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IllumiBrew

Be among the first to see Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum while you sample seasonal beers, ciders, and meads from popular Chicago-area breweries.

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Craft beer lovers won’t want to miss IllumiBrew, Thursday, November 16, and Friday, November 17. Be among the first to see the 11th annual Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum exhibition while you sample seasonal beers, ciders, and meads from popular Chicago-area breweries stationed along the Illumination trail.

This event is for ages 21 and older only.

Each tasting ticket includes:

  • 15 3-ounce beer samples
  • Light-up tasting glass
  • Entrance to the Arboretum and Illumination on either Thursday, November 16, and Friday, November 17

For Your Enjoyment

Warming areas

Enjoy a cozy fire at one of the warming areas along the Illumination path.

Food and beverage

Snacks and hot beverages are available for purchase in concession tents along the Illumination trail until 9:30 p.m. Indoor dining and to-go orders will be available in the Ginkgo Restaurant until 8:00 p.m.

About Illumination: Tree Lights at The Morton Arboretum 

Be surrounded by color as you walk a one-mile paved path amid interactive lighting effects that highlight the beauty of trees in winter. You will be awed and delighted to see returning favorites and surprising new sights. Enjoy seasonal music, marvel at ever-changing, captivating lighting designs, and warm up by a crackling fire with a cozy drink or roast marshmallows for s’mores. Illumination will highlight the many gifts of trees: natural beauty, increased feelings of peace and calm, homes for wildlife, and the air we breathe.

Designated Driver Tickets

Designated driver tickets will be available on Monday, October 16, and will include admission into IllumiBrew as well as a complimentary hot chocolate or cider from the concessions stand or the Ginkgo Restaurant. Designated drivers must also be 21 years or older.

Participating Breweries

Table 1 Wolfden Brewing Company
Cookie Calamity (Pastry Stout)
Peanut Butter Nuzzle (Baltic Porter)

Table 2 Casa Humilde Cerveceria
Cafecito (Coffee Porter)
Marina (American Light Lager)

Table 3 Illuminated Brew Works
War on XMAS! Egg Nog Edition (Double Imperial White Golden Stout)
War on XMAS! Peanut Brittle Edition (Double Imperial White Golden Stout)
Orange Sunshine (Saison Farmhouse Ale)

Table 4 Emancipation Brewing Company
Illumination (New England Hazy IPA)
Milkhouse Stout (Sweet Milk Stout)

Table 5 Standard Meadery
Coconut Dreamsicle (Session Short Mead)
Symbiosis – Piña Colada (Session Short Mead)
Raspberry Peach Lemonade (Session Mead)

Table 6 Pollyanna Brewing Company
Dreamsicle Flurries (Wheat Beer)
Orenda Volume 3 (Tripel Belgian)

Table 7 Obscurity Brewing
Island of Misfits Beers (Vanilla Golden Ale, Maple Amber Ale, Pale Ale, Milk Stout)
Holiday Pop Culture (Soda-Inspired Golden Ale with Cranberry and Lime)

Table 8 Penrose Brewing
Snow Boots (New England Hazy IPA)
Lemon Seltz-Up (Hard Seltzer)

Table 9 ShortFuse Brewing
The Tips (Holiday IPA)
Dark Gourd (Yam Pumpkin Beer)

Table 10 Midwest Coast Brewing
West Town Brown Ale (American Brown Ale)
Prague Uprising (Dark Lager)

Table 11 Crystal Lake Brewing
Boathouse Reserve (Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout)
Frozen Over (English Brown Ale)

Table 12 Carbliss
Black Cherry (Vodka Cocktail)
Black Raspberry (Vodka Cocktail)
Cranberry (Vodka Cocktail)
Lemon-Lime (Vodka Cocktail)
Pineapple (Vodka Cocktail)

Table 13 Noon Whistle Brewing
Don’t Worry Be Gummy (New England Hazy IPA)
Hipsters vs. Lumberjacks (American Amber Red Ale)

Table 14 Kishwaukee Brewing Company
Sandhill Summer Lager (India Pale Lager)
Bufflehead Brown Ale (American Brown Ale)

Table 15 Go Brewing
New School Sour Holiday Blend (Nonalcoholic Beer)
Suspended in a Sunbeam (Nonalcoholic Beer)

Table 16 More Brewing Company
Away from the Norm (American Amber Red Ale)
Morever (New England Hazy IPA)

Table 17 One Allegiance Brewing
Coconut Rambler (American Stout)
Feelin’ Easy (American Pale Wheat)

Table 18 Lake Effect Brewing Company
Arbor Oak Amber Ale (Amber Red Ale brewed with oak from The Morton Arboretum)
Chai Masala (American Barleywine)

Table 19 Misbeehavin’ Meads
Warm Caramel Apple (Cider)
Warm Cabinet of Curiosities (Spiced Grape Mead)

Table 20 Solemn Oath Brewery
We’re All Misfits (Christmas Brown Ale)

Table 21 Hidden Hand Brewing
Santa Doesn’t Believe in You Either (New England Hazy IPA)

Table 22 The Conrad Seipp Brewing Company
Seipp’s Bavarian Wheat (Hefeweizen Wheat)
Seipp’s Extra Pale Pilsner (German Pilsner)

Table 23 Metropolitan Brewing
Arc Welder (Rye Beer)

Table 24 Miskatonic Brewing Company
Dungeon Master: Mimic-Toasted Coconut Imperial Stout (Double Pastry Imperial Stout)
Valkyrie (New England Hazy IPA)

Table 25 Seldom Beer Company
Pigloo Barleywine (Barleywine Ale)
Liquid Alchemy (Kölsch)

Table 26 Around the Bend Beer Company
Cinnamon Vixen (Pistachio Cream Ale)
Juice Trials Hazy IPA (New England Hazy IPA)

Table 27 Twisted Hippo
Poseidon’s Pom Pom (Traditional Gose Sour)
Black Umbrella (Oatmeal Rye Stout)

Table 28 Maplewood Brewing and Distillery
Middleham (Dark Mild)
Sidewalk Surfer (Double Imperial IPA)

Table 29 Sturdy Shelter Brewing
Cozy Sunday (Oatmeal Stout)
Capitol Theatre Pale Ale (American Pale Ale)

Table 30 Eris Brewery and Cider House
E-Phoria (Gala Apple Hard Cider)
Pepper Jam (Chile de Árbol and Strawberry Hard Cider)

Table 31 Black Horizon Brewing Company
Night of the Hunt (Belgian Dubbel)
Smooth Poser (Double Imperial Stout)

Table 32 Elmhurst Brewing Company
One for the Road (American IPA)
Red-Nosed Reinbeer (Holiday Ale)

Table 33 Church Street Brewing Company
Thursday Mango Hefeweizen Golden Elf (American Lager)
Friday Righteous Red Ale (American Amber Red Ale)
Friday Sour Razz (Fruited Sour)

Table 34 Brother Chimp Brewing
The Bard (London Porter)
Charlie (Hoppy Red Ale)

Table 35 Ike & Oak Brewing Company
Broken Carabiner (Green Tea Ale)
Artaois di Saronno (Baltic Porter)

Table 36 Pipeworks Brewing Company Chicago
Rudolph vs. Unicorn (Double Milk Imperial Stout)
Original Lager (Lager)
Bleachers Cherries (Wheat Beer)

Table 37 Liquid Love Brewing
Patio Napper (Double Imperial Stout)
Chopping Block (Fruited Gose Sour)
Barrel Aged Ambrosia Hugs (Fruited Berliner Weisse Sour)

Table 38 BubbleHouse Brewing
Cran Box (Fruited Sour)
Get Yo Festy On (Märzen)

Food Options

Indoor dining and to-go orders will be available in the Ginkgo Restaurant until 8:00 p.m.

Outdoor concessions will be available along the Illumination trail until 9:30 p.m.

Accessibility

The Illumination trail is a one-mile paved path that is ADA compliant.

The Arboretum has a small number of nonmotorized wheelchairs available on loan free of charge in the Visitor Center on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests must leave a driver’s license or other photo ID to check out a wheelchair. Because the supply is limited, we recommend bringing a wheelchair to the Arboretum if one is needed. Personal mobility scooters may also be used on the trail.

Arboretum staff make best efforts to clear the path of ice and snow. Crowds are generally lighter on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, making it easier to navigate the trail.

Please be aware that Illumination features moving and flashing lights along the trail. There are no strobe lights in the exhibition. Laser features are directed away from guests and follow International Laser Display Association safety standards.

The Morton Arboretum welcomes visitors with service animals to Illumination. Please note that pets are not permitted at the Arboretum except on special dog admission days.

Parking is available near the entrance for those with a disability placard on their vehicle—please notify the parking attendant as you drive in. Otherwise, parking is first come, first served and is directed by parking attendants.

Guests directed to a secondary lot (Parking Lot 21) at Thornhill can take advantage of a shuttle bus that will transport them to the main event area. Please note that this is the only shuttle bus during Illumination and it only runs between Parking Lot 21 and the Visitor Center. The bus does not have a wheelchair lift.

If you do not have a disability placard and someone in your party has mobility concerns, you are also welcome to drop off passengers in the circle drive adjacent to the Visitor Center before you park. Please notify the parking attendants and they will direct you accordingly.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Yes, a light-up souvenir tasting glass will be provided to all IllumiBrew ticket holders. Designated driver tickets do not include this glass.

  • Concessions will be available throughout the Illumination experience. The Ginkgo Restaurant will be open from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. More information about additional food options will be announced closer to the event date.

  • Yes, designated driver tickets are available and include admission into IllumiBrew and a complimentary hot chocolate or cider from the concessions stand or the Ginkgo Café and Restaurant. Designated drivers need to be 21 years or older to attend the event.

  • Each ticket purchase includes 15 3-ounce samples. In some cases, higher ABV beverages such as meads may be less than 3 ounces. No additional samples will be available for purchase.

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