We love the Jarret Center for all our family events!!! — An Eventective User from Rockford, IL

We have had 4 different family events at the Jarret center and each time is just as good as the last!! We have had vow renewals, family reunions, and bridal showers at the JPC. We know that we can expect a clean and set up event space as well as excellent customer service! We will continue to book events at the Byron forest preserve because not only is it the perfect event space, but you can't ask for a more beautiful view

Perfect event venue! — An Eventective User from Byron, IL

We held our Annual Chamber Dinner and Meeting at the Byron Forest Preserve Jarrett Center in April of 2025. Raul and his team outdid themselves. The room was set up perfectly. All we had to do was decorate. They work with you to implement your ideas into reality. The venue is beautiful inside and outside. We highly recommend The Jarrett Center for any event.

Wedding reception and ceremony event — An Eventective User

I had my ceremony and reception taken place at Byron forest preserve. I would highly recommend this event! The bar service was great, they helped with any changes that were made the day before. They added tables and chairs very quickly when we had more people arrive than we thought during the reception. You get some beautiful choices where you want your ceremony to be taken place! If you want a nature wedding with beautiful wildlife in the background especially in the fall this is the place to book!

Great Place To Have An Event! — An Eventective User from Berwyn, IL

My wife & I had our wedding reception here. We reached out to get information on the venue months in advance & primarily communicated with Raul. This venue offered alcohol services & various packages to choose from. Raul was responsive & communicative throughout the process. The day of the event, the venue looked beautiful with all the tables/chairs set up, & the various lighting options. Our catering went smoothly thanks to the kitchen that was available at the venue. My partner & I created our own music playlist for our reception & the sound system was excellent with easy Bluetooth accessibility. We were also provided with microphones for our speeches. Our bartender was graciously heavy handed, to the delight of our guests. Overall we were very pleased with how affordable the venue was, the beautiful scenery surrounding the Prairie Center, & the staff who did a wonderful job. I would highly recommend this place to anyone considering having an event here.

Beautiful facility! — An Eventective User from 16160 Norma Ln, IL

I recently hosted my niece's bridal shower here. From the initial inquiry all the way through cleanup of our event, staff was very helpful and assisted in making the shower everything I had hoped for. The facility itself is stunning. I highly recommend the Byron Forest Preserve, Raul and his staff.

Great place to hold an event — An Eventective User from Byron, IL

The Ogle-Lee Retired Teachers Association held our May luncheon meeting at the Byron Forest Preserve. It was a perfect venue for our group. Planning with Raul was easy and he had everything set up for us just as promised. We had food brought in and the kitchen facility worked well for serving, etc. I would highly recommend this facility!

Grad party — An Eventective User from Rockford, IL

We loved our experience. We booked a college grad party and had zero issues. Very easy to work with. Prices can't be beat!

Great place to hold an event — An Eventective User from Leaf River, IL

We held our annual saddle club banquet at the Jarrett Prairie Center and the facility was amazing! Support staff helped us with anything we needed. I would highly recommend them.

Wonderful Wedding Location — An Eventective User from Winnebago, IL

We had our wedding reception on the top floor of the museum for medium sized wedding of 110 people. It was perfect! Raul was so great to work with and made sure that all of our details were right for our special day. Couldn't recommend more!

Wedding 06/17/2023 — An Eventective User from Rockford, IL

We had our wedding ceremony at Byron Forest Preserve and were very pleased. Raul guided us through the set up of the location and even made sure we had a back up plan for rain. The area was beautiful for pictures! Would highly recommend

Amazing wedding venue — An Eventective User from Byron , IL

Raul & team at the Forest Preserve were so awesome to work with! Everyone is so patient and friendly. Weddings can be stressful and they made everything completely stress free. Everything went exactly how we could have hoped for. The room downstairs was so perfect and the kitchen was so great for my catering company. I would recommend this to everyone to use for their wedding!

Perfect place for wedding! — An Eventective User from ,

We got married in May 2023 and it was perfect! The staff are all wonderful and were incredibly helpful anytime we needed anything or had questions. Would definitely recommend them as a venue. Beautiful, well maintained prairie surrounds the Jarrett Prairie center.

Beautiful Space and Great Service! — An Eventective User from Byron, IL

I planned my wedding from out-of-state as I am a college student. The BFPD was great at communicating clearly and promptly, answering all my questions, being available for showings when I was in town, and being present during my day-before set-up time. They have incredibly reasonable pricing and a beautiful prairie — my favorite wedding photos are those overlooking it!

What a Spectacular Event Space — An Eventective User from Byron, IL

Our daughter wanted to get married outdoors and the Byron Forest Preserve did not disappoint. She fell in love with the towering trees in all directions at the Wilson Property on Whitaker Road. This unknown gem is part of the Byron Forest Preserve and while it is a little off the beaten path, it was the perfect spot for her to tie the knot. The peaked roof and the cement floor provided enough weather protection for her to risk scheduling an outdoor wedding at the end of October. The staff at the forest preserve went out of their way to make sure the path was freshly mowed and the shelter was clean. There is even a fireplace but we didn't need it with the beautiful temperatures nature provided. When she came down the path on her dad's arm, nature provided a glorious backdrop with hues of autumn splendor. In every direction there was a spectacular view! This property has a cathedral feel. The reception was held at the Jarrett Prairie Center. So many guests commented on the beautiful drive up the hill to the JPC. Appetizers were served upstairs and on the deck. Everyone enjoyed the beautiful prairie view and the museum displays while they sipped on drinks and enjoyed visiting. The main reception was held downstairs in the newly remodeled space. The beautiful stone wall made an excellent backdrop for the couple's sweetheart table. The electric fireplace and comfortable seating added some ambiance and a place to step away. The bride's room provided a place to get ready, and also stash away decoration boxes, extra supplies etc. Her 110 guests were easily accommodated with plenty of dance space and room for the buffet. The staff was so easy to work with. Raul made sure to go over everything from the table set up to the bar service and more. No detail was left out and the whole day was stress free. I would highly recommend contacting the Byron Forest Preserve if you are looking for a beautiful venue for your next event.

Wedding — An Eventective User from Byron , IL

We had our wedding here at this perfect location in September. Our ceremony was outside against the prairie and Forrest. The cocktail hour and reception were in the Jarrett Prairie center. We couldn't have asked for a better venu for our big day. The views on the deck are amazing. We can't thank the staff enough for making this day happen. If you're looking for the perfect location venue look no further.

Wedding ceremony/reception — An Eventective User from Stillman Valley, IL

We had our wedding ceremony on the deck and reception in the basement. It was beautiful and the staff was so friendly and laid back. I would 100% recommend this place for an event.

Beautiful Wedding Venue — An Eventective User from Beloit, WI

We held our wedding ceremony and reception here and couldn't have been happier! Raul and Bill were both extremely helpful - answering any and all questions we could think of and ensuring that everything was ready to go for the day of the event (chairs, tables, sound system, etc). We had around 150/160 guests and had more than enough space and accommodations for all of them at the outdoor stage for the ceremony and the lower level of the Jarrett Prairie Center for the reception. Overall, we had a great experience, the staff made everything super easy (relieving a ton of stress), and we would 10/10 recommend!