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Highlights
Performances
Throughout the weekend, guests will enjoy music, dance, food, and storytelling. Highlighted performers include:
Guitarra Azul
Dance to fiery Spanish guitars and Latin percussion.
Los Perros Cubanos
Experience a vibrant blend of traditional Cuban music with Latin, jazz, blues, rock, and country influences.
Mariachi Estrellas de Chicago
Listen to traditional mariachi repertoire and popular radio songs performed by young, classically trained musicians from Chicago’s South Side.
Mariachi Sirenas
Celebrate la música regional mexicana with Chicago’s first all-women mariachi group.
Trio de Colores
Explore new perspectives on traditional and classical music styles from a trio of boundary-pushing percussionists.
A full performance schedule will be available soon.
Artisan Vendors
Purchase handcrafted goods, art, and traditional foods—such as tamales, conchas, paletas, empanadas, and aguas frescas—from more than a dozen local artists and vendors.
Highlights include authentic Argentinian alfajores from Lucila’s Alfajores and traditional Mexican cuisine from La Cocina de Maria Food Truck.
A full list of artisan vendors will be available soon.
Meet a Scientist
Speak with scientists from The Morton Arboretum’s Global Tree Conservation Program on Saturday, September 27 to learn about the important tree science and conservation work being done by researchers at the Arboretum, in Latin American countries, and in biodiversity hotspots around the world.
Tree Talks
Listen to tree conservation researchers from Mexico, Costa Rica, the Bahamas, and the United States present their work on Saturday, September 27. Both talks are free and open to the public.
Talks take place in the Cudahy room, located in the Research and Administration Building on the Arboretum’s East Side.
10:00 a.m.
1:00 p.m.
Herbarium Tours
Get a behind-the-scenes look at how The Morton Arboretum Herbarium collects and preserves Mexican oak species and other plant specimens from around the world.
Herbarium tours are free with advance registration. Register for an Herbarium tour.
The tour group meets at the reception desk in the lobby of the Administration and Research Center at the following times. Each tour lasts approximately one hour.
11:00 a.m.
2:00 p.m.
Spanish-Language Tram Tours
Experience the beauty and wonder of the Arboretum on a guided tram tour aboard the Acorn Express. Narrated in Spanish, these one-hour rides take you on an adventure through woodlands, wetlands, and prairies. Spanish-language tram tours will focus on storytelling and the cultural relevance of the Arboretum’s landscape.
Tram tickets must be purchased at the Information Desk in the Visitor Center on the day of your visit.
Tickets
Infant (3 and younger): Free
Child or adult (4 and older): $5
Member cost: $3
Schedule
Saturday, September 27, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Sunday, September 28, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Performance Schedule
A performance schedule will be available closer to the event date, but currently includes:
Guitarra Azul
Dance to fiery Spanish guitars and Latin percussion.
Los Perros Cubanos
Experience a vibrant blend of traditional Cuban music with Latin, jazz, blues, rock, and country influences.
Mariachi Estrellas de Chicago
Listen to traditional mariachi repertoire and popular radio songs performed by young, classically trained musicians from Chicago’s South Side.
Mariachi Sirenas
Celebrate la música regional mexicana with Chicago’s first all-women mariachi group.
Trio de Colores
Explore new perspectives on traditional and classical music styles from a trio of boundary-pushing percussionists.
Community Partners
The Morton Arboretum is proud to support and partner with a wide range of local organizations across the Chicago region. They work with the Arboretum to inform and improve its offerings as well as to co-create programming and initiatives that increase access to its beautiful landscape, education, and other activities.
DuPage Hispanic Alliance
Celebracion de los Árboles is presented in partnership with DuPage Hispanic Alliance, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that promotes the rich Hispanic culture throughout DuPage county and the surrounding areas. A cultural, civic, and community network, the organization works to Unite Latinos and non-Latinos in preserving and promoting the richness in diversity of the Latin American heritage through educational, cultural, and civic activities.
DVSA Communities
DVSA Communities is a registered nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization based in Illinois with a mission to provide culturally specific victim services to assist families in finding protection, living without fear, and addressing their needs to ensure their safety and well-being.
Metropolitan Family Services
Part mentor, part motivator, part advocate, Metropolitan Family Services has been empowering Chicago-area families to reach their greatest potential and positively impact their communities since 1857.
National Youth Advocate Program
National Youth Advocate Program provides holistic services and tailored treatment to help children, youth, and families achieve stability.
Science and Conservation
Science is the foundation of The Morton Arboretum’s work for trees. Learn how Arboretum researchers conduct on-the-ground tree conservation action projects with local partners in Mexico and Mesoamerica to benefit ecosystems while supporting local communities.
Global Tree Conservation Program
Working around the world, the Arboretum’s Global Tree Conservation Program is dedicated to safeguarding tree species in biodiversity hotspots like Mesoamerica through global collaborations. Arboretum staff lead integrated, science-based conservation action projects that support sustainable livelihoods and respect local cultures and traditional knowledge.
Conservation Gap Analysis of Native Mesoamerican Oaks
Recently published in 2025, The Arboretum’s Conservation Gap Analysis of Native Mesoamerican Oaks was a landmark report that identified key concerns and areas of opportunity for conserving threatened oak species. The report is available in both English and Spanish.
Chicago Region Trees Initiative
The Chicago Region Trees Initiative is The Morton Arboretum’s urban and community forestry program, working to improve people’s lives by supporting the health, diversity, and equitable distribution of trees in the Chicago region and throughout Illinois.
Opportunities in Science
The Arboretum’s Center for Tree Science offers many opportunities for students and young people to get involved in tree conservation and STEM. Learn more about youth volunteer opportunities and the Arboretum’s Integrated Mentorship Program.
