Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory

Plant Help Desk
2026-08-19 13:00 - 15:00, 2026-08-26 13:00 - 15:00, 2026-09-02 13:00 - 15:00, 2026-09-09 13:00 - 15:00, 2026-09-16 13:00 - 15:00, 2026-09-23 13:00 - 15:00, 2026-09-30 13:00 - 15:00, 2026-10-07 13:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) and 3 more dates | Oak Park Conservatory, 615 Garfield, Oak Park, IL, 60304, United States
Every Wednesday from 1-3 pm: Plant Help Desk at the Oak Park Conservatory. Bring your plant questions and issues to our Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory volunteer expert who will help you on the spot. Bring a plant to be repotted too. Email inquiries to oakparkconservatory@pdop.org or call 708-725-2456, ext. 2. This is a new free service for the community.

Discovery Garden Exploration Time 2026
2026-08-20 10:00 - 12:00, 2026-08-27 10:00 - 12:00
Explore summer in the Discovery Garden! Enjoy hands-on activities led by our garden docents outside. Learn about native Illinois ecosystems and have fun playing in the garden! Please register in advance. Free event.
June: Pollinators.
July: Water Play
August: In the Dirt
Register for all sessions here.

Uncorked 2026
2026-08-21 18:00 - 20:00 | Oak Park Conservatory, 615 Garfield, Oak Park, IL, 60304, United States
Summertime is the best time to enjoy an evening of music and drinks at the Oak Park Conservatory. Celebrate summer in the Rubinstein Garden with friends under the night sky. Presented by the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory. Your registration will include two glasses of wine, beer, or a non-alcoholic beverage, an appetizer, and a guided tour of the showrooms.
Tickets are $25. Advance sales only. Tickets will not be sold at the door. FOPCON members receive a 20% discount. Contact operations@fopcon.org for a discount code before registering. Tickets are $25 ($20 for FOPCON Members)
Details:
August 21: Featuring music by Rosemary Szurko Trio. Food provided by Taco Mucho. Artisan: Karma and Spice. Register here.
September 18: Featuring music by The Replays. Food provided by Grape Leaves. Artisan: River Forest Chocolates. Register here.

Story Time at the Conservatory
2026-08-26 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-09-02 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-09-09 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-09-16 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-09-23 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-09-30 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-10-07 10:00 - 10:30, 2026-10-14 10:00 - 10:30 and 2 more dates
Every week, children and their caregivers enjoy nature-themed stories, songs, and puppets led by our Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory volunteers. Throughout the month, we offer two new formats of the Story Time program; see details below.
On the first Wednesday of the month, children are introduced to a new language through Bilingual (English and Spanish) Story Time.
The second Wednesday of the month is Musical Story Time, featuring stories along with music led by a trio from the Oak Park Farmers Market Band.

Registration links:
August : Register here.
September : Register here.
October : Register here.
November : Register here.
December : Register here.

For Bilingual Story Time sessions:
August: Register here.
September – December registration included in the regular Story Time Link.

Fall Plant and Tool Exchange
2026-09-13 13:00 - 15:00 | Oak Park Conservatory, 615 Garfield, Oak Park, IL, 60304, United States
Join other gardeners and share your favorite plants and tools at the Fall Plant and Tool Exchange. Save your garden plastic pots and drop them off at our Garden Pot Return so they can be reused and kept out of landfills. Please bring at least one plant to participate in the plant exchange. Ages 18+
Drop Off, 1:00 – 2:00 PM
Pick Up, 2:30 – 3:00 PM
Register HERE.

Virtual Gardening Lecture: Pollinator Parkways
2026-09-17 19:00 - 20:00 | Oak Park Conservatory, 615 Garfield, Oak Park, IL, 60304, United States
Looking for a unique way to expand your native garden? Join the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory to learn how to plant a pollinator garden in your parkway. We will share how to prepare your space, guidelines on planting the area between your sidewalk and the street, and recommend low-growing, tolerant native plants for parkways. Register here.

TET (Toddler Exploration Time): 2026/2027
2026-09-18 09:30 - 11:15, 2026-10-16 09:30 - 11:15
Children (18 months – 5 years) and their caregivers will be delighted with stories, lessons, and hands-on crafts led by FOPCON’s education docents at the Oak Park Conservatory. Each month is a different topic. Advanced registration for 9:30-10:15 or 10:30-11:15 is required. Limited to 25 children and their caregivers. FREE.
Themes:
September 18, 2026. Harvest.
October 16, 2026. Fall Fun.
November 20, 2026. BRRR!
January 15, 2027. In the desert.
February 19, 2027. What’s hatching.
March 19, 2027. Branches and buds.

Registration Links (September – November):
9:30 AM – 10:15 AM: Register HERE.
10:30 AM – 11:15 AM: Register HERE.

Uncorked 2026
2026-09-18 18:00 - 20:00 | Oak Park Conservatory, 615 Garfield, Oak Park, IL, 60304, United States
Summertime is the best time to enjoy an evening of music and drinks at the Oak Park Conservatory. Celebrate summer in the Rubinstein Garden with friends under the night sky. Presented by the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory. Your registration will include two glasses of wine, beer, or a non-alcoholic beverage, an appetizer, and a guided tour of the showrooms.
Tickets are $25. Advance sales only. Tickets will not be sold at the door. FOPCON members receive a 20% discount. Contact operations@fopcon.org for a discount code before registering. Tickets are $25 ($20 for FOPCON Members)
Details:
September 18: Featuring music by The Replays. Food provided by Grape Leaves. Artisan: River Forest Chocolates. Register here.

Virtual Gardening Lecture - Author Talk: Grass Isn’t Greener: Nurturing Nature at Home
2026-10-08 19:00 - 20:00 | Oak Park Conservatory, 615 Garfield, Oak Park, IL, 60304, United States
What if your backyard could help save the planet? With a few thoughtful changes, your yard can become a vibrant refuge for pollinators, birds, and bugs—and a surprisingly powerful force for conservation. In this inspiring and practical talk, conservation educator and author/photographer Danae Wolfe shares how reimagining your outdoor space can support biodiversity and build climate resilience. You’ll leave with a fresh perspective, a spark of wonder, and the tools to transform your little patch of earth into something wilder, wiser, and more alive. Presented by the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory. Register here.
