Schedule of Events
These exclusive events and activities are free with registration. Registration for activities is required and opens in the Visitor Center starting at 8:00 a.m. on the day of the event. Registration is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
All events are subject to change and cancellation. Arbor Evenings requires an additional event ticket purchase.
Sunday, June 7
Fragrance Garden Open House
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Join Arboretum docents for this drop-in program. Explore a hands-on booth in the Fragrance Garden, just west of the Thornhill Education Center, at the north end of the paved Joy Path on the Arboretum’s West Side.
East Side Tram Tours
1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m.
Discover the beauty of the Arboretum’s East Side on this 30-minute tour that departs from the Tribute Walkway outside the Visitor Center.
Monday, June 8
West Side Tram Tours
9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., noon, and 1:00 p.m.
Discover the beauty of the Arboretum’s West Side on this 30-minute tour that departs from the Tribute Walkway outside the Visitor Center.
May T. Watts and The Morton Arboretum
1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.
May Theilgaard Watts served as the Arboretum’s first educator and played a pivotal role in launching the Illinois Prairie Path. Discover more about this remarkable writer, artist, educator, and activist whose enduring legacy continues to engage and inspire today.
Tuesday, June 9
East Side Tram Tours
9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and noon
Discover the beauty of the Arboretum’s East Side on this 30-minute tour that departs from the Tribute Walkway outside the Visitor Center.
Prescribed Burning at The Morton Arboretum
10:00 and 11:00 a.m.
Join Spencer Campbell, senior manager of natural areas, for a presentation on the Arboretum’s prescribed burn program, exploring how carefully planned fire improves ecosystem health, enhances habitat quality, and reduces wildfire risk. Learn how staff safely design and implement burns, and why this science-based tool is vital to sustaining diverse natural areas for the future.
Wednesday, June 10
West Side Tram Tours
9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., noon, and 1:00 p.m.
Discover the beauty of the Arboretum’s West Side on this 30-minute tour that departs from the Tribute Walkway outside the Visitor Center.
Phenology Monitoring and the World around Us
10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
Join Arboretum research assistant, Brendon Reidy, on a walk around Meadow Lake and through the Elm Collection, learning about tree phenology, how Arboretum scientists are using it in their research, and what it may tell us about the future of trees.
Partnering to Secure a Greener World through Plant Collections
11:00 a.m.
Join director of collections and curator, Kim Shearer, to learn about how the Arboretum develops its collections through a network of partnerships and collaboration across borders, both domestic and international; while also getting a taste of how the Arboretum’s international partners are doing horticulture and thinking about how to protect, secure, and even enrich biodiversity.
Arbor Evenings Concert Performance by Hollyy
6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Enjoy live music by indie rock band Hollyy, food, and drinks on Frost Hill. Special event ticket purchase required. Perennial Partners can redeem their two complimentary PPRW glasses of beer or wine during Arbor Evenings.
Thursday, June 11
Your Garden Can be Grand, Too!
9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 1:00 p.m.
Take a tour with plant knowledge specialist, Sharon Yiesla, through the Arboretum’s Grand Garden to learn about unusual plants and flowers, plus gardening techniques that you can use in your own garden.
West Side Tram Tours
2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m.
Discover the beauty of the Arboretum’s West Side on this 30-minute tour that departs from the Tribute Walkway outside the Visitor Center.
Friday, June 12
East Side Tram Tours
9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., noon, and 1:00 p.m.
Discover the beauty of the Arboretum’s East Side on this 30-minute tour that departs from the Tribute Walkway outside the Visitor Center.
It Takes a Forest: Building Partnerships One Tree at a Time
11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
Join Chicago Region Trees Initiative (CRTI) tree ambassador specialist Hilary Noble for a special presentation highlighting how long-term partnerships, especially with groups outside of traditional environmentalism, thrive through holistic, personalized support grounded in asset-based collaboration.
