Destination Asia Festival

Explore the diverse cultures of Asia through music, dance, food, and trees.

On Saturday, August 3, and Sunday, August 4, bring your family and friends to The Morton Arboretum to explore the beautiful cultures and traditions of Asia. Taste delicious food from local vendors, experience new music, and take in traditional dances and performances that pay homage to this part of the world. This family-friendly weekend will be the cultural event of the summer!

The Destination Asia Festival celebrates the cultures of Asia, where many trees and plants at The Morton Arboretum originated. The Arboretum’s scientists and arborists continue to work with colleagues in countries such as Vietnam, Myanmar, China, and Taiwan to support research and encourage policies that improve the conservation and management of forests and trees in the face of rapid changes in these countries’ economy, ecology, and culture.

Ticket Details

Admission to the Destination Asia Festival is included with Arboretum general admission.

Event Details

Bonsai workshops take place on site at The Morton Arboretum on Saturday, August 3, and Sunday, August 4.

The Prairie State Bonsai Society is proud to present an exhibition of bonsai at the Arboretum’s Destination Asia Festival.

Learn how staff and volunteers at the Arboretum’s Herbarium preserve and process plant specimens to aid biodiversity research by taking a special weekend tour of The Herbarium during the Destination Asia Festival.

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Saturday, August 3

9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Bonsai Show, Prairie State Bonsai Society
Location 4

9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Chinese yo-yo performance, Eddie Lu
Location 1

9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Japanese shinken swordmanship, Trevis Cane
Location 2

10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Pungmul drumming, Korean Performing Arts Institute of Chicago
Location 1

Japanese ensemble music, Chicago Koto Group
Location 3

Bonsai demonstration, Prairie State Bonsai Society
Location 4

10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Chinese yo-yo interactive booth, Ryan Shi
Location 6

Midwest Cricket League, Tom Melville
Location 7

10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Taiko drumming with Shubukai Dance, Asian Improv aRts Midwest
Location 2

11:00 a.m. to noon
Baul and Qawali folk songs, AqilBrothers
Location 1

Chinese classical music, Kerry Leung
Location 3

Herbarium tour
Location 5

Ikebana floral demonstration
Location 6

11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Japanese archery, Fuko Kyudojo
Location 7

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Sumo wrestling performance, USA Sumo
Location 2

Noon to 1:00 p.m.
Philippines folk dances, BIBBAK IL and Philippine American Cultural Foundation Performing Arts
Location 1

12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Kung Fu performance, Illinois Shaolin Kung Fu School
Location 2

1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
J-pop and anime music, ORiHANA
Location 1

Thai dance, Thai Cultural and Fine Arts Institute of Chicago
Location 3

Herbarium tour
Location 5

Ikebana floral demonstration
Location 6

1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Taiko drumming with Shubukai Dance, Asian Improv aRts Midwest
Location 2

2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Cambodian traditional music, Cambodian Traditional Music Ensemble
Location 1

Folk dancing and mandala arts, Mandala South Asia Performing Arts
Location 3

2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Sumo wrestling performance, USA Sumo
Location 2

Bonsai demonstration, Prairie State Bonsai Society
Location 4

3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Indian dance, Acharya Performing Arts Academy
Location 1

3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Traditional Chinese lion dance, Seven Star Lion Dance Group
Location 2

Sunday, August 4

9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Bonsai Show, Prairie State Bonsai Society
Location 4

9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Chinese yo-yo performance, Eddie Lu
Location 1

9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Chinese lion dance, Seven Star Lion Dance Group
Location 2

10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m
Indian classical music, Chicago Hindustani Rasik Mandal Group
Location 1

Indian pop music, Chicago Indian Music and Dance Association
Location 3

Japanese shinken swordmanship, Trevis Cane
Location 7

Bonsai demonstration, Prairie State Bonsai Society
Location 4

10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Midwest Cricket League, Tom Melville
Location 7

Chinese yo-yo interactive booth, Ryan Shi
Location 6

10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Tsukasa Taiko drumming with Shubukai Dance, Asian Improv aRts Midwest
Location 2

11:00 a.m. to noon
Hindustani classical music, RAMETI and Hindustani Music Chicago
Location 1

Chinese classical music, Kerry Leung
Location 3

Herbarium tour
Location 5

Ikebana floral demonstration
Location 6

11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Japanese archery, Fuko Kyudojo
Location 7

11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Sumo wrestling performance, USA Sumo
Location 2

Noon to 1:00 p.m.
J-pop and anime Music, ORiHANA
Location 1

Indian classical music, Akshaya Music Academy
Location 3

12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Kung Fu performance, Illinois Shaolin Kung Fu School
Location 2

1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Pungmul drumming, Korean Performing Arts Institute of Chicago
Location 1

Indian dance, Acharya Performing Arts Academy
Location 3

Herbarium tour
Location 5

Ikebana floral demonstration
Location 6

1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Taiko drumming with Shubukai Dance, Asian Improv aRts Midwest
Location 2

2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Indonesian gamelan music, Friends of the Gamelan: Javanese Ensemble
Location 1

Indian dance, Acharya Performing Arts Academy
Location 3

2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Sumo wrestling performance, USA Sumo
Location 2

Bonsai demonstration, Prairie State Bonsai Society
Location 4

3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Traditional Bali music and dance, Friends of the Gamelan: Balinese Ensemble
Location 1

Indian classical dance, Kalakriti School of Dance
Location 3

3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Indian dance, Acharya Performing Arts Academy
Location 2

Bonsai Show and Workshops

Bonsai is the Japanese art of growing and developing trees and other woody-stemmed plants in pots. The Prairie State Bonsai Society is proud to present an exhibition of bonsai at The Morton Arboretum’s Destination Asia Festival. View a display of mature bonsai trees and trees in training at the Bonsai Show on Saturday, August 3, and Sunday, August 4, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Bonsai Workshops

Discover the art of bonsai, develop your styling and wiring skills, or receive advice on your own bonsai tree. Bonsai workshops take place on site at The Morton Arboretum on Saturday, August 3, and Sunday, August 4.

Introduction to Bonsai Workshop: Chinese Elm
Saturday, August 3, 9:00 a.m. to noon

Introduction to Bonsai Workshop: Dwarf Alberta Spruce
Saturday, August 3, 9:00 a.m. to noon

Kusamono Bonsai Workshop
Saturday, August 3, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Tiger Bark Ficus Bonsai Workshop
Saturday, August 3, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Introduction to Bonsai Workshop: Dwarf Japanese Garden Juniper
Sunday, August 4, 9:00 a.m. to noon

Japanese Black Pine Mikawa Bonsai Workshop
Sunday, August 4, 9:00 a.m. to noon

Bring Your Own Tree Bonsai Workshop
Sunday, August 4, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Singapore Holly Bonsai Workshop
Sunday, August 4, 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Herbarium Tours

Learn how The Morton Arboretum’s Herbarium staff and volunteers preserve and process plant specimens to aid biodiversity research.

Tours of The Herbarium will take place at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 3, and Sunday, August 4.

Tour passes are free but need to be obtained in advance. A sign-up sheet will be available at the Info Tent, located near the Tram Circle. Spots are limited to 20 per tour. Attendees must be aged 7 and older. Tour groups meet at the Info Tent.

An herbarium is a collection of pressed plant specimens, accompanied by notes about when and where each was found. An herbarium can be thought of as a library of biodiversity; herbarium specimens are like museum artifacts that document a specific plant that existed in a specific location at a particular time.

The Arboretum is a long-time member of NACPEC, the North America–China Plant Exploration Consortium. Expeditions conducted by this consortium have gathered germplasm of maples, elms, hemlocks, and other critical genera that are diverse and ecologically important in East Asia.

Food Options

Bakery items, salads, and sandwiches will be available to purchase until 6:00 p.m. at the Ginkgo Café. Espresso beverages, hot tea, and drip coffee are also available at the café. The Ginkgo Restaurant will be open until 2:00 p.m.