy Tea White Tea & Watermelon
Boozy Tea Hibiscus & Raspberry
Chelsea Handler’s Vodka Lemonade

Table 22 Energy City Brewing
Bistro Peach Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler Berliner Weisse
Bistro Pink Lemonade Heavily Fruited Berliner Weisse

Table 23 Liquid Love Brewing
Damascus Wood & Barrel Aged Imperial Stout
Monarch IPA
Pucker Kiss Fruited Sour Ale with Coconut, Blueberry, Yuzu, and Milk Sugar

Table 24 One Allegiance Brewing
Harlem Ave Pale Ale
Pepper’s Pils German Pilsner

Table 25 BubbleHouse Brewing Company
10 Second Hug Hazy IPA
All Together Now Altbier

Table 26 Skeleton Key Brewery
Escape Music Pilsner
Stewart Ave Porter

Table 27 Lunar Brewing Company
Kosmic Kölsch
Midnight at Mars Lake Black Rye Pale Ale

Table 28 Black Horizon Brewing Company
Horizonte Azul Mexican Lager
Peach Cobbler Sugar Bomb Milkshake IPA

Table 29 Ike & Oak Brewing Co.
Broken Carabiner Green Tea Ale
Harbor Country Delight Blueberry Cheesecake Pastry Sour
Monkey Nut Peanut Butter Porter
Mt. Massive Double New England IPA

Table 30 Prima Cider
Prima Late Harvest Traditional Hard Cider
Prima Most Farmhouse Hard Cider

Participating breweries are subject to change up until the event date.

Food Options

During the event, BBQ and nonalcoholic beverages will be available to purchase from concession stations in Arbor Court and on Tram Road. Alcoholic beverages can be purchased from brewery tasting tables. Concessions are not included in the cost of the event ticket.

BBQ Station 1

Smoked BBQ Pulled Pork Nachos
Pickled jalapeños, pico de gallo, cilantro lime crème, tortilla chips

Smoked Poblano and Onion Nachos
Pickled jalapeños, pico de gallo, cilantro lime crème, tortilla chips

Sauce Options
Carolina gold barbecue, cherry bourbon barbecue, chipotle barbecue

Snacks
Jumbo cookies, peach cobbler

BBQ Station 2

Beef Brisket Platter
Coleslaw, brown sugar baked beans, honey cornbread

Smoked Hot Links Platter
Coleslaw, brown sugar baked beans, honey cornbread

Sauce Options
Carolina gold barbecue, cherry bourbon barbecue, chipotle barbecue

Snacks
Assorted bagged chips, strawberry shortcake parfait

BBQ Station 3

Boneless Rib BBQ Sandwich

Grilled BBQ Chicken Skewers

Fire-Roasted Vegetable Skewers (V)
Can be made vegan and gluten-free upon request.

Sauce Options
Carolina gold barbecue, cherry bourbon barbecue, chipotle barbecue

Snacks
Apple fritters, house-made chips, three-cheese macaroni and cheese

Beverages

Boxed Water™
Iced tea
Soda
Lemonade, served in 16-oz commemorative Vivid Creatures glass

Icon Key

V–Vegetarian

Food and beverages are also available to purchase at the Ginkgo Restaurant and the Ginkgo Café, both located in the Visitor Center. The Ginkgo Restaurant will be open from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. From 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., the Ginkgo Café offers prepackaged salads and sandwiches, bakery items, espresso beverages, hot tea, and drip coffee.

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