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| Chicago Flower and Garden Shows | |
|---|---|
| Name | Chicago Flower and Garden Shows |
| Genre | Horticultural exhibition |
| Status | Active (seasonal) |
| Venue | McCormick Place |
| Location | Chicago, Illinois |
| Country | United States |
| First | 1930s |
| Organizer | Chicago Flower & Garden Show Committee |
Chicago Flower and Garden Shows The Chicago Flower and Garden Shows are annual horticultural exhibitions held in Chicago, Illinois, attracting visitors to displays that combine landscape design, floral art, and urban agriculture. The shows draw exhibitors from across the United States, including participants connected to institutions such as the Chicago Botanic Garden, Morton Arboretum, University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, and professional societies like the American Horticultural Society and the American Society of Landscape Architects. The events have featured vendors, designers, and public figures associated with organizations such as Smithsonian Institution, National Geographic Society, Chicago Park District, and media outlets like the Chicago Tribune and WGN-TV.
The history of the shows traces back to early 20th-century exhibitions influenced by fairs such as the World's Columbian Exposition and horticultural movements involving figures from the Chicago Horticultural Society, Frank Lloyd Wright-era landscape interests, and botanical institutions including the Field Museum of Natural History and Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Over successive decades, the shows intersected with national events like the Great Depression, World War II, and the postwar expansion associated with the Interstate Highway System and urban renewal projects overseen by entities like the Chicago Plan Commission. Prominent horticulturists and designers connected to the shows have included alumni of the Arnold Arboretum, the New York Botanical Garden, and educators from Cornell University and Michigan State University who helped professionalize exhibits and competitions tied to organizations such as the Royal Horticultural Society.
Organizers have included collaborations among the Chicago Flower & Garden Show Committee, regional chapters of the Garden Writers Association, municipal bodies like the City of Chicago, and private promoters linked to companies such as SMG and nonprofit partners including the Chicago Botanic Garden and the Illinois State Horticultural Society. The principal venue, McCormick Place, situates the shows within one of North America's largest convention complexes, which has hosted conventions like the North American International Auto Show and conferences by the American Library Association; ancillary sites have involved locations such as the Northerly Island and exhibition spaces near Grant Park and the Navy Pier complex.
Exhibits encompass themed display gardens, floral competitions, landscape vignettes, and vendor pavilions featuring nurseries like J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co., greenhouse operations connected to Ball Horticultural Company, and seed houses similar to Burpee Seeds. Feature galleries have highlighted plant collections referencing taxa curated by institutions such as the United States Botanic Garden, the New York Botanical Garden, and the Missouri Botanical Garden, with design influences from practitioners affiliated with the American Institute of Architects and the Landscape Architecture Foundation. Interactive zones have showcased urban agriculture programs promoted by groups like Slow Food USA, Chicago Youth Programs, and community gardens in neighborhoods represented by the Chicago Park District.
Competitive elements at the shows include judged landscape awards, floral design medals, and youth categories modeled after contests administered by organizations such as the Federation of Garden Clubs, the National Garden Clubs, and the Society of American Florists. Awards have been adjudicated by panels including professionals from the Royal Horticultural Society, academics from Iowa State University and Penn State University, and designers connected to studios like Oehme, van Sweden and firms recognized by the American Society of Landscape Architects. Prize categories have mirrored standards used by exhibitions such as the Chelsea Flower Show and the Philadelphia Flower Show.
Educational programming has featured lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on workshops led by educators from University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign Extension, practitioners from the Chicago Botanic Garden and Morton Arboretum, and authors associated with publishers like Timber Press and Storey Publishing. Topics have ranged from sustainable practices advocated by Environmental Defense Fund partners to design techniques linked to the Landscape Architecture Foundation and professional certification workshops akin to offerings from the American Horticultural Society and International Society for Arboriculture.
Attendance figures have mirrored trends in regional conventions such as the Chicago Auto Show and festivals like the Taste of Chicago, drawing tens of thousands of visitors from surrounding metropolitan counties including Cook County, DuPage County, and Lake County. Economic impact analyses have paralleled assessments conducted for events like the Chicago Marathon and the Lollapalooza festival, with benefits to hospitality sectors represented by the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association, retail vendors, and local nurseries.
Notable displays have included large-scale gardens designed by landscape firms with clients like the City of Chicago and the National Park Service, and celebrity guests have ranged from television personalities affiliated with HGTV to authors published by Rodale Books and broadcasters from NPR and WBEZ. Special exhibits have featured collaborations with cultural institutions such as the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Science and Industry, and performing arts groups associated with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
Category:Flower shows Category:Events in Chicago Category:Horticulture in Illinois