Like it Hot? Head to the Botanic Garden

The Chicago Botanic Garden will be hosting All About Peppers weekend, a celebration of all things hot and spicy, this weekend. Sweet peppers will also be showcased, but we’re less excited about those. There will be tours of the garden focusing on pepper varieties, vendors, special decorations and informational signs throughout the garden. The CBG grows more than 40 varieties of peppers, so if you’re looking to experiment with something new, this would be a great time to visit!

In addition to the general pepper festivities, the garden will also be showcasing some cooking demonstrations. Saturday, Shelly Young from the Chopping Block will make 2 appearances and Juan Carlos Median Vazquez of Café Central in Highland Park will be cooking up some treats on Sunday. For families and children, there will be games, hands-on cooking projects, and art activities.

The best part? It’s all free. Admission to the festival and the Garden is free, and parking is $20/car; free for members (ed. Note: If you're so inclined, and I am, you could also bike there via the North Branch or Green Bay Road Trails and save the $20. — CS). If you’ve never visited the Chicago Botanic Garden, this is a great time to visit. Flowers and veggies are in bloom, the gardens are spectacular, and you might come away with a great new recipe.

The Garden is located at 1000 Lake Cook Road in Glencoe, Ill. You can get to the garden by Metra - directions are available on the website.