July Joy on the Wild Mile
Garden progress, Block Party, pollinators, and more!
Install Updates
River Park and Wild Mile progress
We have been making excellent progress on both our new River Park garden location and Wild Mile park expansion!
In just a few short weeks we have been able to fully construct four new floating islands at River Park, a Chicago Park District park in the Albany Park neighborhood. These islands are assembled, mulched and ready to finish planting later this month.
The new garden modules for the Wild Mile have been successfully delivered and we plan for the extended boardwalk to go in mid-July. This will double the current length of the park, and we will be showcasing this construction process for all at our 3rd Annual Wild Mile Block Party on July 13th.
All of this progress would not have been possible without the help of our amazing River Ranger volunteers! If you would like to get involved with this unique garden install process, you can sign up to volunteer at https://urbanrivers.galaxydigital.com/
Get Ready to (Block) Party!
Saturday July 13th, 3:00 - 8:00pm
Nothing says a Chicago summer more than a block party! Come join us on Saturday July 13th to celebrate the progress and newest coming expansion of the Wild Mile. Explore the park while enjoying music, food trucks, drinks, educational activities, tabling by local partners, prize drawings, and much more.
Last year we had 850 attendees, and this year we are determined to have even more folks party with us! So help spread the word and bring your friends, family, neighbors, colleagues, dogs, adventurous cats, inter-mural volleyball league teammates, and absolutely anyone else you can think of. Entry is free and open to everyone!
Buzzy Season for Pollinators
Summer in Chicago is a busy time for many and our local pollinators are feeling it too!
Our native flowers are only in bloom for a short growing season. Insects like bees, butterflies, and more are working hard to take advantage of this limited time to collect pollen and nectar as a food source. Through their efforts, they are transferring pollen between plants, acting as critical facilitators of plant reproduction and of a broader healthy ecosystem.
Insects aren’t the only pollinators either! Birds, bats, and other animals can play an important role in pollination. If you want to catch a glimpse of any of these important creatures, you can find them and plenty of their favorite flowering food sources at the Wild Mile all summer long.
July Events Calendar
We have TONS of cool stuff happening in July! Event descriptions and RSVP links can always be found on the events page of our website.
Urban Rivers Events:
River Ranger Social: July 10th, 6:00 - 7:30pm
Wild Mile Walking Tour: July 11th, 6:30 - 7:00pm
Wild Mile Workshop, Pollinator Gardens with Nick Dorian and Jeremie Fant: July 11th, 7:00 - 8:30pm
3rd Annual Wild Mile Block Party: July 13th, 3:00 - 8:00pm
Cat Jam: July 17th, 7:00 - 10:00pm
Wild Mile Workshop, Mycology and Mushroom Cultivation with Tom Knapp: July 18th, 7:00 - 8:30pm
Volunteer Informational Session: July 20th, 3:00 - 4:00pm
Jovian Moon live at the Wild Mile: July 20th, 6:30 - 8:30pm
Wild Mile S’mores Night: July 24th, 7:00 - 8:30pm
Wild Mile Workshop, Chicago’s Urban Fungi with Dylan and Mead Taylor: July 25th, 7:00 - 8:30pm
Office Insights
Party people!
The 2024 Wild Mile Block Party will be the 3rd annual celebration, so we’ve learned a thing or two about hosting a killer party over the years! With some many fun things planned for the big day, our staff each have their own personal favorite part or activity to recommend coming out for:
Phil:
Dancing with the ducks
Sage:
Cheap alcohol
Nick:
Leading the raffle
Maya:
The wonderful community. We couldn’t do it without y’all!