Summer of the Monarch
Glen Ellyn has earned the highest honor in the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge program, becoming a Monarch Champion. Out of 55 participating Illinois communities, Glen Ellyn was the only one in the state, and one of just eight nationwide. It’s a distinction that reflects both dedication and genuine community pride.
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Summer of the Monarch Special Events - Click image for more
Glen Ellyn Village Board Meeting
National “Start Seeing Monarchs” Day
National “Start Seeing Monarchs” Day
March 23, 7 pm
Glen Ellyn Civic Center, 3rd flr.
The Glen Ellyn Village Board will give recognition declaring 2026 the Summer of the Monarch.
National “Start Seeing Monarchs” Day
National “Start Seeing Monarchs” Day
National “Start Seeing Monarchs” Day
Saturday, May 2
Help raise awareness about monarch conservation and inspire people to take action to protect their habitat.
Monarch Sip & Talk #1
National “Start Seeing Monarchs” Day
Monarch Sip & Talk #1
Tuesday, May 12, 7pm
The Beer Cellar LINK
Appetizers and Cash Bar
Learning from Lurie - Designing for Monarchs
Learn from Chicago’s Lurie Garden award-winning designs, combining beauty, sustainability, and maintainability, to create perennial garden habitats that attract and support the Monarch butterfly
Guest Exp
Tuesday, May 12, 7pm
The Beer Cellar LINK
Appetizers and Cash Bar
Learning from Lurie - Designing for Monarchs
Learn from Chicago’s Lurie Garden award-winning designs, combining beauty, sustainability, and maintainability, to create perennial garden habitats that attract and support the Monarch butterfly
Guest Expert: The Conservation Foundation
A summer series by Go Green Glen Ellyn
Plant a Seed, Read
National “Start Seeing Monarchs” Day
Monarch Sip & Talk #1
June 1 - July 31
Glen Ellyn Public Library
2026 Summer Reading
Like a farm grows food that nourishes our bodies; a library grows ideas that nourish our minds. Both food and stories connect us to our family, culture, economy, and ecology.
Free with registration
Monarch Sip & Talk #2
Monarchs & Margaritas: A Pollinator Walk
Illinois Butterfly Identification Talk
Tuesday, June 9, 7pm
Maplewood Brewery
FREE with registration
Appetizers and Cash Bar
Surf and Turf - Great Lakes, Great Lawns
Can we have amazing lawns AND amazing lakes? Discuss the latest best practices for lawn care that also protects our watershed and boosts butterfly habitat
Guest Expert: Guest Experts: Ecological Landscaper Josh Kette
Tuesday, June 9, 7pm
Maplewood Brewery
FREE with registration
Appetizers and Cash Bar
Surf and Turf - Great Lakes, Great Lawns
Can we have amazing lawns AND amazing lakes? Discuss the latest best practices for lawn care that also protects our watershed and boosts butterfly habitat
Guest Expert: Guest Experts: Ecological Landscaper Josh Kettell (Radiant Space Design) and The Conservation Foundation
A summer series by Go Green Glen Ellyn
Illinois Butterfly Identification Talk
Monarchs & Margaritas: A Pollinator Walk
Illinois Butterfly Identification Talk
Thursday, June 11th, 7-8pm
Glen Ellyn Park District
Spring Avenue Recreation Center
Attend a slideshow introduction to our local butterflies. Learn how to identify them in preparation for summer sightings.
Free with registration
National Pollinator Week
Monarchs & Margaritas: A Pollinator Walk
Monarchs & Margaritas: A Pollinator Walk
June 22-28, 2026
National Pollinator Week is an annual event celebrated internationally in support of pollinator health. It's a time to celebrate pollinators and spread the word about what we can do to protect them.
Utilize these resources to help you celebrate and promote your involvement in this year’s #PollinatorWeek
Monarchs & Margaritas: A Pollinator Walk
Monarchs & Margaritas: A Pollinator Walk
Monarchs & Margaritas: A Pollinator Walk
Thursday, June 25, 7-8:30pm
Ending at Common Good Cocktail House
$15 with Cocktail/Mocktail
Join us on a docent-led journey through Glen Ellyn’s newest pollinator gardens, ending with a Sip & Talk social hour at Common Good Cocktail House
Starting at the Montclair Lot. Docent-led 1.5 mile walk with discussions at each stop
Social Hour: $15 registration includes cocktail/mocktail
Kids’ Pollinator Walk + Activity
Kids’ Pollinator Walk + Activity
Saturday, June 27, 10am-12pm
Join us on a PollinatorBlitz journey through Glen Ellyn’s newest pollinator gardens, starting with story time in the Reading Garden and ending activities at the library
10:00am Meet at the Library Reading Garden for story time
10:15am 1-mile walk with PollinatorBlitz at each stop
11:00am Activity at the Library after the walk
FREE with registration
FireFly Walk
Kids’ Pollinator Walk + Activity
July 8, 8:45 pm
DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center
Join us for an after-dark firefly hunt, led by The Conservation Foundation. Enter the world of nighttime pollinators.
Free with registration
Monarchs, Milkweed, and Migration
Saturday, July 11, 1:30-3pm
Glen Ellyn Park District
Maryknoll Park
Spend the afternoon searching for monarch caterpillars and butterflies, playing games, and learning about the butterfly's lifecycle.
Ages 5-12
Monarch Sip & Talk #3 with a Dark Sky Walk
Tuesday, July 14, 7pm
Reserve22
Dark Sky Walk 8:45pm
FREE with registration
Appetizers and Cash Bar
Light Matters, Dark Skies - Monarchs at Night
Does light after dark matter? What do Monarchs (and other pollinators) do at night? Learn about Moon Meadows and use light to benefit your landscape. Afterwards, join us for a Dark Sky Walk.
Guest
Tuesday, July 14, 7pm
Reserve22
Dark Sky Walk 8:45pm
FREE with registration
Appetizers and Cash Bar
Light Matters, Dark Skies - Monarchs at Night
Does light after dark matter? What do Monarchs (and other pollinators) do at night? Learn about Moon Meadows and use light to benefit your landscape. Afterwards, join us for a Dark Sky Walk.
Guest Experts: The Conservation Foundation and Dark Sky International
A summer series by Go Green Glen Ellyn
Lake Ellyn Watershed and Rain Garden Talk
Lake Ellyn Watershed and Rain Garden Talk
Lake Ellyn Watershed and Rain Garden Talk
Thursday, July 30, 6:30pm
Glen Ellyn Park District
Lake Ellyn Boathouse
Learn about Lake Ellyn’s newest garden, the Rain Garden, and actions to improve water quality and protect the Lake Ellyn watershed.
Guest speaker: The Conservation Foundation
Monarch Paint & Sip
Lake Ellyn Watershed and Rain Garden Talk
Lake Ellyn Watershed and Rain Garden Talk
Tuesday, August 4, 7:00pm
Glenwood Station
Unwind, sip, and let your creativity take flight at our Monarch Paint & Sip. Join us for an art‑filled evening inspired by the monarch butterfly. Whether you’re a seasoned artist or just here for the fun, you will enjoy drinks, good company, and a guided step‑by‑step painting experience that celeb
Tuesday, August 4, 7:00pm
Glenwood Station
Unwind, sip, and let your creativity take flight at our Monarch Paint & Sip. Join us for an art‑filled evening inspired by the monarch butterfly. Whether you’re a seasoned artist or just here for the fun, you will enjoy drinks, good company, and a guided step‑by‑step painting experience that celebrates our Summer of the Monarch.
Registration & Details to come.
Summer Send Off
Lake Ellyn Watershed and Rain Garden Talk
Monarch Bike Ride
Friday, August 14, 6-7:30pm
Glen Ellyn Park District
Churchill Park
Celebrate the end of summer vacation and beginning of the school year with sunflowers and s’mores. Enjoy golden hour by the ponds and prairies at Churchill Park, followed by fireside stories and songs. We will attempt to catch and tag any monarchs at the park prior to
Friday, August 14, 6-7:30pm
Glen Ellyn Park District
Churchill Park
Celebrate the end of summer vacation and beginning of the school year with sunflowers and s’mores. Enjoy golden hour by the ponds and prairies at Churchill Park, followed by fireside stories and songs. We will attempt to catch and tag any monarchs at the park prior to their fall migration. Co-hosted by Go Green Glen Ellyn.
$2 with registration
Monarch Bike Ride
Lake Ellyn Watershed and Rain Garden Talk
Monarch Bike Ride
Friday, August 14, 6:00pm
Meet at Lake Ellyn
Join us for a relaxed Monarch Bike Ride as we pedal through Downtown Glen Ellyn, cruise along the Prairie Path, and explore some of our favorite pollinator‑friendly gardens in nearby residential neighborhoods. A beautiful way to celebrate monarchs, nature, and community.
All Ages
FREE
Monarchs at Festival of the Arts
Monarchs & Margaritas: A Pollinator Walk
Monarchs & Margaritas: A Pollinator Walk
Saturday & Sunday
August 22-23
10am-5pm
Lake Ellyn
So many wonderful activities all weekend long. Enjoy Monarch Lifecycle Learning Stations and a
Monarch Storybook Path
11am & 1pm Guided Garden Walks @ Boathouse gardens
10am-2pm Live Butterfly Exhibits
2pm Butterfly Release
Monarchs & Margaritas: A Pollinator Walk
Monarchs & Margaritas: A Pollinator Walk
Monarchs & Margaritas: A Pollinator Walk
Thursday, August 27, 7-8:30pm
Ending at Common Good Cocktail House
$15 with Cocktail/Mocktail
Join us on a docent-led journey through Glen Ellyn’s newest pollinator gardens, ending with a Sip & Talk social hour at Common Good Cocktail House
Starting at the Montclair Lot. Docent-led 1.5 mile walk with discussions at each stop
Social Hour: $15 registration includes cocktail/mocktail
Seed Library
Monarchs & Margaritas: A Pollinator Walk
Seed Library
Early spring to late fall
Glen Ellyn Public Library
Plant a pollinator garden with the help from the library! The Seed Library is a place to donate and share plant seeds. Anyone can donate or take seeds for vegetables, fruits, and flowers from the collection for their own use. The Seed Library is located in the Adult department.
Free
The Mayors’ Monarch Pledge, led by the National Wildlife Federation, encourages towns to protect monarch butterflies by restoring habitat and educating residents about conservation. Glen Ellyn completed 26 of the 30 recommended actions, from planting monarch-friendly gardens to supporting native plant sales and promoting sustainable yard practices.
This recognition is the result of many hands working together. The Village of Glen Ellyn Environmental Commission for leading the charge, Go Green Glen Ellyn's collaboration, The Glen Ellyn Park District expanded their nature education, habitat restoration, and demonstration gardens. The Glen Ellyn Public Library launched a Seed Library to support local growing. The Village's Public Works team strengthened pollinator-friendly landscaping, updated ordinances to support milkweed, and encouraged sustainable yard care through the Conservation @ Home program. Additionally regional partners, garden clubs, school districts, and dedicated staff all contributed to this shared success.
Glen Ellyn’s Monarch Champion designation is a meaningful reminder of what a community can accomplish when it comes together to protect the natural world.
Our Partners
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