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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.

Ticket Details

Event tickets include 20 3-oz samples, a 3-oz tasting glass, and admission into the Arboretum on Saturday, October 4.

With the purchase of VIP tickets, attendees receive everything included in regular event tickets, early entrance to the festival at 11:00 a.m., a welcome pour, and a commemorative pint-size beer glass.

Ticket purchasers must be 21 or older and present a valid ID at check-in.

 

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

 

Sponsored by

Vendors and Map

A list of participating breweries and a map showing vendor locations will be available closer to the event date.

Ticket Details

Ticket purchasers must be 21 or older and present a valid ID at check-in.

Event tickets include 20 3-oz samples, a 3-oz tasting glass, and admission into the Arboretum on Saturday, October 4.

VIP Tickets

VIP ticketholders receive everything included in regular event tickets, a welcome pour, a commemorative pint-size beer glass, and exclusive access from 11:00 a.m. to noon to enjoy cider and ale samples before the festival opens to all ticketholders.

Food Options

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

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 P-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 10 feet of the path.

See the Accessibility Guide for more 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. Guests 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 Vendors and Map for details.

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