Cicada-Palooza – Drop In
Trailside Museum of Natural History • River Forest, IL 60305Learn about periodical (17 year) cicadas! Insect discovery walks, live cicada viewing and more. Family program.
Learn about periodical (17 year) cicadas! Insect discovery walks, live cicada viewing and more. Family program.
Join a staff person as you search for unique spring wildflowers.
Meet some of the most impressive builders and manipulators in the insect world. Ages 6 & up.
Intro to camping for families. Includes meals, all camping gear and outdoor fun. $75/family (group up to 6).
Enjoy the outdoors. Put your muscles to work as you help restore habitat by removing invasive plants. Tools provided. Ages […]
Delight in the sights, scents and stories of spring flowers on a guided walk.
Programs will address content required to achieve varying levels of nature-related cub scout adventures. Mar 24: Wolf Level Apr 28: […]
Reconnect with nature during relaxing mindfulness and meditative practices.
For curious minds who want to know more about the Forest Preserves, these hikes will be led at a slower […]
Reconnect with nature during relaxing mindfulness and meditative practices.
Attend this session to learn the basics of archery. Equipment provided. Ages 10 & up.
Bring in your gently used books and leave with some new-to-you books! Books can be of any genre and reading […]
Join us this Pride Month for a self-guided interpretive walk to learn about LGBTQ2S+ people in conservation.
You are invited to this annual fishing extravaganza. Give-a-ways to participants, prizes for category winners, and refreshments for all. Event […]
Clean up the river while paddling. Register at lholden@openlands.org.
Clean water supports a biodiverse ecosystem. Help us survey Sagawau’s creek to see what life it supports. Ages 12 & […]
Mindful and meditative guided nature walk. Ages 18 & up.
Venture out on our scenic trails for a guided 3- to 4-mile walk.
Join us for stories told by the Naperville Chinese Storytime group and enjoy nature-based art and activity afterwards. Supplies provided. […]
Celebrate everything the Forest Preserves has to offer through animal encounters, arts & crafts, recreation, and much more at this […]
We’ll search for nests and nesting activity. Bring binoculars or borrow ours.nestnes
Make a simple musical instrument with us or bring your own and join the jam! All ages welcome to join […]
This year’s cicada emergence is a once-in-a-lifetime event! Join us for crafts, games and refreshments and learn what makes this […]
Engage in creative, imaginative, and child-directed, outdoor free-play as a family. In partnership with The Alliance for Early Childhood and BackYard Nature Center.
Reconnect with nature during relaxing mindfulness and meditative practices.
Celebrate all things Forest Preserves at Daley Plaza. We’ll be there with partners and information about all the exciting things […]
Nearly all Forest Preserves events are free; some require registration and/or a low fee. Residents may qualify for free admission opportunities at our partners: Brookfield Zoo Chicago and the Chicago Botanic Garden.
Printed copies of our quarterly Events Guide are available at our Nature Centers and General Headquarters. They may also be available at your local city hall or library. Know a location that should have our Events Guide? Contact us.
Events Guide (PDF)Get free transportation to the Forest Preserves for your group.
Learn MoreSign up for the Forest Way and receive the latest Forest Preserves news, events and volunteer opportunities each month. View past newsletters.
Sign UpThe Forest Preserves is committed to providing equal, integrated participation for individuals with disabilities. Please contact the Nature Center hosting your event or program 72 hours in advance to request reasonable accommodations or inquire about site accessibility.
Please contact Experience.Nature@cookcountyil.gov or 708-771-1573 about accommodations for specific camping and outdoor recreation activities.