The College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Open House is Set for March 8 and 9

The ACES Open House offers visitors a unique behind-the-scenes look at what's happening in some of the hundreds of labs, fields and greenhouses at the University of Illinois. Typically over 20,000 people attend the annual open house each year during the two day event.

URBANA- Where else can you pet a giant cockroach from Madagascar, milk a cow and cheer for your favorite maggot to win a race but at the 2002 Open House hosted by the University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES)? This year, the ACES Open House will be held on Friday and Saturday, March 8th and 9th, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days at the south end of the U of I campus at Urbana-Champaign.

This will be the 13th year that the College of ACES has opened its doors for a unique, behind-the-scenes look at what goes on in some of the hundreds of labs, fields and greenhouses at the University of Illinois. "We try to make it educational and entertaining," said Scottie Miller, director of special events for the College of ACES. "It has become a very popular annual event for the College and for the community. We have visitors all the way from nursery school to high school and beyond," said Miller.

Every year there are some old favorites that people come to expect, but there are also always lots of new exhibits, too, said Miller. One new addition this year is an entire building. The new ACES library is an octagonally-shaped building on the south campus. In the atrium of the new library, visitors will be able to surf some of the ACES Web sites at an interactive computer exhibit. There will be specially book-marked sites featuring information on nutrition, gardening, pest management and others.
            
At one exhibit in the Stock Pavilion visitors will learn more about invasive species as they help Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant send non-native plants to the "slammer" in an exhibit called "Arrest that Invader!" When they identify and imprison an invasive plant, children will be given the designation of Junior Plant Deputy.

Demonstrations are scheduled to take place throughout the two-day event. "One demonstration that's always a lot of fun is watching the floral design students make an arrangement to music," said Miller, "Sometimes you'll see a beautiful, floral wedding arrangement created to some soft, dreamy music and other times it's sunflowers and rock and roll! It's interesting, too, because it's timed the students have to get the arrangement done by the end of the song."

A free brochure will be available at any of the ACES Open House buildings. The brochure will include maps, a complete listing of exhibits, the schedule of demonstrations and information on parking and concessions.

On Friday, March 8th, visitors can park for free in lot F-23 at the corner of First Street and St. Mary's Road, then take a free shuttle from the lot to the Open House. On Saturday, visitors can park for free on the street and in campus lots. The shuttle will run continuously both days to help visitors move easily from the Stock Pavilion, the Meat Sciences Building, Plant Sciences and finally to the College of Engineering Open House on the north end of campus.

More information about College of ACES Open House activities can be found online at:
http://www.aces.uiuc.edu/openhouse or by calling (217) 333-9355.

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Source: Scottie Miller (217) 244-1676; scottiem@uiuc.edu

EDITOR'S NOTE: Downloadable photos from last year's ACES Open House can be obtained at http://w3.aces.uiuc.edu/itcs/photo/media/openhouse2002/