Chicago Botanic Garden

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Special Events

PHOTO: carillon towerCarillon Concerts

Monday evenings, June 7 through Labor Day, September 6, 2010

Take the trolley to Carillon Concerts.

 

"I love the carillon concerts!
 They're such a wonderful experience."
 — Aarti Nagaraju

Enjoy an enchanting 45-minute musical performance of carillon bells on a warm summer evening and watch lights illuminate Evening Island.

Through a regularly scheduled series of concerts each summer, carillonneurs from around the world delight Garden visitors with the captivating music of the 48-bell Theodore C. Butz Memorial Carillon. Meet the performers and enjoy a free carillon tour and demonstration before the concert — you can even try your hand at ringing the bells.

Visitors can purchase snacks and a bottle of wine from the Garden Café, or grilled selections from the Garden Grille including burgers, hot dogs and barbeque. You may also bring a picnic dinner to enjoy on the lawn by McGinley Pavilion.

Since 1986, the carillon has remained both a noted landmark and a source of remarkable music at the Garden. Crafted in Holland, the tower's bronze bells and playing device with a range of four octaves constitutes one of the few hand-played carillons in the nation.

PHOTO: picnickers enjoy the carillon concert  PHOTO: carillon view from McGinley Pavilion

The Butz Foundation has generously made this concert series possible.