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Events

Cider and Ale Festival

Sample ciders and seasonal beers amid rich fall color at the Cider and Ale Festival.

Content Detail

This October, treat yourself to hard cider and seasonal beers from more than 30 local breweries and cideries, taking in the crisp autumn air as you sip and stroll through The Morton Arboretum’s stunning landscape.

The Cider and Ale Festival will take place on Saturday, October 4, 2025, from noon to 3:00 p.m. Tasting tables offering more than 60 different cider and ales will be stationed along Meadow Lake Trail, the Conifer Walk, and the Frost Hill walking path.

Due to capacity restrictions, there will be no general admission to the Arboretum on Saturday, October 4. Arboretum members who are not attending the Cider and Ale Festival can enter the grounds from 7:00 to 10:00 a.m. and are welcome to stay until closing at sunset.

Ticket Details

All Cider and Ale Festival tickets include admission into the Arboretum on Saturday, October 4.

Tasting tickets include 20 three-ounce samples.

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

 

Sponsored by

Map and Participating Breweries

A list of participating breweries will be available closer to the event date.

Ticket Details

All Cider and Ale Festival tickets include admission into the Arboretum on Saturday, October 4.

Tasting tickets include 20 three-ounce samples. Tasting ticket purchasers (event ticket or VIP) must be 21 or older and present a valid ID at check-in.

Food Options

Food and beverages will be available to purchase throughout the event from food truck vendors.

Bakery items, salads, and sandwiches will be available to purchase at the Ginkgo Café in the Visitor Center until 6:00 p.m. Espresso beverages, hot tea, and drip coffee are also available at the café.

The Ginkgo Restaurant will be closed on the day of the event.

Accessibility

Tasting booths will be spread out along the ADA-accessible Conifer Walk. The mile-long paved path begins near the Visitor Center and Parking Lot 1 and is accessible for wheelchairs and walkers; it includes a few gently graded hills. The tasting tables will be stationed on the grass within ten feet of the path.

View Accessibility at The Morton Arboretum for more detailed information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Accordion List

  • No additional samples will be available for purchase.

  • Yes, Arboretum admission is included with your Cider and Ale Festival ticket. Visitors are allowed to remain on-site for the duration of the day. The Arboretum will close at sunset.

  • Yes, your Cider and Ale Festival ticket includes all-day admission to the Arboretum on Saturday, October 4. Festival attendees can access Arboretum grounds starting at 9:00 a.m. Festival attendees who are Arboretum members may access the grounds at 7:00 a.m.

    Festival attendees who arrive early will not be given their festival tasting credentials or tasting glasses until the time slot on their tickets.

  • In addition to the breweries and cideries attending the event, several food vendors will also be on-site.

  • Yes, craft cider breweries will be offering gluten-free options. Nonalcoholic brews will also be available. See Participating Breweries for details.

    Designated driver tickets include two nonalcoholic beverages.

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