REMNANTS 2026 at Byrnes

Wender Collective stages REMNANTS 2026 as a site-specific performance that uses giant puppets to summon the ancient ecosystems of the Chicago region — prairies, wetlands, savannas, and woodlands that have mostly vanished. Audiences follow these “spirits of the place” through Byrnes Park before converging on a central performance at dusk on Saturday, August 29, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM. The work weaves ecology, history, and collective awe into something that feels more like a ritual than a show, and free native plants and educational materials are available at each performance.