FIRE AND ICE: The Landscape and Snow Expo

SCHEDULE

7:00am – Attendee Shuttle Begins
Sponsored by: J. Frank Schmidt & Co.

7:30am – Registration Opens/Badge Pick Up
Welcome to Camp! Grab your badge and get ready to earn badges throughout the day. Exhibits are open until 2:30pm.

8:00am – Show Opens

9:00-10:00am – Tree Pruning Demonstration
Presented by: Jake Meisbauer, Brian Malatia, The Morton Arboretum

Structural pruning of young trees is an important practice to help promote strong architecture in the crown and make trees more resilient to storms. Please join us for this demonstration as we walk through the steps of properly pruning trees to get them off to a good start.

9:00-10:00am – New Plant Introductions
Presented by: Nate Maren, The Morton Arboretum’s Tree & Shrub Breeder and Genomics Specialist

Get excited about new plant introductions with Nate Maren, Morton Arboretum’s Tree and Shrub Breeder and Genomics Specialists. He will talk about how his research program is creating more robust plants to introduce into the landscape through innovative breeding techniques.

9:30am – Autonomous Mower Petting Zoo Opens
Come see the future in autonomous mowers! Careful, these animals will bite!

9:30-10:00am – Walkabout #1
Meet in Dining Tent A

10:00am – Gnome Hunt Begins!
3 Gnomes are hiding amongst the exhibit booths. Find and turn one in at the Registration Tent for a $100 cash prize!

10:00-11:00am – Plowing Efficiency Opportunities With Wing Plows vs Pusher Boxes
Presented by: Dale Oberg, SnowWolf
Dining Tent A

Join us for an insightful education session where we explore strategies to reduce reliance on small machines and effectively handle larger jobs with them. We’ll cover essential techniques such as straight push comparison, angling the snow pusher, backdragging, and windrowing/angle plowing, along with an in-depth cutting edge comparison. Gain practical knowledge to optimize your snow removal operations and enhance efficiency.

10:00-11:00am – Container War: Ice
Join the thrilling Container War, where creativity meets winter as participants design stunning “ice” or snow themed containers using available plant material and soil. Unleash your imagination and showcase your skills in this icy competition. Attendees will vote for their favorite designs, and fantastic prizes await the creators of the best containers. Don’t miss this chance to freeze your passion and win!

10:15am-11:15am – Tree Planting Demonstration
Presented by: The Morton Arboretum Horticultural Staff

Following best management practices for tree planting is the best start to promote a healthy, long-lived tree in the landscape. This demonstration will go over how to mitigate root defects and properly install containerized and ball-and-burlap trees.

11:00am – Beer Tent Opens
Sponsored by: The Tree Connection

11:00am-1:00pm – Lunch
Served in Dining Tents A, B, C

11:00am-12:30pm – Young Professionals Picnic
11:00-11:15AM: Meet up at the lunch tent & grab food
11:15-11:45AM: Eat lunch under the trees
11:45AM-12:15PM: Play icebreaker / vendor games
12:15PM: Gather together to meet at the beer tent
12:30PM: Meet up for the Plant Walkabout

11:30am-2:00pm – Kona Ice Truck
Sponsored by Goodmark Nurseries

12:00-1:00pm – Lunch & Learn: Adding Liquid Deicing, Easier Than 1,2,3
Presenter: John Kolkman, Kaplan Liquid Solutions
Dining Tent B

Discover why incorporating liquid deicers into your operations can enhance quality, positively impact the environment, and improve financial outcomes through better tracking and job costing. Learn the initial steps for motivation, including addressing customer needs, boosting efficiency, and staying competitive. Explore the necessary equipment for application, storage, and logistics, whether you opt for in-house brine making or purchasing. Conclude with a realistic approach, emphasizing gradual implementation and focusing on essential first-year investments, with ongoing training and problem-solving.

12:30-1:00pm – Walkabout #2

12:30-2:00pm – Gas vs. Electric Equipment Rodeo
Join us for the exciting Gas vs. Electric Equipment Rodeo, where you can test your skills with both gas and electric string trimmers, leaf blowers, and mowers. Experience firsthand which equipment is faster and more efficient in a fun, competitive setting. With many municipalities adopting electric equipment ordinances, this is the perfect opportunity to experiment, learn, and discover the future of outdoor tools. Don’t miss out on this chance to showcase your skills and put your name at the top of the leaderboard!

1:00-2:00pm – Container War: Fire
Join the thrilling Container War, where creativity meets nature as participants design stunning “fire” themed containers using available plant material and soil. Unleash your imagination and showcase your skills in this fiery competition. Attendees will vote for their favorite designs, and fantastic prizes await the creators of the best containers. Don’t miss this chance to ignite your passion and win!

1:00-2:00pm – Gateway to Tree Science Tour
Hosted by: The Morton Arboretum

Please join us on a guided tour of the Gateway to Tree Science as we showcase its potential as a one of a kind training space for green industry professionals! We are revisioning the Gateway as a place where industry can learn how to better select, install, and maintain trees in the urban and suburban landscapes to improve the health and longevity of our urban canopy. Come see the exciting hands-on learning opportunities for proper tree pruning and amending sites to improve tree performance.

2:00pm – Raffles Start
Sponsored by: Atlas Bobcat

2:15pm – Walk & Learn
Presented by Kim Shearer, The Morton Arboretum
Walk with Kim along Joy Path up to Thornhill as she shares the living collections and Chicagoland Grows original plants along the way!

2:30pm – Show Closes

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FLOORPLAN AND LIST OF EXHIBITORS

Pack your bags and join us for a day at Camp Fire or Camp Ice!
Throughout the day, you will have opportunities to earn 6 badges: attend an education session, participate in a container war, visit the autonomous mower petting zoo, compete in the equipment rodeo, join a walkabout, and go on the gateway to tree science tour.