Thursday Family Nights at The Morton Arboretum

Summer Fun for the Whole Family

LISLE, IL (June 22, 2012) – Why wait until Friday for weekend family time to begin? Head over to The Morton Arboretum for a new event, Thursday Family Nights. Every Thursday starting June 21 through August 16, from 5:00 p.m. to 8 p.m., families enjoy live music entertainment, extended hours in the Children’s Garden, and more time to explore the Arboretum grounds including the new exhibition Tree House Tales.

Discover the award-winning Children’s Garden, a four-acre garden with engaging and interactive activities that children find irresistible. Splash through streams, slide down tree roots, climb acorns, and learn all about plants, flowers, and animals throughout the garden. Right outside the Children’s Garden is the Arboretum’s Maze Garden, a half-mile tree garden filled with twisting turns and trails. At the center of the maze stands a sycamore tree with a wrap around platform, giving visitors a birds-eye view of the maze.

Once you’ve explored through the Children’s Garden and Maze, walk over to the Arboretum’s exhibition Tree House Tales. This new entertaining exhibition includes six kid-friendly, fun-filled, and educational tree houses for children ages two through 10. Each tree house is filled with activities and excitement as children play-to-learn.

After playtime, grab a seat on the lawn for family-friendly concerts. This live music entertainment will have the whole family dancing and singing in no time. The summer line-up includes:

June 28: “Laura Doherty,” a national children’s recording artist, takes families into a new world with breezy and catchy folk-pop tunes.
July 5: “Dave Rudolf,” a Gold Record winner and Grammy nominated artist, plays beach themed music like Jimmy Buffet or Old Harry Belafonte.
July 12: “Raisin Rhyme,” recognized leaders in children entertainment, performs fun interactive musical shows kids can “rock out” too.
July 19: “Jeanie B.,” delivers a mixture of bluegrass, country, blues, and enough rock 'n' roll to keep everyone dancing.
July 26: “Little Miss Ann,” a top influential kids musician in Chicago, brings an upbeat folk rock music with positive messages to children.
August 2: “The Dreamtree Shakers,” a hip folksy musical group, performs playful tunes that will keep kids moving and shaking.
August 9: “Bari Koral,” a musical performer for children and adults, plays catchy, pop friendly tunes kids will be dancing away too.
August 16: “Zak Morgan,” a musician, magician, and comedian, performs using his three talents to encourage children to read books and exercise their imagination.

Thursdays Family Nights is an event open to all. Free with Arboretum admission. After 4:30 p.m. on Thursdays, June 21- August 16, admission is reduced to $5. For an additional purchase, drinks and food will be available for purchase.

About The Morton Arboretum

The Morton Arboretum is an internationally recognized outdoor tree museum on 1,700 acres. Plant collections, scientific research, and education programs support the mission to plant and conserve trees and other plants for a greener, healthier, and more beautiful world. Throughout natural landscapes are specialty gardens, 16 miles of trails, and nine miles of roads. Other offerings include tree-focused events, activities, and services for adults, children, professionals, and communities. The Arboretum welcomes 800,000 visitors annually and serves 34,000 member households. Located 25 miles west of Chicago in Lisle, Illinois, the Arboretum is open daily 7 a.m. until sunset. More information is available at www.mortonarb.org or 630-968-0074.

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Media contact: Mary Beth Sammons | This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it | 630-725-2103