🌈 Happy Pride GPC friends🌈 Here we celebrate the power of the rainbow all year long. As we close out Pride month, we want to thank and celebrate all of you who help make the gardens at Garfield Park Conservatory inclusive and welcoming for all. We hope you find a sense of belonging every time you visit.

Only a few more days left to stop by the Community Room and immerse yourself in An Otherworldly Existence: Afrofuturism & The Environment.   Special thanks to South Side native, artist @keemerriweather for creating the impactful collage series, and to the Garfield Park residents who also contributed pressed flower collages to the exhibit.   An Otherworldly Existence is an exhibit that uses an Afrofuturist framework to showcase the power of representation and creation in environmentalist efforts. It illuminates the importance of listening to Black & Indigenous communities in the fight to create a more sustainable reality on this planet.   If you haven’t already, check out Tasha Jenkins Bell’s write-up of how “An Otherworldly Existence” Converts Nonbelievers to Optimists for @southsideweekly; and schedule a free reservation to see the An Otherworldly Existence: Afrofuturism & The Environment collage series while you still can!

We are so excited to announce that the Music Under Glass summer concert series is back with performances in June, August, and September. Join us on Wednesday June 28th at 6pm to hear @ondine__ondine perform Chrysalis. Chrysalis is an evening of textured music ladened with vocal harmonies and symbiotic movement that explores the cyclical nature of growing up and rediscovering parts of oneself while also asking, “how much of who we will be is already part of who we are?” Tickets are free! RSVP at the link in our bio

It's #NationalPollinatorWeek! 🐝🦋🐞🐜🪲🦜 Pollinators such as bees, butterflies, birds, and insects are an essential part of our ecosystem- maintaining biodiversity and supporting our food systems by dispersing pollen and seeds between plants. This enables plants to produce fruits, seeds, and nuts. Stop by the Conservatory to see these cool pollinators at work!   While you're here, visit the Gift Shop and pick up a jar of honey harvested from the Conservatory hives. 3, 6, 9, & 12oz sizes are available in limited supply. The honey is also available to purchase in the online Gift Shop. Members receive a discount on their order, in-store and online. 🐝Get it while you can!🐝 Remember, your Gift Shop purchase helps to fund exhibits and free nature education resources for Garfield Park and Chicago communities.

Last Wednesday, we welcomed community members into the City Garden for an early #Juneteenth celebration. We had so much fun making flags and pressed flower bookmarks; and enjoyed performances by @AzaniaDrums and Maila Sylla. Special thanks to @Herb.Botanicals for the yummy Hibiscus & Lemon Balm Lemonade and to Chef Brandon @jig_insane for his interactive food demonstration of sauteed turmeric and paprika turnip greens prepared root to tip. If you enjoyed Chef Brandon's food demo, he will be back in the fall for more! Sending a very special thank you to Mercedes from @earths_remedies for capturing these amazing photos!!

Stop by the Community Room before June 30th to immerse yourself in An Otherworldly Existence: Afrofuturism & The Environment.   An Otherworldly Existence is an exhibit that uses an Afrofuturist framework to showcase the power of representation and creation in environmentalist efforts. It illuminates the importance of listening to Black & Indigenous communities in the fight to create a more sustainable reality on this planet. South Side native, artist @keemerriweather, created the collage series. Garfield Park residents also contributed to the exhibit- creating collages, using pressed flowers and images of the West Garfield Park neighborhood.

We are currently hiring for the Retail and Visitor Services Associate position. Applications accepted on a rolling basis. Retail & Visitor Services Associates are the face and front line of the organization and ensure a high level of service and satisfaction, accurate point-of-sale transactions, and a safe and secure environment. To be considered for this role, a candidate must have previous experience working in a customer service and/or retail environment and experience working on a team. Read the full job description at link in bio!

Happy #Juneteenth weekend! Consider making a free reservation and celebrating by having your own picnic in the City Garden. On Monday we honor #Juneteenth, the date 250,000 enslaved Black Americans in Galveston, Texas, were told they were free on June 19, 1865 – 2.5 years after the Emancipation Proclamation (signed Jan. 1, 1863) went into effect. Coin pond art by @chumpski_sr.

@drinkmondaycoffee concluded their pop-up residency with the us late last month. We are so grateful for the Monday Coffee team for their partnership and miss them already! If you enjoyed @drinkmondaycoffee, fret not - the co-founders, Amanda and Felton, are crowdfunding to provide a space on the West Side of Chicago that will give residents a space to commune and build over a cup of coffee. The space will function as a cafe and a coffee lab, where members will have the opportunity to teach workshops. We’re so excited to see their company grow in a way that will continue to benefit the West Side. Head over to @drinkmondaycoffee to stay connected and learn more about how you can support.

In late May, the Urban Roots Teen Environmental Justice cohort wrapped up with a fun field day in the sun playing a game of kickball with Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance and @chicagoparks staff. Later in the week, the program culminated with a Spring showcase- teens presented a range of projects, including vermicompost, outdoor curriculum plans, garden designs, t-shirt designs, conservatory history presentations, and mushroom kits.   Special thanks to @bankofamerica for renewing their support of the #UrbanRoots program, and continuing to be a partner in change.   Additional funding for this program is made possible by Anonymous Fund of Central Indiana Community Foundation, IMC Chicago Charitable Foundation, The Peoples Gas Community Fund, PNC, After School Matters and an anonymous donor.

The summer season is here and the Play & Grow Garden is now open! This nature play space is dedicated to children and families to explore and discover nature and imagine with each other. #WildWednesdays also returns to the Conservatory! Join GPCA’s Nature Educators and get your hands dirty, play, and discover new things about plants, animals and nature. #WildWednesdays will start back up on June 21 from 4-7pm. This is a free, drop-in program and included with your reservation to visit the gardens. During the summer months, weather permitting, this program will be outside in our Play & Grow Garden, where kids can get a little wild as they climb on our tinker tree, build a fort, dig (or make cupcakes) in our pebble pond and run around. We will learn about plants, make art projects, conduct experiments to better understand nature, and more. Special thanks to our friends at @revolutionworkshop for their help in making some repairs to get the space ready for the season.

Please join @gpconservatory next Wednesday, June 14th, 2023, in our City Garden for a #Juneteenth Community Picnic! We're gathering as a community to celebrate African-American culture and the historical significance of Juneteenth. Come enjoy music, make art, and more! This event is free with reservations to the Conservatory. #GarfieldPark and #Westside community members can also register for a "Picnic Pack" (sandwich, chips, @blackforestusa fruit strips, & water) at the link in our bio. Please bring your own blanket or feel free to sit on the grass in the Conservatory's outdoor City Garden. In the event of inclement weather, the event will move indoors. Please email [email protected] with any general questions, and [email protected] if you require accommodations.