Autumn on the Prairie 2020 Cancelled 

Nachusa Grasslands regretfully announces that its annual Autumn on the Prairie festival scheduled for September 19, 2020, has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Until a vaccine or highly effective treatment becomes widely available or no new cases occur over a sustained period, large gatherings will not be permitted in northern Illinois. These developments seem very unlikely by mid-September. This event involves several months of advance preparation, so cancelling now is the wisest option for conserving our human and financial resources.

Saturday, September 21, 10 am to 4 pm
   (note new ending time)
Nachusa Grasslands Visitor Center
2075 Lowden Road, ​Franklin Grove, IL 61031​

• This annual event is open to the public.
• To keep our guests safe while we set up, we will open the festival gates at 10 am.
• Parking is $5 per car.
• Donations will also be accepted at the Welcome Pavilion and Bison Tours Tent.
• No Rain Date — Prepare for possible storms and schedule changes.
  

Riding Prairie Tours — Look for Bison
Departing from 10 am to 3 pm

• Free tickets will be available only at the Autumn on the Prairie site.

• Each person takes a number at the Bison Tours Tent.
• The Bison Tours ticket supply may be limited, based on festival attendance and the location of the herd.
• You can join a tour anytime your number is less than the one written on the white board.
• When you are ready, walk to the path entrance, where your tickets will be collected.
• Then walk west to the tent by the fence gate and get in line.
• First come, first served for all numbers less than the one posted.
• You will ride on a trailer through the preserve.
• Visitors with low mobility must be able to walk to the path entrance, ride a UTV to the fence gate, and then climb a ramp or stairs into a trailer.
• Finding the bison is not guaranteed, as they cannot always be seen from the lanes.
• Usually, the herd is more visible earlier in the day.
• The last tour will leave at about 3 pm, so please get in line before 2:45 pm.

Guided Hiking Tours
Departing from 10:15 am to 3 pm

• Meet at the Hiking Tours Tent.
• Experienced guides will lead walking tours of Nachusa's prairies, woodlands, and wetlands.
• Details on the times, destinations, length, and difficulty of the hikes.
  
• This information will also be posted by the Hiking Tours Tent.
• Several tour groups will walk a loop departing from and returning to the AOTP site.
• Shuttled tours will drop you off and pick you up at a place on the preserve and then return you to the AOTP site.
• Meet at the Hiking Tours Tent at least 5 minutes before the scheduled departure.
• Tours inside the Bison Unit will be limited to 12-15 people and will be cancelled or relocated if the herd is in the vicinity.
• The number of participants for other shuttled tours may be limited, based on available transportation.
• All tour length times are approximate.
• Sturdy shoes and long pants are recommended for the hiking tours, as most are off trail with hills.

Activities at the AOTP Site
10 am to 4 pm

• Visitor Center Welcome Area and T-Shirt Sales (New Design and Prices!)
• Catering by Oliver’s Market (11:30 am to 3 pm)
• Northern Illinois Raptor Rehab & Education Live Birds of Prey Program at 12:30 pm and Displays (all day).
• Self-Guided Plant ID Walking Path
• Books on First Sales
• Discovery Tent Activities
• Conservation Organization Displays
  

• Interactive Experiences with Brian "Fox" Ellis at 11:15 and 1:45 pm
• Live Music by Sláinte and Friends
• Prairie Art and Photography
• Native American Skills Demonstrations
• Local Produce Sales
  
• Franklin Creek Conservation Association Grist Mill Display
• Shuttle Service by Gene and Diane Rod

All posted plans are subject to change.

UPDATED 05/2020