Glassblowers will set up at the Chicago Botanic Garden's Festival Field on Saturday, July 11, and Sunday, July 12, crafting glass pendants in front of visitors from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. both days.
The demonstrations are free with Garden admission.
For anyone who wants to try the craft, a hands-on Glassblowing Workshop runs 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. each day. Cost is $39 for Garden members, $49 for non-members. Registration is available at chicagobotanic.org/shimmering.
Part of Shimmering Summer
The glassblowing weekend is one of several scheduled live events at Festival Field tied to Shimmering Summer, the Garden's exhibit running Saturday, June 6, through Saturday, September 20. The exhibit's centerpiece is "Evanescent," an installation of oversized iridescent bubble sculptures that cast shifting color across the Garden's paths.
Evanescent was created by Atelier Sisu, a Sydney-based studio led by sculptor Renzo B. Larriviere and architectural designer Zara Pasfield. The Garden published a blog post on Wednesday, June 25, by staff writer Anna Joranger exploring how the pandemic inspired the exhibit's themes.
What's ahead at Festival Field
Weekend programming continues through September:
- Saturday–Sunday, July 25–26: Bubble Play with Glowby the Bubbler
- Saturday–Sunday, August 8–9: Live music from The Dreamtree Shakers
- Saturday–Sunday, August 22–23: Circus Skills
- Saturday–Sunday, September 12–13: The Bubbler is Back
- Saturday–Sunday, September 19–20: Shimmering Summer Finale
If you go
The Chicago Botanic Garden is at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe. General public hours begin at 10 a.m.; members-only entry starts at 8 a.m. Full event details and workshop registration are at chicagobotanic.org/shimmering.
