klehm-autumn-1000-x-553-png

Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden is excited to announce that its annual free fall community event, Autumn at the Arboretum, will occur this year as a week-long series of on-site and virtual activities and programming from Sunday, October 11 to Sunday, October 18.

Timed to coincide with the season’s changing colors, Autumn at the Arboretum will see the return of the straw bale maze for children and numerous fall decorations. Visitors and families are encouraged to participate in several self-guided activities, including an all-new smartphone guided tour of fall colors highlighting different points of interest found throughout the arboretum’s 155-acres of paths, trails, and gardens. A self-guided scavenger hunt for children, themed for fall, will be offered as a printable PDF to encourage nature exploration.

In addition to onsite self-guided activities, virtual programming posted on Klehm’s website and social media throughout the week will serve those who want to learn more about the arboretum and the fall season overall. A virtual pet costume contest will also be hosted the week of Autumn at the Arboretum, where visitors can snap a photo with their pet at decorative backdrops and can upload it to social media as their contest entry. Prizes will be awarded at the week’s conclusion.

“We are so excited to be able to hold this event in such a way that we can promote social distancing and avoid large crowds, while still having small groups of families and visitors viewing, learning, and engaging with the autumn season’s different displays of beauty. With free admission made possible by event sponsors and a variety of activities that can be done at the arboretum or even at home, this event has something to offer for everyone,” said Executive Director Alex Mills.

This free event is made possible by the generosity of the Dean Alan Olson Foundation, Midland Wealth Management, Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, SwedishAmerican and Nicor Gas.

About Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden:

Klehm Arboretum & Botanic Garden is Rockford’s 155-acre “living museum” and operates as a private 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, membership based organization supported through membership dues, donations, sponsorships, grants, fundraisers and subsidies, in partnership with the Forest Preserve of Winnebago County.

Tags: , , ,