Wine and Art Walk 2026

Contact Information

The Morton Arboretum

Contact Email: wineandartwalk@mortonarb.org

Contact Phone: 630-719-2454

Requirement Overview

Eligible Applicant Types: Artist
Emerging Artists: Emerging artists may apply.
Submission Limit: 1

Media Requirements

Images | Min: 4, Max: 4
Total | Max: 4

Opportunity Summary

The Morton Arboretum's annual Wine & Art Walk will take place near our main Visitor Center and booths will be placed around the paved 0.6 mile trail surrounding Meadow Lake and the adjacent area. A selection of approximately 70 artists will be chosen for this juried event, based on their submission of nature-themed artwork. Multiple wine, beverage, and snack stations are located around the Meadow Lake Trail, as well as live music each day. Past attendance for the event has ranged from 16,000-18,000 visitors.

We are looking for artists whose artwork is created using natural materials or have a nature theme or subject, to appeal to our nature-loving audience and in support of The Arboretum's mission to enhance the public's awareness and understanding of nature. These themes could include, but are not limited to, trees, flowers, landscapes, birds, insects, woodland creatures, and other midwestern nature themes, etc.

Other artist amenities/show features include: dedicated marketing initiatives, advertising and promotions, social media push through Facebook, an email to our 55,000+ member households, complimentary breakfast, lunch, snacks, water throughout show, volunteer booth sitters, and more.

General Information

Event Dates:

Friday, August 14, 2026 - 5:00-8:00pm - Member Night (ticketed event)
Saturday and Sunday, August 15 & 16, 2026 10:00am-5:00pm - open to the public with general admission tickets to The Morton Arboretum.

**Artists must be present during all components of the event in order to participate.

All artwork must be created using natural materials or have a nature-theme or subject, to appeal to our nature-loving audience. These themes could include, but are not limited to, trees, flowers, landscapes, birds, insects, woodland creatures, etc.

Jury Fees: $40, non-refundable - due at the time of application

Booth Fees:

10x10: $400
10x15: $550
10x20: $750

*Booth fees will not be refunded after June 15, 2026, for any reason.

For questions about the event, please contact Kevin Earll or Jacque Fucilla at wineandartwalk@mortonarb.org.

Applications will be accepted through February 20, 2026. The jury process will take place during the month of March, and all accepted artists will be notified by April 1, 2026. The jury committee will also select alternates for our wait list, if needed. Alternates will receive a notice to this effect.

Please submit a statement describing your art, the techniques used, and any other details regarding your art in 150 words or less. This statement may be used in press releases or other means of promoting the event. Please define terms to give the jury a common language with which to work. This information will be shared with the jury to determine acceptance to the show.

About The Morton Arboretum:

When Joy Morton established The Morton Arboretum in 1922, he envisioned a “great outdoor museum” of trees. Today, our living collections inspire visitors to appreciate, learn about, plant, and protect trees. The Arboretum champions the world's trees through plant collections, science and conservation, education, and outreach.
The Morton Arboretum's 1,700 acres hold more than 222,000 live plants representing nearly 4,300 taxa from around the world. Situated on the rolling Valparaiso moraine and bisected by the East Branch of the DuPage River, the Arboretum is planned and planted to nurture and display trees and shrubs in environments conducive to their growth.
The Arboretum conducts leading scientific research on tree health and tree improvement, collects and displays trees for study and enjoyment on the grounds, offers educational programming for adults and children, and presents nature-related activities year-round for people of all ages and interests.
Also on the grounds are the Visitor Center with The Arboretum Store and Ginkgo Restaurant and Café, four-acre Children’s Garden, one-acre Maze Garden, Sterling Morton Library, Plant Clinic, nine miles of roads, and 16 miles of trails.

Check - In:

Check-in will take place Friday, August 14, 2026 from 9:30am-1:30pm, and must be completely set prior to the Member Night Event (no later than 4:00pm). There will be staff and volunteers ready to direct you to your book locations when you arrive to set up for the event. Please follow the artist check-in signs to a staff member near the Visitor’s Center. Please watch for check-in signs once you come through the gatehouse. All exhibitors must check-in personally. You will receive your booth location and booth sign when you check in.

Directions:

If you need directions, they can be found on The Morton Arboretum website (www.Mortonarb.org); Visit & Explore > Plan a Visit > Maps and Directions.

Event Hours:

5:00-8:00pm, Friday - Member only event (ticketed)
10:00am - 5:00pm, Saturday and Sunday (open to the general public).
Exhibitors must be fully set-up and manning their booths between those hours. Tear-down may not begin until 5:00pm on the final day of the event.
Although the official, advertised start time over the weekend is 10:00am on event days, we have a number of walkers and runners who do arrive at The Arboretum early. It is up to the individual artist to decide if a “soft” open prior to 10:00am is appropriate for them.

Judging:

Preliminary scoring will take place virtually utilizing Zapplication with on-site judging of the finalists taking place on Saturday. Ribbons will be distributed to the winners around Noon on Sunday. Three cash awards will be given; Best of Show ($250), 1st runner up ($150), and 2nd runner up ($100). Awards will be based on booth set-up, quality of work, and uniqueness of work. Payment will be made via check to the artist within 2 weeks following the event through our Business Office. The ‘Best of Show’ winner will be invited to exhibit in the 2027 event without jury. Regular booth fees will apply.

Overnight Accommodations:

Tents, tables, etc. may remain in place overnight. Please close up and secure your booth; you will be responsible for properly securing your property including artwork, tents, tables, display items, etc. The Morton Arboretum will not assume responsibility for lost, damaged, or stolen items. Arboretum Security staff will be on hand Friday and Saturday nights to monitor the event area overnight, but cannot be in all places at all times. The Arboretum grounds close at sunset and there should be little to no risk of loss or damage. Please keep in mind that this is an outdoor venue and we cannot control the weather and the Arboretum will not be responsible for any damages incurred due to weather related situations. All artists are expected to leave at closing time, which is sunset.

Parking:

Parking is available on site and you will be guided to parking in P-1 (the main lot) adjacent to Meadow Lake. No overnight parking or camping is allowed at The Morton Arboretum. Parking maps and directions will be handed out at check-in. Those artists who have official handicap placards may park in any legal handicap parking spot at the Arboretum.
If you use a trailer to bring in your work, trailer parking is available in our bus lot within P-1; please contact us prior to the event if you need to request a parking space for a trailer during the event, as spaces are limited.

Postcards/E-files:

A pdf will be supplied to each artist to use to promote the event through their own mailing lists.

Application Requirements

Eligibility:

Participating artists must be 18 years of age or older.
All artwork must be original, handmade works are required; no mass production pieces.
Copies and reproductions are allowed, but must be clearly marked as such.
No work made with commercial kits, purchased molds, patterns, plans, or prefabricated pieces will be allowed.
Work displayed for sale must be the work of that artist; no representative shall participate in the event in place of the artist.
Artists, themselves, must be present throughout the entire event, including the Friday evening preview and both weekend days.

The Arboretum reserves the right to refuse exhibition of work not consistent with these guidelines or submitted photos.

Cancellation and Refund Requests:

Jury fees are non-refundable. Refunds will not be issued after June 15, 2026. If you need to cancel your participation in the show, please notify the event coordinators at your earliest convenience.

Display Guidelines:

All tents must be white.
No stakes are allowed, and a minimum of 60lb weights must be used on each corner of the tent.
Artists who wish to sit during the event should bring a professional looking chair.
No more than 2 chairs are allowed per booth. Web-type or lawn/beach chairs
are not allowed.
All artwork must be presented in a professional manner.
Artists using tables must cover them to the ground. We strongly recommend professional table covers, not tablecloths. Plastic or paper coverings will not be allowed.
All back-up supplies must be tidy, completely covered, and out of view of the public. Supply boxes are not allowed for sitting use.
Booths and displays must look professional and neat and should reflect the booth photos submitted for admission to the event. Artists whose set-ups and displays are unsatisfactory or unsafe will be asked to correct the situation. If the artist does not comply before the start of the event, they will be asked to withdraw from the event immediately, with no refund allowed.

Jury Details

Average number of applications submitted each year

Average number of artists selected from the jury to participate in the event

Average number of exempt from jury artists who are invited to participate in the event

Booth Information

The Wine and Art Walk offers three booth sizes; 10x10, 10x15, and 10x20.

10x10: $400
10x15: $550
10x20: $750

Set-up :

Set-up begins at 9:30am on Friday, August 14, 2026, and must be completed no later than 4:00pm in preparation for the 5:00pm Member Night Event.
- All artists should be on site, and setting up no later than 1:30pm on Friday to ensure set up is complete by 4:00pm.
- Set up timeslots can be changed if needed. If an issue arises, please call the coordinator's direct line, which will be provided upon acceptance to the event.
There will be designated areas, manned by Arboretum staff/volunteers to direct you to the closest location to park and unload your work for set-up.
Please keep in mind that this event is held outdoors on a grassy area near the Meadow Lake Trail. We have chosen specific booth locations to best accommodate both artists and visitors, proximity to the walking path, as well as to roads for the loading process.
The grassy areas are relativley level, but please come prepared with lifts or shims to account for any uneaven surfaces.
Please park as far off the road as possible to allow other artists and Arboretum visitors to get by easily on this one-way route, as this is a main route on the Arboretum’s East Side.
We will require you to unload your vehicle first, and then move your vehicle into the parking area before you begin setting up your booth.
Weather permitting, we may be able to allow parking and unloading on the grass, however, in the event of rain, parking on the grass will not be permitted. Event staff will make the final decision on the day of the event and alert attendees via email.
We are a living museum, and our Collection must be treated as such. Vehicles must not be under the drip lines of trees at any point. Further instuctions will be provided regarding this prior to the event and again at check in.
Traffic for both set-up and tear-down will be on a partially one-way road, that is also used by pedestrian traffic. Please pay attention to your surroundings and make sure you are driving in the correct direction.
Directions for exiting the loading areas and circling back to the parking lot and Arboretum exit, via the East Side Loop Alternate Route, will be included in your check-in packet. In addition, signs will be posted to guide you on the route back to the parking area; P-1 main lot.

Tear-down:

You may begin to dismantle your booth and pack up your art at the close of the event at 5:00pm on Sunday - and no earlier.
Tear down must be completed no later than 7:00pm Sunday evening. The Arboretum closes at sunset which in mid-August, will be around 7:45pm, and you will need to vacate the premises by that time. If you feel that additional assistance is needed for the tear down process, please make arrangements with friends or family in the area to come assist you.
Any supplies, trash, or materials used during the event must be completely removed and taken with you when you leave.

Tents:

You must provide your own white, flame-resistant tent. We strongly encourage that you do not use a pop-up tent. High winds have occurred and pop-up tents have proven insufficient to withstand storm damage.
If you do not own a tent, arrangements can be made through our tent vendor; payment will need to be made directly to them within 30 days prior to the event. The tent company will install your white 10x10 tent, 4 sides, and corner weights the day before the event, and take it down on Monday morning after the event.
- If you will be using our tent supplier, please contact the event coordinators.
Corner weights (60 lb. minimum) for your tent are required. Tents may not be staked into the ground. For safety’s sake, please secure your tent appropriately at the time of set-up to withstand any unexpected high winds or gusts in the case of inclement weather.
Any carpeting or flooring inside your tent must be secured on all sides to the ground with strong tape or small lawn staples. All flooring must be no more than 10x10 and must fit inside your tent.
Any items used in or with your tent during the event must be removed at the end of the event and must not be left or thrown away on Arboretum property.
If you use zip ties, rope, or any other items to secure your tent or artwork, please note that all of these items must be removed and taken with you.

Booth Signs:

Artists will receive their booth signs at check-in on Friday. Please mount your booth sign at the front of your booth and be sure it is prominently displayed for easy identification for visitors and staff. Please save your sign and return it to the event coordinators during the tear down process. We will reuse signs whenever possible.

Booth Location:

Spaces are assigned by The Arboretum. We will take into consideration any special requests, but will not be able to accomodate everyone. We reserve the right to place artists in such a way as to create a pleasing variety of artwork along the trail. As a general rule, unless otherwise specified to the organizers, returning artists will be placed in their previous locations.

A general map of the event trail around Meadow Lake will be emailed to you ahead of time, and includes the designation of the different vendor groups around the lake. Specific locations within your group location will be provided at check-in on Friday and are not negotiable.

Booth Sitters:

The Morton Arboretum will provide volunteers who will be available to watch your booth space while you take a break for up to 15 minutes. The volunteers will circulate throughout the event and can be identified by their Arboretum vests. Feel free to flag someone down, but they should approach your booth to see if you need assistance, as well.

Refund Policy

Application fees are non-refundable.

Booth fees will not be refunded after June 15, 2026, for any reason. If you need to cancel prior to the June 15th cutoff, then a refund will be provided via check from The Morton Arboretum, minus any credit card or processing fees that were incurred at the time of purchase.

Additional Fees

Turkey Gouda: $12

Caprese Sandwich (V): $12

Ginkgo Salad (V) (GF): $12