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PROPOSED CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Department: Conservation and Experiential Programming
Summary: Forest Preserves of Cook County Calendar - 6/25/2019 - 7/23/2019
Every Day, 6/26 - 9/29; 9:30am - 6pm
Brick Safari, Chicago Zoological Society/Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield
Brick Safari features more than 40 life-size animal sculptures created from millions of individual colored LEGO bricks! The menagerie of animals will be located along a winding, wooded pathway on the east side of the park, and many of the sculptures are based on some Brookfield Zoo favorites, such as the lion, giraffe, snow leopard, and pangolin. Open during zoo hours.
Thursday, 6/27; 7pm - 9pm
Singing Insect Monitor Training, Sagawau Environmental Learning Center, Lemont
Author Dr. Carl Strang will introduce commonly heard crickets, katydids and cicadas. Learn monitoring protocol and practice making your own recordings. Ages 18 and up. Registration required.
Fridays and Saturdays, 6/28 - 8/10; 5pm - 9pm
Summer Nights, Chicago Zoological Society/Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield
Brookfield Zoo’s summertime event is back for a sixth season! Enjoy the zoo in a new light with cooler evening weather, enhanced dining, beer and wine garden, live music, roaming performers, Animal Ambassadors, and a new laser light show, all surrounded by wildlife and nature.
Saturday, 6/29; 11am - 1pm
Paddle the Northwest, Busse Lake Boating Center, Schaumburg
Join us as we paddle and explore Busse Lake’s South Pool. Instruction and gear provided. Ages 5 and up. Registration required.
Saturday, 6/29 and 7/20; 1:30pm
Summer Nature Hikes, Trailside Museum, River Forest
Join a naturalist on a hike to see what’s going on in nature along our trails. All ages.
Sunday, 6/30; 1pm
Smartphone Snapshots, Crabtree Nature Center, Barrington Hills
Learn tips and tricks to enhance nature photos captured with your smartphone.
Every Thursday in July and August, 10am - 11am
Wellness in the Woods: Yoga, Dan Ryan Woods Central, Chicago
Join Oak Street Health-Ashburn for yoga. Bring your own mat. Ages 50 and older.
Saturday, 7/6; 1:30pm
Turtles on the Move, Little Red Schoolhouse, Willow Springs
Learn about the movement patterns and nesting habits of turtles. Ages 10 and up.
Saturday, 7/6; 12pm - 4pm
Outdoor Block Party, Camp Shabbona Woods, South Holland
Nature play, pop-up adventure play, creative reuse, games, hikes and more. We will also have a food vendor on site.
Sunday, 7/7; 7:30pm
Fireside Tales, River Trail Nature Center, Northbrook
Enjoy a summer sunset with stories and snacks around a campfire. Experience River Trail in the evening. $3/person (must register in advance) check in 15 minutes before the program start time.
Sunday, 7/7; 10am
Portage Hike, Chicago Portage National Historic Site, Lyons
Join us for a nearly 1-mile walk. We will talk about the site’s history and enjoy the surrounding landscape.
Thursday, 7/11; 6pm - 8:30pm
Concert at the Cliff, Swallow Cliff Woods-North, Palos Hills
In partnership with Village of Palos Park, enjoy a night of free live music from 51 Lincoln Band. Bring a seat and snacks and relax to the tunes. More details at Palos Park website.
Friday, 7/12; 6:30pm
Twilight Canoe Trip, Crabtree Nature Center, Barrington Hills
Explore a local lake at Crabtree Nature Center in a canoe at twilight. Ages 18 and up. Limited space. Registration required.
Saturday, 7/13; 10am - 3pm
Kids’ Fest, Wampum Lake, Thornton
Outdoor extravaganza for the whole family. Registration required.
Saturday, 7/13; 10am
Earth Art! Sand Ridge Nature Center, South Holland
Earth art is a practice that connects us to nature while sparking creativity. Create art using natural materials for future visitors to enjoy.
Sunday, 7/14; 1pm
Sagawau Art: Drawing Birds, Sagawau Environmental Learning Center, Lemont
Class will focus on gesture sketching and development of a completed drawing of an avian subject. Ages 12 and up.
Sunday, 7/14; 1pm
Makin’ Music Bluegrass Jam, Trailside Museum, River Forest
Make a simple musical instrument with us, or bring your own guitar, fiddle, banjo, etc.! All are welcome to join the jam or just listen and enjoy.
Wednesday, 7/17; 2pm - 6pm
Kayak the Pond, Trailside Museum, River Forest
Learn to kayak on Trailside’s pond. All materials and instruction are provided. $5/person or $10/family. Please sign up in advance for one session only. No groups.
Thursday, 7/18; 11am - 2pm
Insect Fest, Cummings Square, River Forest
Celebrate and learn about insects. Explore how pollinators help us, follow the migratory patterns of butterflies, and make insect-inspired art. All ages.
Thursday, 7/18; 5pm - 7pm
Monarch Lab, Sagawau Environmental Learning Center, Lemont
Learn about the monarch’s life cycle, migration and how we can conserve its habitat. Registration required.
Friday, 7/19; 4:30pm - 7:30pm
Dan Ryan VIP Play, Dan Ryan Woods, Chicago
Dan Ryan’s newest amenity, the Dan Ryan Tree House, a Vertical Imagination Palace for nature play fun.
Saturday, 7/20; 11am - 2pm
Black Cook County History Re-enactments, Kickapoo Woods, Riverdale
Join Chicago Urban Fine Arts Commonwealth for a celebration in observance of Chicago Hip-Hop Heritage Month and Cook County Urban Fine Arts Month.
Saturday, 7/20; 9am - 11am
Paddle the North, Beck Lake, Des Plaines
Join us as we paddle and explore Beck Lake. Instruction and gear provided. Ages 5 and up. Registration required.
Saturday, 7/20; 8am - 11am
Fishing Derby, Tampier Lake Boating Center, Orland Park
Join the Village of Palos Park and the Forest Preserves for a family-fun day of fishing.
Saturday, 7/20; 10am
Hike the Preserves: Interpretive Hike, Oak Forest Heritage Preserve, Oak Forest
Take a hike and enjoy the natural beauty around you. More details on the Forest Preserves website.
Saturday, 7/20; 1:30pm
Our Country School, Little Red Schoolhouse, Willow Springs
Join us for a 1.75-mile hike to the original schoolhouse site and follow the journey from schoolhouse to nature center. Ages 7 and up.
Sunday, 7/21; 1pm
Navigation Quest, Crabtree Nature Center, Barrington Hills
Test your navigation skills and animal trivia to complete an all-ages self-guided course to earn a prize and bragging rights as a nature sleuth.
Sunday, 7/21; 10am - 12pm
GPS Scavenger Hunt: Discover Geocaching, Sand Ridge Nature Center, South Holland
Use technology to find your way through a scavenger hunt filled with natural fun facts and activities.
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