Science & Nature
Horner Park Is Saving Its Ash Trees One Beer at a Time Thanks to Annual BrewFest
(Kristen Prahl / iStock)
In the fight against the emerald ash borer beetle, beer has been a surprisingly effective weapon.
Horner Park’s eighth annual BrewFest, set for Friday night at the North Side park, features tastings from dozens of local craft brewers, with proceeds from ticket sales supporting the park advisory council’s efforts to maintain a healthy grove of ash trees.
Even as the ash borer has felled hundreds of thousands of ash across Chicago, BrewFest has raised enough money for the council to continue treating the park’s ash trees with a life-saving injection.
“All our original ash trees are doing really well and we’ve even added several additional native species to round out our collection,” said John Friedmann, a member of the advisory council and founder of the Save Your Ash coalition.
Last year’s BrewFest provided funds to protect the park’s ash trees for the next few years. This year’s proceeds will help subsidize the advisory council’s goal of getting Horner Park certified as an accredited arboretum, Friedmann said.
Tickets to BrewFest are $50 in advance. Along with samplings of local beers and ciders, the fest also features live music and food trucks.
The event often sells out but day-of walkup tickets are typically available for $60 to cover cancellations, according to Friedmann.
Contact Patty Wetli: [email protected]
