Join us at the Kenilworth Assembly Hall, designed by George W. Maher in 1907, and recently restored to its original grandeur, as we celebrate the 160th anniversary of the birth of this important Prairie School architect. Architectural historian H. Allen Brooks once noted, “His influence on the Midwest was profound and prolonged, and, in its time, was certainly as great as Wright’s.”

The event will include abundant food and beverage (including the iconic Homer’s ice cream, a North Shore tradition), and a chance to view the “Century Homes” exhibit at the Kenilworth Historical Society across the street, which features many houses designed by Maher, including his own, completed in 1893. Attendees will have a rare opportunity to step inside the log cabin playhouse built by Kenilworth founder Joseph Sears for his children, when his family lived across the street from the Glessners on Prairie Avenue in the late 1880s.

When the architectural firm of TVS designed the McCormick Place West Building in 2007, they planned a green roof to minimize the environmental impact of the building, and combined it with a charming terrace event space with skyline views. In 2013, the Chicago Botanic Garden's Windy City Harvest program transformed the massive 20,000-square-foot roof into the largest farm-to-fork rooftop garden in the Midwest. More than four tons of produce are grown on the roof each year for OVG Hospitality, the convention center's food service provider and Windy City Harvest program partner.

In late Summer, the show really begins. All the plants will finally be in full bloom. The tomatoes will be blushing, the peppers will be ripened, the flowers will stand tall with their sweet fragrances, and soon harvesting fall crops such as corn, winter squash, and hops will begin. You’ll see Native plants (Joe-Pye-Weed, Carex, and Wild Quinine) in their full glory. You’ll be able to taste herbs and edible flowers such as Citrus Basil, Borage, and Nasturtium. You’ll also see a lot of interesting beneficial insects such as honeybees, bumble bees, beneficial wasps, and butterflies.