Chicago Botanic Gardens' Dancin' Sprouts

The Botanic Gardens is the beautiful setting this summer for lively family entertainment this summer. Dancin' Sprouts takes place every Wednesday from June 8 - August 31 on the Esplanade. For these special evenings, families are allowed to picnic on the Esplanade. The event is free, but parking is $20 per car.

Here's the fantastic 2011 Performance Schedule:

June 8
Buck Howdy
Whether performing a solo campfire-style show or a rollicking full-band hoedown, Buck's twinkly charm and zany sense of humor come shining through.

June 15
Miss Aimee Leigh
Aimee gets the crowd moving with her American folk/roots, jazz, and bluegrass music, and she has a huge repertoire of original and traditional children's music that will have the whole family dancing and singing along!

June 22
Mr. Singer & the Sharp Cookies
On this evening, Dancin' Sprouts will be held in Burnstein Hall in the Regenstein Center, rain or shine. Please plan accordingly.
Their repertoire includes outstanding originals and a trove of classic tunes, bridging genres from swing to rock to samba. Be prepared for memorable sing-a-longs, thumping rhythms, and high-energy call and response!

June 29
Karen Jordan
Much of Karen's music was inspired by ten years of teaching Wiggleworms for the Old Town School of Folk Music. Karen will be joined by jazz/bluegrass mandolinist Colby Maddox and bassist Jim Cox.

July 6
Super Stolie & the Rockstars
Super Stolie and the Rockstars bring a mix of catchy original songs and popular favorites while encouraging everyone to be silly, sing along, freeze dance, play instruments, pop bubbles, and go on your merry way with a "Rockstar jump" and a "high-ten."

July 13
Scribblemonster
ScribbleMonster's “draw outside the lines” approach to music for the family has earned the band raves ranging from parents to Parenting magazine. Come sing, think, play, dance, and get creative with ScribbleMonster.

July 20
Leonardo
Leonardo is a Parents' Choice Award winning family musician writing and performing original songs and traditional favorites that entertain, educate and empower audiences of all ages and abilities.

July 27
Laura Doherty
Laura Doherty will acoustically rocks your kid’s world with her breezy folk-pop tunes for the whole family. Using the Windy City as her inspiration, Doherty writes about the El train, skyscrapers, the farmers' market, the zoo, and all the wonders of the city, as seen through a child’s eyes.

August 3
Macaroni Soup!
Macaroni Soup with Miss Carole! has been entertaining and educating young children and their families for over 20 years. It's fun, participatory music that gets everybody singing and dancing from "Hello!" to "So Long!"

August 10
Tisa & the Flower Song Ensemble
Every member of the Flower Song Ensemble is a teacher at Chicago's venerable Old Town School of Folk Music, and the band creates original, traditional, and soul music that celebrates life, love, and the natural world.

August 17
Karen Jordan
Karen Jordan will be returning for another Dancin' Sprouts family concert with jazz/bluegrass mandolinist Don Stiernberg and bassist Jim Cox for a performance you won’t want to miss.

August 24
The Dreamtree Shakers
Poppy folk, folky pop, or indie alt country americana, Jeremy Babcock and The Dreamtree Shakers lay down righteous, jangly tunes, a soundtrack of sorts of their live puppetry and movement show, featuring characters and landscapes of the forest.

August 31
Mindy & the Time Outs!
This Chicago-based kiddie rock band continues to surprise kids and adults alike with their witty, catchy, and energetic rock parodies. Just think Weird Al for the diaper set. Kids and their adult counterparts will love this high-energy, on-your-feet and often hilarious live performance.