Photo of outdoor event with people and booths

Connect, Learn and Explore: Dive Into Our Schedule of Events

Friends of the Forest Preserves hosts numerous events throughout the year designed to connect people of all ages and backgrounds with the natural wonders of the forest preserves in Cook County.

Guided hikes, educational workshops, wellness programs, volunteer workdays, golf outings, fundraisers, cultural programs, and more await you.

Browse our schedule of events below to learn more.

Events

Stewardship Volunteer Days

Craftsbury Preserve 42°10'20.6"N 88°09'28.9"W, Barrington, Illinois, United States

Workday where we will remove invasive shrubs with hand tools and place the wood in a brush pile fire. Beginners welcome! No registration required! If you are interested in signing up for the CFC newsletter for weekly event emails here is that link- https://citizensforconservation.org/get-involved/regular-workdays/ Contact Information: [email protected]

Bunker Hill North Flatwoods Volunteer Workdays

Join the North Branch Restoration Project to restore this oak woodland to its former beauty! This 76-acre site depends on a community of volunteers to remove invasive species, spread native seed, and much more. Large pin oaks are a unique feature of this preserve, which is also home to some beautiful spring ephemerals. Visit The […]

Stewardship Volunteer Day – Kickapoo Woods & Prairie

Kickapoo Woods & Priarie J9J3+GP, Riverdale, Illinois, United States

Kickapoo Woods is a site with beautiful wet prairies in Riverdale, IL. During volunteer days, you can get up close and personal with nature performing a variety of restoration activities. Meet at the volunteer kiosk; register here.

Stewardship Volunteer Days

Spring Creek Stony Ridge 42°06'17.7"N 88°13'06.2"W, Barrington Hills, Illinois, United States

Workday where we will remove invasive shrubs with hand tools and place the wood in a brush pile fire. Beginners welcome! Contact information: [email protected]

Spring Ephemeral Hike

Spring Creek Healy Savanna Beverly Lake, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, United States

Join BGI at one of our upcoming spring hikes! All are welcome and free to attend. We will be admiring and learning all about the incredible flora that emerges in Spring. Contact Information: [email protected] or [email protected]

Stewardship Volunteer Day – Sand Ridge Nature Center

Sand Ridge Nature Center JC4M+8M5, Calumet City, Illinois, United States

Sand Ridge is a woodland and prairie site with a magnificent nature center attached. Join our volunteer crew for a restoration day to help restore our forest preserves. Meet at the pod northwest of the Nature Center off of the service driveway; register here. 

Stewardship Volunteer Day – Whistler Woods

Whistler Woods M946+6JQ, Riverdale, Illinois, United States

Join us at Whistler Woods for our volunteer days! We will be performing a variety of restoration activities in this woodland and prairie-dominant site. Meet at the end of the parking lot; registration link here.

Spring Ephemeral Hike

Grigsby 42°09'53.7"N 88°11'01.5"W, Barrington Hills, Illinois, United States

Join BGI at one of our upcoming spring hikes! All are welcome and free to attend. We will be admiring and learning all about the incredible flora that emerges in Spring. Contact Information: [email protected] or [email protected]

Oxbow Prairie Volunteer Workday

Formed by an old loop in the river’s course, lies the Oxbow Prairie. This old oxbow in the Chicago River’s North Branch is a combination of low, wet prairie soils and slightly higher mesic prairie soils. A small open savanna lies on what was once the east bank of the river. The mesic prairie had […]

Spring Ephemeral Hike

Flint Creek Savanna / Grand Prairie 459 W State Rte 22, Barrington, Illinois, United States

Join BGI at one of our upcoming spring hikes! All are welcome and free to attend. We will be admiring and learning all about the incredible flora that emerges in Spring. Contact Information: [email protected] or [email protected]

Spring Ephemeral Hike

Longmeadow 146 W Dundee Rd, Barrington, Illinois, United States

Join BGI at one of our upcoming spring hikes! All are welcome and free to attend. We will be admiring and learning all about the incredible flora that emerges in Spring. Contact Information: [email protected] or [email protected]

Trailblazers: Schiller Woods Spring Exploration Walk

Schiller Woods Schiller Woods Grove #2, Irving Park Rd, Schiller Park, Illinois, United States

Join us for a walk to welcome spring, get some fresh air outdoors and look for new signs of life in nature. We’ll likely see some deer grazing. The trees will be budding out and the group can spot a few of spring’s first wildflowers popping up. The walk will traverse the trail along the […]

Wellness Tuesdays at Kickapoo Woods

Kickapoo Woods Kickapoo Woods, Riverdale, Illinois, United States

Every Tuesday until September 23rd, 2025! Entrance at Halsted, south of 144th St. Riverdale, IL 60827. Stretch and Walks9:00 am – 10:00 am2 mile walk. Walking pace with room for conversation & mindfulness. No registration required. Yoga10:00 am – 11:00 amAll levels welcome. Registration not required, but please email us if you will be bringing […]

Wellness Wednesdays at Whistler Woods

Whistler Woods M946+6JQ, Riverdale, Illinois, United States

Every Wednesday until September 24th, 2025! Entrance at 134th St., East of Halsted Ave. Riverdale, IL 60827. Stretch and Walks9:00 am – 10:00 am2 mile walk. Walking pace with room for conversation & mindfulness. No registration required. Yoga10:00 am – 11:00 amAll levels welcome. Registration not required, but please email us if you will be […]

Bunker Hill North Flatwoods Volunteer Workdays – Chicago River Day

Join the North Branch Restoration Project to restore this oak woodland to its former beauty! This 76-acre site depends on a community of volunteers to remove invasive species, spread native seed, and much more. Large pin oaks are a unique feature of this preserve, which is also home to some beautiful spring ephemerals. Visit The […]

Oxbow Prairie Volunteer Workday – Chicago River Day

Formed by an old loop in the river’s course, lies the Oxbow Prairie. This old oxbow in the Chicago River’s North Branch is a combination of low, wet prairie soils and slightly higher mesic prairie soils. A small open savanna lies on what was once the east bank of the river. The mesic prairie had […]

St. Paul Woods Volunteer Workday – Chicago River Day

St. Paul Woods is an inviting oak-hickory woodland situated east of the North Branch of the Chicago River. Like many of our native woodlands, it needs management to clear invasive brush and trees to restore the original structure. With increased sunlight, the wildflowers and grasses will once again add to the beauty of the woods. Join […]

Miami Woods and Prairie Volunteer Workday – Chicago River Day

The Miami Woods Forest Preserve covers 112 acres stretching along the west side of the North Branch of the Chicago River from Oakton Street northward to Dempster Street.  It is bounded on the west side by Caldwell Avenue, Waukegan Road and development at the intersection of Waukegan Road and Dempster Street. The land on the […]

A Family PEACE Gathering: Play to Strengthen Family & Community Connection

Dan Ryan Woods Event Pavillion W 87th St & S Western Ave, Chicago, Illinois, United States

Nature-based peace circles for people of all ages & ethnicities to connect, celebrate, and build community through art, wellness, & play. As part of family play, everybody plays! Participants practice active listening, respectful communication, collaboration and cooperation through playful activities for all ages. These will take place outdoors and indoors, and will focus on celebrating […]

Wellness Tuesdays at Kickapoo Woods

Kickapoo Woods Kickapoo Woods, Riverdale, Illinois, United States

Every Tuesday until September 23rd, 2025! Entrance at Halsted, south of 144th St. Riverdale, IL 60827. Stretch and Walks9:00 am – 10:00 am2 mile walk. Walking pace with room for conversation & mindfulness. No registration required. Yoga10:00 am – 11:00 amAll levels welcome. Registration not required, but please email us if you will be bringing […]