The Great Orb Hunt continues this September
Last year, the Fine Line Creative Arts Center and the Forest Preserve District of Kane County joined forces to create the Great Orb Hunt.
The idea was to hide handcrafted glass and ceramic orbs at LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve and on the prairie path at Fine Line Creative Arts Center.
The orbs were numbered and included the year they had been released into the wild. The response to the event was terrific, with many people visiting both locations to hunt for the elusive orbs.
With such a positive response from the public, Fine Line Creative Arts Center and the Forest Preserve District of Kane County have decided to release orbs into the wild again this year with a few changes to the format.
Orb hunting season opens Thursday, Sept. 5, and runs until Monday, Sept. 30.
During that time, 150 orbs (50 more than last year) will be hidden 2 to 5 feet off established trails, across three locations, at LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve (north of Dean Street only), the prairie path at Fine Line Creative Arts Center and along trails at Burnidge Forest Preserve. At Burnidge Forest Preserve, orbs will not be hidden along the West Loop Trail (orange) or within Paul Wolff Campground.
Having listened to some of the feedback from last year, the orbs will be hidden in small batches five days each week at different times of the day, and on different days of the week.
No announcement will be made when orbs are hidden, but an announcement will be made via social media each time an orb has been found and registered.
If anyone finds an orb, it is theirs to keep. However, Fine Line and the Forest Preserve District of Kane County request that each finder keep only one orb. If they happen to find additional orbs, they are asked to share the love and leave the orbs where they found them, for another seeker to find.
“Our artists have loved creating this year’s orbs, there are some amazing colors and textures, each one is a unique piece of art. We hope seekers have a great time searching for the 2024 orbs,” said Lynn Caldwell, executive director of Fine Line Creative Arts Center.
“We are thrilled to once again have the Great Orb Hunt take place in the Kane County forest preserves. You may have walked the trails at LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve plenty of times, but when you’re walking and looking for orbs, you realize just how large the trail system is!,” said Laurie Metanchuk, community engagement director, Forest Preserve District of Kane County.
“Last year, we had hundreds of visitors out at LeRoy Oakes, as part of the Great Orb Hunt. We also had plenty of new visitors to the preserve, many of whom stopped inside the nature center and talked with the naturalists,” Metanchuk said. “We’re bound to have even more this year, especially with the expansion to Burnidge Forest Preserve. We’re grateful to Fine Line Creative Arts Center for this fun collaboration.”
All orbs are stamped and numbered. If you find an orb, register it using the QR code here or by visiting fineline.org/pages/the-great-orb-hunt.
For those who choose to share their findings on social media, don’t forget to tag @FineLineCreativeArtsCenter and @forestpreserve.
Fine Line Creative Arts Center is at 37W570 Bolcum Road in St. Charles. LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve is located at 37W700 Dean St. in St. Charles and Burnidge Forest Preserve is at 14N035 Coombs Road in Elgin.
For more information, visit fineline.org/pages/the-great-orb-hunt or www.kaneforest.com.