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PROPOSED CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Department: Department of Conservation and Experiential Programming
Summary: Forest Preserves of Cook County Calendar of Events and Activities 10/21/2025-11/17/2025
Please check the Forest Preserves of Cook County’s website for updates and changes.
Tuesday, 10/21; 7:30pm
Nightfall’s Web, Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, Willow Springs
Enjoy the outdoors and search for spiders under the stars. Registration required. Please call (708)839-6897
Wednesday, 10/22; 6:30pm
Owl Prowl, Eggers Grove, Chicago
Join a naturalist for an evening walk while searching for owls. Registration required. Please visit the website.
Saturday, 10/25; 10am─1pm
Fall Paddle Festival, Lake Arlington, Arlington Heights
Enjoy the fall season with family-friendly activities like paddling, pumpkin painting, food and more. Registration required. This event is presented with the Arlington Heights Park District. Please visit the website.
Saturday, 10/25; 2pm─5pm
Spooky Stories and S’mores, Thatcher Woods, River Forest
Join us for Halloween-themed trick-or-treat activity stations. The activities include pumpkin painting, making s’mores, and listening to Indigenous spooky children’s stories. Participants are encouraged to wear costumes. For more information, please call (312)533-5751.
Saturday, 10/25; 8pm
River Trail Nightlife: The Return of Scary Stories, River Trail Nature Center, Northbrook
Enjoy scary storytelling around the campfire at River Trail. Registration required by 10/23. Ages 8 and up. The cost is $5 per person. Please call (847)824-8360.
Sunday, 10/26; 10:30am
The Un-Haunted Forest, River Trail Nature Center, Northbrook
Enjoy a whimsical story-hike to solve a mystery. Registration required by 10/24. Ages 10 and under with an adult. The cost is $3 per child. This is a family program. Please call (847)824-8360.
Sunday, 10/26; 11am─3pm
Pumpkin Scavenger Hunt, Crabtree Nature Center, Barrington
Enjoy a fun self-guided scavenger hunt by finding all the hidden pumpkins. Participants are encouraged to wear costumes. For more information, please call (847)381-6592.
Sunday, 10/26; 12pm─4pm
Trunk or Treat, Eggers Grove, Chicago
Join us for this family-friendly event with plenty of candy. This program is presented with the East Side Chamber of Commerce. For more information, please call (224)763-4317 or visit the website.
Sunday, 10/26; 1:30pm
The Un-Haunted Forest, River Trail Nature Center, Northbrook
Enjoy a whimsical story-hike to solve a mystery. Registration required by 10/24. Ages 10 and under with an adult. The cost is $3 per child. This is a family program. Please call (847)824-8360.
Sunday, 10/26; 1:30pm
Costumed Scavenger Hunt Hike, Trailside Museum of Natural History, River Forest
Bring your costume on this dress-up scavenger hunt. Participants will hike through our autumn woods while finding hidden treats. Registration required. Due to possible allergies, the hidden treats will not contain any nuts. Please call (708)366-6530.
Wednesday, 10/29; 11am
Everyone in Nature, Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, Willow Springs
Participants can explore our sensory classroom and learn about nature in fall. This program is for homeschool students and individuals with disabilities. For more information, please call (708)839-6897.
Thursday, 10/30; 5:30pm─7:30pm
Fall Ceramics, Swallow Cliff Woods Pavilion, Palos Park
Participants can create a leaf impression bowl out of clay and learn why leaves change colors. Registration required. Ages 13 and up. Please call (312)533-5751.
Saturday, 11/1; 8am
Fishing Derby, Horsetail Lake, Palos Park
Join us for a family-fun day of fishing. This event is presented with the Village of Palos Park. For more information, please call (312)533-5751 or visit the website.
Saturday, 11/1; 10am─11:30am
Native American Bead and Cord Workshops, Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, Willow Springs
Participants can learn traditional bead and cord making by Native American Artists from the Trickster Cultural Center. Registration required. All materials will be provided. Please call (708)839-6897.
Saturday, 11/1; 11am─2pm
Dia de Los Muertos Celebration, Eggers Grove, Chicago
Join us and celebrate the history of Dia de Los Muertos with games, exploration and artmaking. For more information, please call (224)763-4317 or visit the website.
Saturday, 11/1; 12:30pm─2pm
Native American Bead and Cord Workshops, Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, Willow Springs
Participants can learn traditional bead and cord making by Native American Artists from the Trickster Cultural Center. Registration required. All materials will be provided. Please call (708)839-6897.
Saturday, 11/1; 1pm
Queen’s Quest, Sagawau Environmental Learning Center, Lemont
Participants can learn and explore the overwintering habits of bumblebees by completing the Queen’s Quest survey. Registration required. Please call (630)257-2045.
Saturday, 11/1; 5pm─8pm
Stars, Stories and S’mores, LaBagh Woods, Chicago
Enjoy the day by listening to stories, taking a night hike, making s’mores and more. This event will be held at Grove 2, and it is presented with the American Indian Health Services Center. For more information, please call (773)758-8899 or visit the website.
Saturday, 11/1; 6pm─8pm
Owl-o-ween Prowl, Sand Ridge Nature Center, South Holland
Join us for a not-so-spooky night by learning about and searching for these predators of the night. Registration required. Participants are encouraged to wear costumes and candy will be provided. Please call (708)868-0606.
Saturday, 11/1; 6pm─9pm
Dia de los Muertos Celebration, Crabtree Nature Center, Barrington
Join us and celebrate Dia de los Muertos! Enjoy music, crafts, and a special ofrenda display. Registration required. Participants can bring a photo of their cherished pet to honor their memory. Please call (847)381-6592.
Saturday, 11/1; 10:30am
Fall in the Dolomite Prairie, Sagawau Environmental Learning Center, Lemont
Enjoy and experience the array of colorful blooms in Sagawau’s dolomite prairie. Registration required. Ages 18 and up. Please call (630)257-2045.
Wednesday, 11/5; 6:30pm
Owl Prowl, Eggers Grove, Chicago
Join a naturalist for an evening walk while searching for owls. Registration required. Please visit the website.
Thursday, 11/6; 10am
Plants in the Military, Crabtree Nature Center, Barrington
In celebration of the upcoming Veterans Day, participants can learn and observe how plants were widely used in the military. For more information, please call (847)381-6592.
Friday, 11/7; 9:30am─11:30am
Fire Ecology 101, Red Gate Woods, Willow Springs
Participants can learn about what effects a prescribed fire has on the environment by exploring why and how it is done. This program will begin at Grove 1 and will include a 1.5-mile walk. For more information, please call (312)533-5751.
Friday, 11/7; 5pm─8pm
Stars, Stories, and S’mores, Dan Ryan Woods Pavilion, Chicago
Join us for s’mores by the fire, storytelling, astronomy and more. For more information, please call (224) 763-4317 or visit the website.
Saturday, 11/8; 9am─11am
Conservation at Home: Seed Swap, Thatcher Woods Pavilion, River Forest
Participants can bring seeds and/or take some seeds home at this free seed swap. Experts will be available for advice. For more information, please call (312)533-5751.
Saturday, 11/8; 10am─12pm
River Trail Workday: Seeds and Stewardship, River Trail Nature Center, Northbrook
Participants can learn how to collect native seeds and disperse them for restoration. Registration required. Ages 10 and up. Ages 10-15 with an adult. Please call (847)824-8360.
Saturday, 11/8; 10am─2pm
Sand Ridge: Calumet Heritage Day, Sand Ridge Nature Center, South Holland
Join us as we explore the heritage of the Calumet Region with guided walks, regional activities and displays.
For more information, please call (708)868-0606 or visit the website.
Sunday, 11/9; 1pm─2:30pm
Earth and Echo: A Black Nature Poetry Gathering, Sand Ridge Nature Center, South Holland
Join us for a book discussion as we explore the themes and messages found in “Black Nature: Four Centuries of African American Nature Poetry” by Camille Dungy. Registration required. Participants must bring their own book. This program is presented by the Mbwakawen Harambee Collective. Please call (708)868-0606 or visit the website.
Wednesday, 11/12; 10am─1pm
Open Nature Play Day, Dan Ryan Woods Visitor Center, Chicago
Bring your little one for open nature play time! Enjoy the Dan Ryan Woods Nature Play space while helping your children connect with nature with stories, art and exploration. For more information, please call (224)763-4317 or visit the website.
Thursday, 11/13; 5pm─7pm
Wellness in the Woods Talks: Food Security Gardens, Caldwell Wellness Center, Chicago
Participants can learn about gardening and the effect plants can have on your well-being. Registration required. This program is presented by the Wandering Paths Founder Navraaz Kaur Basati. Please visit the website.
Saturday, 11/15; 10:30am
No Compass? No Problem, Trailside Museum of Natural History, River Forest
Participants can always find their way by learning about and practicing different way-finding techniques without using a compass. Registration required. Ages 13 and up. Please call (708)366-6530.
Sunday, 11/16; 11am
Autumn Stories in Chinese, Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center, Willow Springs
The Naperville Chinese Storytellers will share stories. Ages 3 and up with an adult. For more information, please call (708)839-6897.
Sunday, 11/16; 1pm
Autumn Antlers: The Science of the Rut, Sagawau Environmental Learning Center, Lemont
Participants can learn about the biology and behavior of the white-tailed deer, which is one of Illinois’ most iconic mammals. Discover how the fall breeding season, known as the rut, transforms the quiet woods into a stage for dramatic displays of dominance, courtship, and survival. Registration required. Ages 13 and up. Please call (630)257-2045.
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