Fall brings magic, mystery to Morton Arboretum

Arboretum visitors can walk along Scarecrow Trail to see the creations of area Scout troops, then vote for their favorites. The first- and second-place troops win an education program at the arboretum. Bev Horne | Staff Photographer, OCTOBER 2012

With its collection of trees from all over the world putting on a show, the Morton Arboretum in Lisle has slated a month of activities in its Fall Color Festival. DAILY HERALD FILE PHOTO

That fall is a spectacular time of year to visit the Morton Arboretum in Lisle is no mystery.

"Fall is our season. We have amazing fall color here," said Gina Steele, the arboretum special events coordinator. "When people come here to hike in the fall, it's really magical to be out here."

Nature's pageantry will be celebrated throughout the month of October with the annual Fall Color Festival's mix of exhibits, displays and special events, both indoors and outdoors.

The Thornhill Mansion will again be the scene for a Mystery Dinner presented Thursdays, Oct. 20 and 27, and Saturday, Oct. 29. Each evening, dinner guests will be served a four-course meal while witnessing an unfolding, fictional drama couched in this year's theme, the 1970s.

"The theater company we work with for this event, they actually devise the story around the history of the arboretum," Steele said. "It's very tailored to us."

Steele said 120 guests at each plated dinner, served by the arboretum's in-house caterers, will enjoy a menu of shish kebabs, Waldorf salad, beef stroganoff and an Elvis-inspired dessert of peanut butter mousse with caramelized bananas.

The event debuted in 2015 with two nights and was expanded to three in response to its popularity. Last year, Steele said, most guests dressed in costume in conjunction with the 1920s theme.

"You couldn't tell who was a performer or a visitor," she said.

Tickets are $95 to $105. Guests must be at least 21 to be admitted.

The arboretum also has added a second date for this year's Boo Breakfast, which debuted last year. The breakfasts are set for 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 29 and 30.

Steele said the breakfast meal's spooky Halloween theme is carried out with menu items such as "meat fingers" and "scary scrambled eggs," and features costumed characters that go from table to table in the Visitors Center's Gingko Restaurant. Visitors are encouraged to wear costumes. Ticket prices range from $27 to $38.

Back this year is the Scarecrow Trail, a display of scarecrows made by local Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops. Steele said about 36 scarecrows will be on view around Meadow Lake, just outside the visitors center, throughout the month. Visitors can vote for their favorites.

First- and second-place winners will receive free educational classes specially designed for Scout groups.

A leisurely walk through the arboretum's wooded landscape is part of the package for attendees at the arboretum's Theatre Hikes presentations.

This year, the Chicago acting troupe brings its production of "Ten Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse" to the arboretum at 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays in October, plus Columbus Day, Monday, Oct. 10. Theatergoers hike one and a half to two miles to follow the actors as the play's action unfolds.

Theatre Hike tickets range from $5 to $20 and include arboretum admission.

On Wednesday, Oct. 12, a pumpkin patch made of glass is expected to crop up just outside the visitors center.

"The arboretum store has an event where they work with a bunch of glassblowing artists from around the country," Steele said.

She said about 4,000 pieces fashioned into shapes resembling pumpkins, squash and acorns dot the grounds.

"They're all glass. It's really a beautiful thing to see," she said.

The artwork remains on display until sales begin at 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14. The sale continues through Sunday, Oct. 16, or while supplies last.

In the past, Steele said, the sales exhibit has been picked over quickly.

"There's literally nothing left," she said.

A Cider and Ale Tasting for guests 21 and older will be presented Saturday, Oct. 22. Steele said 45 breweries and cider-makers will offer samples of hard cider and seasonal beers. Each attendee will receive up to 15 three-ounce pours. Tickets are $40 to $50. Designated driver tickets -- good for unlimited water, soda and nonalcoholic cider -- are $15. Local band R-Gang will perform at the tasting, Steele said.

The Fall Color 5K Run and Walk will take athletes through the rolling terrain on the arboretum's east side beginning at 8 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 2. A Kids Dash ranges from 50 yards to a half mile.

Throughout October, the arboretum will host a food court with fall treats such as taffy apples. For gardeners, there's a bulb sale in the arboretum gift shop.

The Children's Garden will present a program about bats from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays; on weekends and on Oct. 10 the garden also will present Trick or Trees, an event that invites children to come in costume to enjoy pumpkin painting and tree planting.

"It's a big festival," Steele said. "We take the whole month to celebrate."