Celebrate Spring at the Garfield Park Conservatory!

300 North Central Park Avenue,Chicago IL 60624

30 April, 2023

Description

Edited April 26, 2023 with information about the Bees Knees Exhibit Craving some escape from the April showers (and snowstorms) that bring May flowers? Give your skin some warm kisses of humidity in the Fern Room and delight in the leafy wonderland of the Palm House at the Garfield Park Conservatory! This event is an especially wonderful option for people wanting to begin exploring nature in a controlled environment and for those hoping to seek community with others who love nature. When & Where: Sunday, April 30th from 2:30pm to 5:00pm Garfield Park Conservatory 300 N. Central Park Ave, Chicago, IL 60624 We will meet in the main lobby, which is accessed directly through the front doors. About the Garfield Park Conservatory: Opened in 1908, the Garfield Park Conservatory boasts "two acres of public greenhouse space and 10 acres of outdoor gardens." It “envisions a world where people embrace and honor the importance of nature." (Garfield Park Conservatory) Admission is free, and donations are highly encouraged to support the Conservatory. Cash donations can be given at the front lobby. For those without cash, purchases at the gift shop also help to subsidize the Conservatory. Please consider helping out your local institutions, and check out some of Garfield Park Conservatory’s items here! Clothes racks and hangers are available to people who wish to leave outerwear just past the admissions table, and the gift shop is available off the main lobby. For more information, visit the Garfield Park Conservatory’s website. The Garfield Park Conservatory's 2023 Spring Flower Show is Bees Knees. Their show room features beautiful flowers in bloom as well as empty observation and demo hives supplied by their beekeeping program. A representative of the Conservatory has assured us that the hives have been sealed off and will not be in active use, but there is still a chance that bees will be on the premises, as they may be attracted to the plants. No one will be pressured to attend this exhibit, and alternate options will be offered to those with allergies and/or those who simply do not wish to attend it. Participants are asked to exercise good judgment, to bring any necessary medical items, and to treat any encountered creatures with respect. Transportation: There is free parking in the lot immediately south of the Conservatory. It is also easily accessible by the CTA Green Line, whose Conservatory-Central Park Drive stop is a two-minute walk to the entrance. It’s also a 20-minute walk off the Kedzie-Homan stop on the CTA Blue Line. Bike corrals and a Divvy bike station are located in front of the building on Central Park Avenue. Need a ride or willing to offer one to another attendee? Join the Out In Nature WhatsApp group to coordinate a carpool! Accessibility: The Conservatory has a free visitor parking lot with designated accessible parking spots located in the northeast corner. There are paved pathways from the parking lot to the building entrance as well as ramps and a push button automated door. We will mainly traverse flat paths, though there are also optional paths through certain exhibits themselves that comprise soil. In certain areas, there are a few large stepping stones over short distances of water (the water is no more than three feet across), which may be wet; we will walk carefully across these portions as they arise. Shoes with even small amounts of traction should suffice, and Out in Nature will wait for all participants to cross as well as accommodate and/or offer support for anyone who requests it. We will occasionally come across doors to enter and exit different areas of the campus, and most doors do not require much physical exertion. Masking will not be required for this event, though people are encouraged to do so according to their needs and comfort level, especially as this is a mostly indoors event. Sensory Accessibility: As the Garfield Park Conservatory is a controlled environment, we expect this event to be a largely sensory-friendly experience. Glass roofs allow for plenty of natural lighting throughout the Conservatory, so there is little expectation of harsh artificial lighting. Those who are sensitive to strong daylight are encouraged to bring sunglasses or other eyegear for their comfort depending on the weather on the day of the event. The rooms will have ambient sounds associated with the Conservatory and foot traffic, and it should be free of loud and sudden noises. Though most rooms feature open space and walkways, we will be in close proximity to plants and may experience their scents; please account for this if you have olfactory sensitivities or allergies. Weather and temperature permitting, there is an option to visit the outdoor areas of the Conservatory grounds. Those who are interested may partake in this, but no one will be pressured to do so. Additionally, there are active beehives on the south end of the campus. If you have concerns, please let us know: we will offer an alternative option for those who wish to avoid them. Wheelchair Access: The Garfield Park Conservatory grounds are wheelchair-accessible except for the Fern Room, and Out in Nature will offer alternative options for those who cannot or do not wish to visit the Fern Room. The Conservatory offers a limited number of free, on-site wheelchairs. They can be checked out with a photo ID on a first come, first served basis, and they are thoroughly wiped down between visitors. Visitors using wheelchairs and those otherwise wishing to avoid stairs may enter the Conservatory at the Main Entrance (300 N. Central Park Ave.) via the North or South ramps. For more information, contact the Garfield Park Conservatory at 773-638-1766. Minors: Teens and kids are welcomed! Children ages 16 and under must be accompanied by an adult in order to enter the Conservatory. Questions/Concerns: Please contact the Garfield Park Conservatory directly at 773-638-1766 for questions about their space. For Out in Nature queries about this event, contact Corinne at [email protected] or Vincent at [email protected]! Want more? Keep in touch with Out in Nature here: https://outinnaturechi.wordpress.com/link-in-bio/