Bowmanville Garden Walk

BCO Garden Walk 2024

The Bowmanville Garden Walk is on for 2024.

Mark Your Calendars!

The planning for this event is a process that begins as much as four months in advance. We’re excited to be continuing this event in all it’s historic glory.

Saturday, July 13, 10:00am to 3:00 pm

2023 BCO Garden Walk Photo Contest Winner - Secret Path by P-Brandell

2023 BCO Garden Walk Photo Contest Winner – Secret Path by P. Brandell

Exhibitor Sign Up

The Bowmanville Garden Walk features over 25 neighborhood gardens each year, but we are hoping to increase that number! Please consider opening up your yard this year! It doesn’t have to be perfect; in fact, all participants receive a visit from the group of University of Illinois Master Gardeners, who are happy to offer lots of tips on how to take your landscaping to the next level! You also have the option to enter for potential ribbons awarded by the Master Gardeners – the Best-In-Show receives a $50 garden gift certificate. New this year, we are also offering a “People’s Choice” award, which will be voted on by the public visitors. First place in the People’s Choice will also win a $50 garden gift certificate.

If you have any questions about what being an exhibitor involves, please email: BCO+GardenWalk@bcochicago.org
email the Garden Walk Committee

Garden Entry Fee: $15

Deadline for registration and payment will be Sunday, June 30!

Exhibitor sign up is a multi step process:
Step 1: Register via the linked form below.
Step 2: After registering, you will receive an invoice within a week to pay online.

Tap the button below to register via the BCO Garden Walk sign up Google form.

Plan Your Visit

Welcome to Bowmanville!! Whether you’re a local neighbor or visiting from elsewhere in the city, we hope you enjoy the Garden Walk.

Getting Started

Neighbors and visitors to Bowmanville are encouraged to visit one of the two Welcome Centers: One in the neighborhood Green Space at the intersection of Bowmanville Avenue and N Bell Avenue, and the other next to the Gateway Gardens at the intersection of W Balmoral Ave and N Ravenswood Ave. There you can get a map and tips for enjoying the day.

Donation

The BCO suggests a $10 donation for each Garden Walk visitor. These nominal fees help to cover the cost of materials and advertising and support the work of the community volunteers who help to make the event a success. To get the word out, the BCO leverages social media, as well as places ads in various publications.

There is ample, permit-free parking throughout the neighborhood.

Amateur Photography Competition

Whether it’s using your iPhone or a professional camera, take to the streets this spring and snap your best picture of Beautiful Bowmanville. You’re invited to enter the amateur photography competition, where your photograph will be prominently displayed in a gallery that’s open to all Garden Walk visitors, who will then vote for their favorite.

If you win, your picture will serve as the poster for next year’s Garden Walk, and be used in other Garden Walk promotional material!

Photo Entry Fee: $5 per photo: limit 3 photos total

Photography Competition sign up is a multi step process:
Step 1: Register via the BCO webform and upload photos via the form, or email to BCO+GardenWalk@bcochicago.org
Step 2: After registering, you will receive an invoice within a week to pay online.

Tap the button below to register via the BCO Garden Walk Photo Contest Google form.

Please remember to give each photo a title.

Keep scrolling down to check out past Garden Walk event details and poster winners!

The Bowmanville Garden Walk

July 13, 2024 : 10am - 3pm

 

For over 20 years, our signature event, the Bowmanville Garden Walk, has drawn thousands of people from across the city.

During the spring, summer, and fall, our neighborhood becomes a lush oasis in the middle of Chicago, earning its nickname, Beautiful Bowmanville. For over 20 years, the BCO’s signature event has brought together neighbors and people from across the city to celebrate the beauty of Bowmanville and creativity of those who host their gardens for visitors. Hospitable neighbors open their properties to visitors to show off the results of their hard work, and a team of dedicated volunteers makes sure that everyone feels welcome and can find their way around.

Hosted Gardens

The Bowmanville Garden Walk features hosted gardens, where the garden owners are there to welcome you into their garden and talk about their efforts.

Ask the Master Gardener

This Garden Walk hosts an Ask the Master Gardener table at the Welcome table on Bowmanville Avenue, where University of IL Master Gardeners are there to talk to you about gardening and look at any cutting or photo you bring and help solve problems and plot your next steps.

Amateur Photography Competition

Neighbors are encouraged to submit their best photo of Bowmanville to the Amateur Photography Competition. The winning photograph is featured in the next year’s Garden Walk posters, signage and promotional materials. Photos should be nature or garden related and be taken within the Bowmanville boundaries – Western east to Ravenswood and Foster north to Bowmanville Ave.

Garden Party

A Garden Party is hosted the evening of the event where all participating gardeners, volunteers and judges come together as well as members of the BCO Board of Directors to celebrate gardening in Bowmanville.

And remember, the Bowmanville Garden Walk happens rain or shine!

Bowmanville Garden Walk 2019 - photo Thomas Bock
Bowmanville Garden Walk 2019 - photo Thomas Bock

Past Garden Walks

Posters from past garden walks celebrate the history of the event and feature winning photo entries from the previous year. Enjoy some of the past posters below. For details on any past years garden walk outcomes, check out the Summer Bowmanville Bee Newsletter from that year which includes highlights from the event.


23rd Annual Bowmanville Garden Walk was held on July 15, 2023

 

Poster Photo by Jeff Graves “Hope Blooms Eternal”, Winning photo 2022 Garden Photo contest.


 

22nd Annual Bowmanville Garden Walk was held on July 16, 2022

 

Poster Photo by Emanuel Lopez “Summer in Summerdale”, Winning photo 2019 Garden Photo contest.

 


 

21st Annual Bowmanville Garden Walk was held on July 13, 2019

 

Poster Photo by Maruia Velasquez “My Garden”, Winning photo 2019 Garden Photo contest.

 


 

20th Annual Bowmanville Garden Walk was held on July 14, 2018

2018 drive by poster

 

Poster Photo by Jeff Graves “Corner Joy”, Winning photo 2018 Garden Photo contest.

 


 

19th Annual Bowmanville Garden Walk was held on July 15, 2017

2016 drive by poster

 

Poster Photo by  Billy Kuczek “Landed”, Winning photo 2016 Garden Photo contest

 


 

18th Annual Bowmanville Garden Walk was held on July 9, 2016

2016 drive by poster

 

Poster Photo by  Billy Kuczek “Landed”, Winning photo 2016 Garden Photo contest.

 


 

17th Annual Bowmanville Garden Walk was held on July 11, 2015

2015 Garden Walk Ad CH P#

 

Poster Photo by Nick Sell winner of 2015 Garden Photo Contest

 


 

16th Annual Bowmanville Garden Walk was held on July 12, 2014

2014 Poster v3 with MAPClick here for a detailed recap of the 2014 event.

 


 

15th Annual Bowmanville Garden Walk was held on July 13, 2013

 

2013 Garden Walk Poster

 


 

14th Annual Bowmanville Garden Walk was held on July 7, 2012

 

click here to see 2012 photos

 

Click here to download last years program

 

Check out another story about our Garden Walk on the Sustainable  Back Yards Blog, by Russ Klettke  Click here

 

2012 Garden Walk Poster

 

 


 

13th Annual Bowmanville Garden Walk was held on July 9, 2011

 

 


 

12th Annual Bowmanville Garden Walk was held on July 10, 2010

 

 


 

11th Annual Bowmanville Garden Walk was held on July 11, 2009

 

Click here to read the story in “News”

 

09-bco-garden-walk-poster-v71

 

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