As the epicenter of Arbor Day celebrations, Nebraska City, Nebraska, celebrates with an entire weekend of festivities. The 140th annual fest takes place April 27 through 29, 2012. Look for free trees, commemorative tree plantings and a plant sale amid all the fun of a community festival.

Nebraska City was the home of J. Sterling Morton, who (with Robert Furnas, Nebraska governor), founded the Arbor Day celebration. According to Nebraska Studies, the Nebraska State Board of Agriculture adopted Morton’s resolution to create Arbor Day in 1872: a day set aside to plant trees. It was estimated that more than one million trees were planted in Nebraska on the first Arbor Day.

Now a national observance, Arbor Day is celebrated officially on April 22, Morton’s birthday.

J. Sterling’s son, Joy Morton (founder of the Morton Salt Company) created the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois in 1922. The 1,700-acre Arboretum has over 4,300 different species of trees, shrubs and other woody plants from around the globe.

The Morton Arboretum also celebrates Arbor Day with a full weekend of activities April 27 through 29, 2012.

Red Butte Garden, Utah’s Botanical Garden and Arboretum, celebrates Arbor Day April 27, 2012, with free admission from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the garden, 300 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, Utah. There will be exploration stations throughout the garden, and visitors can take home a tree to plant in their own yards.

Arbor Day activities in Nashville, Tennessee, take place April 28, 2012, at Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art, 1200 Forrest Park Drive, Nashville, Tennessee (map).

Cheekwood, a certified Level IV arboretum, has more than 120 identified species of trees. On Arbor Day, there will be guided tours, art activities and demonstrations. In addition, each of the first 100 people through the gates will receive a free sapling.

There’s lots of information on trees at the Arbor Day Foundation.

(Photo courtesy of Morton Arboretum)