Warrenville, Illinois, and its surrounding areas host many annual festivals and events throughout the year. Families can enjoy fun, excitement, learning, and making memories by attending these events. Local and community events are also great places to get plugged into your community and meet other families. Many regular events even offer opportunities to get involved in local charities and organizations. Here are five annual events around Warrenville that are worth putting on your calendar. 

Children’s Garden Campout at the Morton Arboretum

Image via Flickr by davidwilson1949

Each year, the Morton Arboretum invites families to come camp out under the stars for a night. Bring your tent and camping gear to camp in the Children’s Garden overnight with the family. Kids will enjoy a guided hike through part of the arboretum and a campfire with s’mores and other families gathered around. Lay out on the ground for a bit before dozing off to sleep and take in the beautiful stars and fresh air. In the morning, campers can fill up on a provided breakfast before packing up and heading home. 

Camping gear is not provided, so be sure to bring a tent, sleeping bags, pillows, and whatever else your family might need for a night away. Bathrooms are available near the campsite, and staff from the Arboretum will stay with the group through the night. The campout is an awesome experience for kids 2 years old and up. 

The Children’s Garden Campout takes place the last weekend of June each year from 6:30 p.m. until 9 a.m. at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, just 6 miles east of Warrenville. Participants must register ahead of time to reserve a spot. General registration opens the first week of March, so mark your calendar to make sure you grab your family a spot. Members of the Arboretum pay $30 per person for the campout experience, while guests pay $37 per person. This fee includes admission to the Arboretum, the campout, and all food provided. 

If you enjoy this event, keep an eye out for other events and learning opportunities at the Morton Arboretum. They offer tons of classes and more for kids and adults throughout the year. 

Summer Daze

Summer Daze is a Warrenville community event that takes place during the first weekend of August each summer. This event is basically just a big celebration of summer with food, fun activities, live music, and more. The event is sponsored by the Western DuPage Chamber of Commerce, Warrenville Park District, and the City of Warrenville. The fun starts Friday afternoon and runs from 3 p.m. until 11 p.m. and then continues all day Saturday from noon until 11 p.m. 

Admission is free, but you’ll want to bring money for games, rides, food, and any local vendors you might be interested in purchasing from. This event takes place at the Warrenville Civic Center on Batavia Road in the heart of town. 

One of the favorite aspects of Warrenville’s Summer Daze event is the car show. Residents roll out their antique cars and other unique and exciting vehicles for a spectacular show each year. Come out to the festival with kids on Friday evening and enjoy music from local performers and dinner from a local restaurant pop-up stand. Let the kids enjoy a few rides and try their hand at some carnival games. Come back Saturday for lunch and more fun. 

Art on the Prairie

Every September, Warrenville hosts the Art on the Prairie art and music festival to showcase local talents. This event is typically scheduled for the third weekend of September each year at Stafford Place in the Warrenville Park District. Come by Saturday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. to see stage performances, community art projects, and artist demos. Admission is free, and kids can enjoy art activities like crafts and painting. Come hungry and enjoy snacks and food from local vendors. 

Holly Days

Want an event to help your family get ready for Christmas? Celebrate Santa’s annual visit to Warrenville with the town’s holiday event Holly Days. On the first Friday evening of every December, locals gather at the Warrenville Park District Recreation Center to welcome Santa to town. There’s a bonfire, hot chocolate and treats, raffles, live entertainment, and horse and carriage rides. The whole event is free, and it’s a great time for people of all ages. Little ones can even get some face time with Santa, and the whole family will enjoy the official lighting of the town’s holiday lights displays. 

Lightscape at the Chicago Botanic Garden

Every year around the holidays, the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, about 40 miles from Warrenville, hosts Lightscape. This annual festive event lights up the garden with tons of colorful light displays that are sure to get anyone in the holiday spirit, so it’s definitely worth the longer drive. From the second week of November through New Year’s Day, the garden invites visitors to tour their display from 4:30 p.m. until 11 p.m. each day. The display is typically closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year’s, so make sure you plan your trip around those holidays. 

Some highlights of the display include the Cathedral of Light, the dancing lights in the Field of Light, and the laser light display. Tickets go on sale in the early fall and sell out quickly for certain dates, so be sure to reserve yours as soon as you can. Admission is free, but visitors do pay for parking. If you reserve a slot ahead of time, you’ll pay $10 per vehicle, but if you wait until you get there, it’ll be $20 a car. Chicago Botanic Garden members park for free. 

Mark your calendars for these local festivals and events recommended by Crème de la Crème of Warrenville, IL. We love seeing families engage with the community and make fun memories. Is there an annual event that we missed? If so, let us know so we can check it out and possibly add it to our list.