June CCGA Coordinating Meeting - Zoom
2026-06-16 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Zoom
Please join us for our monthly coordinating meeting. Representatives from all the working groups come together to coordinate our actions. All community gardeners and supporters are invited to attend.
CCGA coordinating meetings are held on the 3rd Tuesday of the month, except for July & August. Click on the link next to the bullet to download the document(s) listed below.
NOTE: Most CCGA Coordinating meetings are being held via Zoom.
If you want to attend the coordinating meeting and are not already a member of one of the CCGA working groups, please send an email to: communications@chicagocommunitygardens.org and request to join the monthly meetings.
NOTE: All CCGA coordinating meeting minutes are available for you to review on the website. Look under the menu tree at ‘Who We Are’ and then ‘CCGA Organization’ and you will see links here for the coordinating committee documents by year.

Grant Writing 101 - Zoom
2026-06-22 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
University of IL Extension Cook County and Chicago Food Policy Action Council are co-hosting two programs on grant writing. While these programs are geared specifically to prepare applicants for the Good Food Purchasing Initative Community Fund, all are welcome to attend.
You may register for one or both programs:

June 8, 2026 from 12 – 1 pm for in person Grant Writing 101 presentation
in person at U of I Extension Cook Co. office, 8753 S. Greenwood Ave, #100, Chicago, IL 60619
Attendees are welcome to stay for Open Office Hours on June 8, until 4 pm, to work on their applications with feedback from Educator Kathryn Pereira and Urban Ag Outreach Associate Jesse Shaffer
June 22, 2026 from 12 – 1 pm a virtual Grant Writing 101

If you have any questions about the grant writing programs, or need reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact Sarah Batka at 217-300-8636 or sbatka@illinois.edu. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your needs.
For questions specific to the GFPI Community Fund, please contact Kaitlyn Poindexter at kaitlyn@chicagofoodpolicy.com .

Green Teacher Gathering - Archer Heights
2026-06-24 08:30 - 16:30 | IL
Green Teacher Gathering
Wed June 24, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Academy for Global Citizenship, 4842 W 44th Street, Chicago
$35
https://www.chicagowilderness.org/page/GreenTeacherGathering2026

Resourcing Your Farm Dreams - Virtual
2026-06-25 17:00 - 18:30, 2026-07-23 17:00 - 18:30 | Zoom
AUA’s Resourcing Your Farm Dreams Webinar Series
June 25, 5 – 6:30 pm Community Engagement and Partnerships
An exploration of external connection and stakeholder mapping.
July 23, 5 – 6:30 pm Farm Finances and Creative Diversification
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/resourcing-your-farm-dreams-cultivando-tus-suenos-agricolas-tickets-1990004273351

Tools and Tech Field Day - Matteson
2026-06-25 18:00 - 20:00 | SoSuCo South Suburban Cook Co. Demonstration and Research Farm, at Prairie State College MAC 4821 Southwick Drive,, Matteson, IL, 60443, United States
Tools and Tech for Tight Spaces
Extension staff will demonstrate research results and experiences with irrigation and fertigation systems, and also showcase other tools used at the SoSuCo Farm. Proud to have Ben Jaffe of Earthlore Farm and Northern IL Young Farmers joining us to share about their organization and favorite equipment. Attendees will be able to try some tools in ‘real-life’ conditions.
Field Days 2026-1

Perennial Distribution - Garfield Park
2026-06-26 09:30 - 10:30 | New Horizons Community Garden, 401 S Central Park Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
CCGA Perennial Distribution for community, school and parkway gardens
Friday, June 26th at 9:30am
New Horizons Garden, 401 South Central Park
Chicago Gardens Only
$10 donation day of, cash only and Pre-registration required

Art in the Garden (Walk) - Pullman
2026-06-27 10:00 - 16:00 | IL
The Historic Pullman Garden Club presents Art in the Garden, Sat. June 27, 2026, from 10 am to 4 pm. This year’s Garden Walk showcases art in our personal and public landscapes.
Artists from Urban Sketchers Chicago will work en plein air throughout the tour in our public gardens. In addition, the work of Pullman artists participating in the Art Institute of Chicago’s Project Windows will be exhibited in one of the public gardens. In this program, the AIC invites groups throughout the city to interpret pieces in their summer exhibit, currently abstract expressionism, and show them from June 14-Aug. 31.
The Walk also features a boutique and plant sale to support the public gardens the Club tends.
Concurrent to the Walk, free walking tours will be given by our partners, the
Illinois Dept. of National Resources at 10:15 am and 1:15 pm, and the
Historic Pullman Empowerment Organization at 11 am and 2 pm.
Tickets are $12 in advance (hpgc.org) / $15 at the door (11141 S Cottage Grove, Chicago). For more information, contact historicpullmangardens@gmail.com. The event is co-sponsored by Friends of Pullman National Historical Park.
https://www.facebook.com/events/4438746983004798

Peace & Healing Festival - Austin
2026-07-02 11:00 - 15:00 | IL
Bethel New Life Peace & Healing Festival
Thursday, July 2, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.,
at Bethel New Life’s Mildred Wiley Wellness Campus, 1140 North Lamon Ave., Chicago, IL 60651.
The Peace & Healing Festival is a community-centered celebration designed to promote wellness, connection, healing, and healthy living for individuals and families across our neighborhoods. This full-day event will bring together residents, organizations, health professionals, community leaders, and local partners for a meaningful day of engagement and support.
The festival will feature activities and resources focused on:

Wellness Activities
Health Screenings
Vendor Marketplace
Live Music & Entertainment
Community Organizations & Resources

This event is designed to create opportunities for community members to connect, learn, heal, and access valuable resources that support physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being.
Guests will have the opportunity to:

participate in wellness and fitness activities,
receive health screenings and information,
connect with local organizations and service providers,
support community vendors,
enjoy live music and entertainment,
and engage with neighbors and partners committed to building healthier, stronger communities.

Because of your work and commitment to community health, wellness, and empowerment, I wanted to make sure you received a personal invitation. Please save the date and stay tuned for additional event details and registration information, which will be shared soon.

Shakespeare on the Farm - Lynwood
2026-07-03 14:00 - 18:00 | IL
Come blueberry picking on opening day and stay for a donation based performance of Macbeth on our lawn.
Fri July 3
Performances at 2 and 6 pm
you are welcome to bring chairs, blanket, a picnic.
2701 Glenwood Dyer Road
Lynwood, IL 60411
http://www.willowthorne.com/events.html

Irrigation for Thriving Garden - Pilsen
2026-07-11 10:00 - 14:00 | La Huerta Roots & Rays Garden, 1513 W Cullerton St, Chicago, IL, United States
Hull House/Roots and Rays Gardening Series
July 11 @ 10 am – Making Watering Easy: Irrigation Tactics for a Thriving Garden
1523 W Cullerton, Chicago
Free and All Ages Welcome

4H Fair - Bridgeview
2026-07-11 10:00 - 15:00 | IL
Cook Co. 4H Fair
Sat July 11, 10 am – 3 pm
Bridgeview Park District, 8100 Beloit Ave, Bridgeview, IL 60455
Free and Open to the Public

Edgewater Glen Association Garden Walk
2026-07-12 12:00 - 17:00 | Edgewater Glen Neighborhood, Chicago, 60660, United States
Enjoy the creativity of our local gardeners in this compact, easily walkable far north side city neighborhood which has been holding this event since 1973. Plenty of free street parking available. Held rain or shine.
Starting point and maps at 1354 W. Norwood (6000N), Chicago
www.edgewaterglen.org/gardenwalk

Ag Institute for Teachers - Countryside
2026-07-14 08:00 - 17:00 | IL
CCFB Summer Ag Institute for Teachers
July 14, 8 am – 5 pm
Cook Co. Farm Bureau, Countryside, IL
$50, 8 CPDU’s Available

Swede Midge and IPM Field Day - Bronzeville
2026-07-21 18:00 - 20:00 | IL
Tiny Pests, Small Spaces
July 21, 6- 8 pm
Windy City Harvest’s Legends Incubator Farm, 4431 S Federal Street, Chicago, IL
Dr. Kacie Athey, Illinois Extension Pest Management Specialist, will share the latest research on swede midge and how to detect and manage these tiny brassica pests as well as discuss other common pests and IPM strategies.
All growers welcome to attend this free field day with pre-registration: go.illinois.edu/SummerFieldDays

Food Safety/Wash Pack Field Day - Bronzeville
2026-08-20 17:30 - 19:30 | IL
Produce Safety in the City
August 20, 5:30 – 7:30 pm
Just Roots Saint James Community Farm 2936 S Wabash Ave, Chicago IL
Explore practical strategies for reducing contamination risks—from harvest and washing to cooling, packing, and storage—using space‑efficient systems suited to urban farms. Extension educators and farmers will share best practices, demonstrate real‑world workflows, and discuss how to scale food safety plans to meet local market and regulatory needs.
All Field Days are Free but require pre-registration go.illinois.edu/SummerFieldDays
Food Safety Wash Pack Field Day Flyer 8.20.26

Grant Writing 101 - Virtual
2026-09-10 18:30 - 19:30 | Zoom, United States
University of IL Extension Cook County and Advocates for Urban Agriculture are co-hosting two programs on grant writing. While these programs are geared specifically to prepare applicants for the Capacity Building Grant, all are welcome to attend. September 10, 2026 from 6:30 – 7:30 pm Virtual Grant Writing 101 via Zoom
Register Here https://go.illinois.edu/AUAGrantWriting101Please also see the in-person program scheduled for

September 16, 2026 from 12 – 1 pm for in person Grant Writing 101 presentation
at U of I Extension Cook Co. office, 8753 S. Greenwood Ave, #100, Chicago, IL 60619
Attendees are welcome to stay for Open Office Hours on September 16, until 4 pm, to work on their applications with feedback from Educator Kathryn Pereira and Urban Ag Outreach Associate Jesse Shaffer

September CCGA Coordinating Meeting
2026-09-15 18:00 - 19:00 | IL
Please join us for our monthly coordinating meeting. Representatives from all the working groups come together to coordinate our actions. All community gardeners and supporters are invited to attend.
CCGA coordinating meetings are held on the 3rd Tuesday of the month, except for July & August. Click on the link next to the bullet to download the document(s) listed below.
NOTE: Most CCGA Coordinating meetings are being held via Zoom. In-person meeting locations may switch between The Hatchery Chicago & the Chicago Center for Green Technology.
If you want to attend the coordinating meeting and are not already a member of one of the CCGA working groups, please send an email to: communications@chicagocommunitygardens.org and request to join the monthly meetings.
NOTE: All CCGA coordinating meeting minutes are available for you to review on the website. Look under the menu tree at ‘Who We Are’ and then ‘CCGA Organization’ and you will see links here for the coordinating committee documents by year.

Grant Writing 101 - Chatham
2026-09-16 12:00 - 16:00 | U of I Extension Chicago office, 8753 S Greenwood #100, Chicago, IL, 60619, United States
University of IL Extension Cook County and Advocates for Urban Agriculture are co-hosting two programs on grant writing. While these programs are geared specifically to prepare applicants for the Capacity Building Grant, all are welcome to attend.

September 16, 2026 from 12 – 1 pm for in person Grant Writing 101 presentation
at U of I Extension Cook Co. office, 8753 S. Greenwood Ave, #100, Chicago, IL 60619
Attendees are welcome to stay for Open Office Hours on September 16, until 4 pm, to work on their applications with feedback from Educator Kathryn Pereira and Urban Ag Outreach Associate Jesse Shaffer
Please register at https://go.illinois.edu/AUAGrantWriting101
Please also see the virtual program scheduled for September 10, 2026 from 6:30 – 7:30 pm

Cut Flower Field Day - Skokie
2026-09-24 17:30 - 19:30 | The Talking Farm, 3669 Howard St, Skokie, IL, 60076, United States
Growing Quality Blooms
September 24, 5:30 – 7:30 pm
the Talking Farm 3669 W Howard Street, Skokie, IL

Featuring results from current on‑farm research trials, participants will learn how water and nutrient management influence stem quality, yield, and plant health; and explore practical strategies for improving production efficiency and consistency. This event is designed for those interested in adding a cut-flower enterprise to an urban vegetable farm.
All growers are welcome to join us for this free field day with pre-registration at go.illinois.edu/SummerFieldDays

Faith in Place Keynote feat. Bill McKibben - Watch Party
2026-09-29 18:00 - 19:00 | Zoom
2026 Annual Environment & Spirituality Summit on September 28-29, 2026
This year’s summit will bring together visionary leaders to explore what it means to practice grounded resistance.
We will close out our summit with keynote speaker Bill McKibben on September 29, 2026, at 6 PM CT
McKibben will invite participants to root their resistance in love of neighbor, care for the Earth, and a commitment to future generations.
Watch Party Locations in Oak Park, Evanston, South Shore, Lincoln Park, Naperville, Joliet and more.
Select a watch party location after registration
Check out Bill McKibben’s TED Talk: Our Last, Best Chance to Cool the Earth

October CCGA Coordinating Meeting
2026-10-20 18:00 - 19:00 | IL

November CCGA Coordinating Meeting
2026-11-17 18:00 - 19:00 | IL

December CCGA Coordinating Meeting
2026-12-15 18:00 - 19:00 | IL
