Will County forest preserves tout return of popular programs, new special events

Mark your calendars now with the dates of the Forest Preserve District of Will County’s 2025 events.

“2025 includes a wide range of exciting events that are sure to entice people to explore, learn, move and celebrate,” Cindy Wojdyla Cain, the forest preserve’s public information officer, said in a news release announcing the programs. “Some favorite events are back – including Eagle Watch, Fun & Food Trucks and Woods Walk – but there are many new exhibit offerings ranging from a Smokey Bear art exhibit to a Nature’s Muse day of artistic exploration."

One important milestone that will be marked is the reopening of Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Bolingbrook after extensive renovations. The Oak-tacular Comeback Celebration takes place May 3, and visitors can view all the changes and upgrades to the facility.

Here is a list of events and exhibitions for 2025:

• Eagle Watch: Jan. 11, Four Rivers Environmental Education Center, Channahon. Join the forest preserve district as it celebrates eagles with live bird presentations, guided hikes, Talon Talks, family activities, an Eagle Eye Scavenger Hunt and food from Lil’ Deb’s Mobile Eats.
• Smokey Bear – The Rudy Wendelin Collection: Jan. 17 to March 2. Nineteen reproductions of Rudolph “Rudy” Wendelin’s Smokey Bear paintings will be on display at four forest preserve visitors centers and Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie.
• Mammal Madness: March 1, Four Rivers Environmental Education Center. Festivities begin with a live animal presentation by Big Run Wolf Ranch followed by mammal-themed, family-friendly activities.
• Smithsonian Gardens – Pollination Investigation: April 1 through June 22, Isle a la Cache Museum, Romeoville. Explore the who, what, when, where, why and how of the pollination process.

• Oak-tacular Comeback Celebration: May 3 at Hidden Oaks Nature Center, Bolingbrook. Celebrate the grand reopening of the renovated nature center. Tour the site, and enjoy great food, live music and family-friendly activities. Discover the new interactive permanent exhibits. Peruse the transformed gift shop, lobby and reception area, and say hi to the resident reptiles.
• Art Exhibit – Prairie Rêverie: June 3 to Aug. 23, Plum Creek Nature Center, Crete Township. Enjoy landscapes, botanical studies and portraits of nature’s creatures from local artist Carrie Carlson.
• Fun & Food Trucks: June 13, Whalon Lake, Naperville; July 11, Forked Creek Preserve – Forsythe Woods, Florence Township; and Aug. 8 at Hickory Creek Preserve – LaPorte Road Access, Mokena. Each program will feature food trucks, a beverage vendor, games and entertainment.

• Pollinator Party: June 14, Isle a la Cache Museum. Learn about the insects and animals that pollinate plants. See live bats and learn about their roles in pollination. Find out how to support pollinators at home with insect hotels, gardens and plants native to our region. Try your hand at pollination challenges, crafts and activities. There also will be a food truck on-site.
• Surf and Turf Concert: July 12, Monee Reservoir, Monee Township. Take in the live tunes from a chair on the lawn or head out on a boat. Bring your own kayak, or rent one from the forest preserve. Food trucks will be serving dinner and treats.
• National Night Out: Aug. 5, Monee Reservoir. Family activities, food and giveaways will be offered by multiple vendors during a night that is designed to engage police and the community. Crete, Monee and Forest Preserve District police departments will participate.
• Nature’s Muse: Aug. 23, Plum Creek Nature Center. Find your nature’s muse and express yourself through music, visual arts and movement at this celebratory day of exploration that includes nature-inspired activities and vendors.

• Woods Walk: Sept. 1 through Nov. 30. Hike seven of 10 preselected forest preserve paths ranging in distance from 0.5 to 4 miles to earn a commemorative medallion. This popular challenge is self-paced and a great way to explore new trails and preserves.
• Souvenirs from the Silurian Sea – Fossils of Will County: Sept. 2 to Nov. 30, Isle a la Cache Museum. Time-travel to a prehistoric era hundreds of millions of years ago, when our area was covered by a shallow sea. Discover the wildlife that called Will County home, and view these past creatures through the fossils they left us as souvenirs.
• Fall on the Farm: Sept. 13, Riverview Farmstead Preserve, Naperville. Visit the farm for some old-fashioned fun. Tour the limestone house and barns, meet farmyard animals in the petting zoo, and try your hand at some farmstead chores. See tractors and antique farm equipment up close. The event also will feature a bounce house, crafts, live music and a food truck.
• Pelican Party: Sept. 20, Four Rivers Environmental Education Center. View these birds as they show off their unique hunting skills and specialized bills. Enjoy seeing a live pelican, and join guided hikes to see flocks gathered on the rivers. Discover what sets these birds apart through family-friendly activities, engaging exhibits and interactive stations.
• State of Water – Our Most Valuable Resource: Nov. 10 to Jan. 7, 2026, Four Rivers Environmental Education Center. Brad Temkin’s photography puts visitors face-to-face with the systems and techniques that deliver our most valuable natural resource. Thirty-four photo prints, three videos and an infographic panel will detail the path of water from its natural source to a generic faucet.

Funding for Pollination Investigation, Fossils of Will County, State of Water, Woods Walk and Smokey Bear promotion and programming materials is being provided by The Nature Foundation of Will County, which raises money annually to support the forest preserve’s education, recreation and conservation efforts.

The forest preserve also will present events including Maple Syrup Magic on March 15 at the Plum Creek Nature Center, spring and fall trout season fishing and fishing derbies at Hidden Lakes Trout Farm in Bolingbrook, a Spring Scamper Fun Run on May 10 at the Hadley Valley preserve, the popular BYOB Bingo programs at select preserves, Trick or Treat in the Woods programs, Pumpkin Smash on Nov. 1 at Plum Creek Nature Center and the December Dash Virtual 5K.

More information on these events and exhibitions and the many smaller programs offered by the district throughout the year can be found on the Event Calendar at ReconnectWithNature.org, which presents two months of activities at a time and includes registration links for the programs that require it.