This year, the American Craft Exposition is excited to be hosting its 31st annual Show at the world-renowned Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, Illinois. One of the most visited gardens in the world, the exquisite 385 acres, 9 islands and 26 display gardens will set a stunning background for our beautiful show this fall!
Here are some of the many reasons why we are excited to have ACE at the Garden this year: 
• In 2014, over one million visitors attended the Garden – bringing in visitors from across the Midwest. This is a 52% growth in attendance since 2005, and the numbers keep going up!
•The Garden has 50,000 member households – one of the largest of any botanic garden in the U.S.; 3rd largest of any of the Chicago area’s cultural institutions after the Art Institute of Chicago and the Brookfield Zoo. This membership is highly educated, values cultural institutions and mainly lives within 20 miles of the Gardens.
• According to Crain’s Chicago Business 2013, the Garden was the 12th most visited tourist attraction in the Chicago Region.
• The month of September is typically one of the Garden’s most highly attended timeframes. We will be capitalizing on this by ensuring that everyone who enters the property during the show weekend is aware ACE is taking place!
• With 250 year round staff members; and over 700 staff and interns during the peak season and over 1,300 volunteers, there are sure to be plenty of helping hands!
• The Garden is well versed in hosting shows such as ACE. For the past 15 years, the Garden has put together the acclaimed Antiques, Garden & Design Show (formerly Antiques & Garden Fair), as well as other special events which include hundreds of vendors and bring in thousands of attendees.
• The Garden has an ideal location in the center of Chicago’s highly regarded North Shore. It is right off of the I-94 Expressway (Approximately 20-30 minutes from downtown Chicago). Transportation to the property is easily accessible by car, train or bus.
• The Garden is considered to be a place of beauty – its values and mission align perfectly with ACE and NorthShore University HealthSystem.
• The Garden’s Regenstein Center, along with two connected tents, will allow for a variety of booth sizes, both indoors and outdoors (tented). Artists will be able to submit their top 4 booth locations upon sending in a contract, which will be awarded on a first-come/first-served basis.
• Our Preview Party will be spread out between the indoor and tented outdoor booth spaces. Food stations will be strategically placed to encourage an even traffic flow throughout the evening.
• The Garden has many partnerships with local community, tourism and museum groups that will help market ACE to groups of visitors.
• Tickets will be available starting July 1 on site at the Garden, on-line and over the phone. A staffed, seven- day a week Customer Call Center is available to answer any customer inquiries regarding the Garden and ACE, as well as to take ticket orders. In addition, tickets will be sold via the Garden’s website 24/7, with no transactional fees added.
• The Garden will include ACE in their Summer and Fall editions of their member magazine, Keep Growing, which is distributed to 50,000 households. Additionally, details will be included in their e-newsletters which have 80,000+ contacts.
• Prominent signage will be placed by the Garden; banners at the main entrance (Lake Cook Rd.), posters at the Visitor Center, as well as a digital message on their electronic billboard located on the I-94 highway.
• The Garden has social media outlets with many followers that will share information on ACE.
As you can see, the Chicago Botanic Garden is a wonderful space for ACE and we are proud to be working with such a wonderful partner. ACE 2015 is sure to be the best show yet – We hope you will join us!
Have additional questions or concerns? Please feel free to contact us at: [email protected]