Event Highlights
The Celebración de los Árboles festival showcases traditional and contemporary aspects of Hispanic and Latin American culture from a number of different countries and traditions. Visitors can enjoy music, dance, food, storytelling, and other cultural performances that celebrate Hispanic heritage in a weekend-long festival held amid the tree-filled landscapes of The Morton Arboretum.
Spanish-Language Tram Tours
Ride the Acorn Express tram on a one-hour narrated tour in Spanish that carries you through woodlands, wetlands, and prairies of The Morton Arboretum. Purchase tickets at the Information Desk in the Visitor Center on the day of your visit.
Meet a Scientist
During Celebracion de los Arboles, attendees can visit information tables near Meadow Lake to speak with scientists from the Arboretum’s Chicago Region Trees Initiative and Global Tree Conservation Program.
Tree Science Field Stations
During Celebración de los Arboles, learn about conservation work being done by Arboretum scientists and explore the connection between oaks and monarch butterflies with guided tours beginning at the Arboretum’s Administration and Research Center.
Children’s Nature Activities
Children who are too young for Tree Science Field Stations can enjoy bilingual story time and nature activities relating to oaks and monarchs in the Sterling Morton Library.
Meet a Scientist
During Celebración de los Arboles, information tables near Meadow Lake will be staffed by scientists from the Arboretum’s Chicago Region Trees Initiative and Global Tree Conservation Program. Stop by to learn how urban and community initiatives are benefiting the lives of people in the Chicago region and how on-the-ground action projects with partners in Mexico and Mesoamerica are benefitting ecosystems while supporting local communities.
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.
Global Tree Conservation Program
Working around the world, the Arboretum’s Global Tree Conservation Program is dedicated to safeguarding tree species in biodiversity hotspots such as Mesoamerica through global collaborations. Arboretum staff lead integrated, science-based conservation action projects that support sustainable livelihoods and respect local cultures and traditional knowledge.
Tree Science Field Stations
During Celebración de los Arboles, learn about conservation work being done by Arboretum scientists and explore the connection between oaks and monarch butterflies with guided tours beginning at the Arboretum’s Administration and Research Center. Participants will be guided through the following three stations.
Station 1: Cloud Forest Conservation
Learn about the Arboretum’s work through the Global Tree Conservation Program to promote the conservation of montane cloud forest habitat in Mesoamerica.
Station 2: Oaks of Mexico
Tour The Herbarium to learn about the Arboretum’s work preserving tree specimens from around the world including threatened oaks found in Mexico and Mesoamerica.
Station 3: Monarch Migration Station
Head to The Gerard T. Donnelly Grand Garden for an interactive presentation and craft activity about the relationship between oaks and monarch butterflies.
Tour Schedule and Registration
Tours of the Tree Science Field Stations will take place between 1:00 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. on Saturday, September 28, and Sunday, September 29. Due to limited space, attendees must reserve a spot by visiting the Global Tree Conservation table near Meadow Lake before 1:00 p.m. on the day of the tour. The time to visit all three field stations is approximately an hour and thirty minutes.
1:00 p.m.
Gather for a welcome presentation at the Arboretum’s Administrative and Research Center; drop off young children at the Sterling Morton Library, where they will participate in nature activities and bilingual story time.
1:05 p.m.
Attend 15-minute presentations at two Tree Science Field Stations, located in the Arboretum’s Administrative and Research Center.
2:15 p.m.
Participate in an optional activity at the Monarch Migration Station in The Gerard T. Donnelly Grand Garden.
Food Options
Details about Arboretum dining options, concessions, and food vendors during the Celebración de los Árboles will be available closer to the event date.
