Tickets
Admission to Celebración de los Árboles is included with Arboretum general admission. Buy general admission online to save $2 per ticket and save time in line.
Purchase Arboretum general admission for Saturday, September 26, or Sunday, September 27.
Become an Arboretum member to visit any day without purchasing general admission tickets.
Festival Schedule and Map
Festival programming takes place from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday September 26, and Sunday, September 27.
Saturday September 26
9:00 to 10:00 a.m.
Mariachi Estrellas de Chicago
Location 1
9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Teotlecuilli Aztec Dance Group
Location 2
10:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Trio Latino
Location 1
10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Lucha Taz
Location 2
11:00 a.m. to noon
Salsa, Merengue, and Bachata dance lessons, Itza Riedas and May I Have This Dance Studio
Location 1
Herbarium tour
Meet in the lobby of the Administration and Research Center
Noon to 1:00 p.m.
Mariachi Sirenas
Location 1
1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
Guitarra Azul
Location 1
1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Ballet Folclórico Xochipitzahuatl
Location 2
2:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Los Perros Cubanos
Location 1
Herbarium tour
Meet in the lobby of the Administration and Research Center
2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Lucha Taz Location 2
3:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Mariachi Los Pumas
Location 1
4:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Spanish-language tram tour
Meet at the drop-off circle in front of the Visitor Center
Sunday, September 27
9:00 to 10:00 a.m.
Mariachi Estrellas de Chicago
Location 1
9:30 to 10:30 a.m.
Teotlecuilli Aztec Dance Group
Location 2
10:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Trio Latino
Location 1
10:30 to 12:30 p.m.
Lucha Taz
Location 2
11:00 a.m. to noon
INTI Illinois
Location 1
Noon to 1:00 p.m.
Latin Swing Factor
Location 1
1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
Guitarra Azul
Location 1
Spanish-language tram tour
Meet at the drop-off circle in front of the Visitor Center
1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Aztec Dance NFP
Location 2
2:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Los Perros Cubanos
Location 1
2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Lucha Taz
Location 2
3:00 to 3:30 p.m.
Salsa dance lessons, Trabuco Salsa Band
3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Trabuco Salsa Band
4:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Spanish-language tram tour
Meet at the drop-off-circle in front of the Visitor Center
Please note that the festival schedule and performance locations are subject to change up until the date of the event.
Lucha Libre
Lucha Libre matches will run throughout the Celebración de los Árboles festival, leading to the final championship match and a luchador meet-and-greet on Sunday afternoon. Stick around until the end to see who is crowned Champion of Trees!
Tours
Spanish-Language Walking Tours
Spanish-language walking tours during Celebración de los Árboles weekend will follow a one-mile, ADA-accessible route through the gardens and tree collections near the Arboretum’s central area.
Admire beautiful seasonal plantings in the Ground Cover Garden and The Gerard T. Donnelly Grand Garden, learn about native flowering plants along Meadow Lake Trail, and discover evergreen species from around the world in the Arboretum’s Conifer Collection.
The ADA-accessible route follows paved paths suitable for wheelchairs, walkers, and strollers.
Tickets
Walking tours are free. Register online or in person at the Information Services Desk in the Visitor Center.
Schedule
Sunday, October 4, 2026, 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.
Walking tour groups meet at the drop-off circle in front of the Visitor Center.
Spanish-Language Tram Tours
Take a one-hour tram ride through woodlands, wetlands, and prairies, narrated entirely in Spanish. Spanish-language tram tours include information about the Arboretum’s history, grounds, and activities, along with cultural connections to nature.
Tram tours are wheelchair accessible.
Tickets
Tickets must be purchased in person at the Information Desk in the Visitor Center.
Adult: $10
Child (4 and older): $5
Infant (3 and younger): Free
Family (up to 6 people): $30
Member adult: $8
Member child (4 and older): $3
Member infant (3 and younger): Free
Member family (up to 6 people): $24
Schedule
Saturday, September 26, 2026, 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, September 27, 2026, 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
Sunday, September 27, 2026, 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Tram tours meet at the drop-off circle in front of the Visitor Center.
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. Learn about recent research by Arboretum scientists and collaborators in Mexico that helps explain the remarkable diversity of oaks in Mexico and Central America, where mountainous environments helped drive the rapid diversification of these important trees.
Tickets
Herbarium tours are free with advance registration. Registration will open soon.
Schedule
Saturday, September 26, 2026, 11:00 a.m. to noon
Saturday, September 26, 2026, 2:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Tour groups meet at the reception desk in the lobby of the Administration and Research Center.
Food and Drinks
Fresh-made traditional foods—such as tamales, conchas, paletas, empanadas, and aguas frescas—will be available to purchase throughout the weekend.
Food trucks will be located in Arbor Court.
Food Trucks
Please note that food vendors are subject to change until the festival weekend.
Concessions
Summer concessions will be available outside the Visitor Center in Arbor Court from 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., weather permitting.
Ginkgo Restaurant and Café
Food and beverages are available at the Ginkgo Restaurant and the Ginkgo Café in the Visitor Center.
The Ginkgo Restaurant is a sit-down restaurant 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., Monday through Friday, and from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on weekends.
Freshly made packaged salads and sandwiches, bakery items, espresso beverages, hot tea, and drip coffee are available at the Ginkgo Café, open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Artisan Vendors
Visit Arbor Court, Tram Road, and Frost Hill to purchase handcrafted goods, art, and traditional foods from more than a dozen local artists and vendors.
A list of participating vendors will be available closer to the festival weekend.
Accessibility
Celebracion de los Árboles 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 pavement.
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.
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
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.
Timing and Origins of Mexican and Central American Oak Diversity
A landmark study conducted by The Morton Arboretum with U.S. and Mexican collaborators explores why the mountains of Mexico and Central America harbor some of the greatest biodiversity of oak trees worldwide. Published May 4 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the study revealed that oak lineages were able to very quickly adapt—in terms of tree time—when they encountered high-elevation terrain.
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.
Community Partners
The Morton Arboretum is proud to support and partner with the DuPage Hispanic Alliance. 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
Celebración 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.
