Garden Fair & Native Plant Sale with Show Gardens (6/6, 7 & 8 all day) and a 6/5 Preview Party (evening)
Ready for something new and exciting? From Friday through Sunday, June 6-8, rain or shine, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens will present its first-ever Garden Fair, with a delightful preview party on Thursday, June 5, from 5:00-8:00 p.m.
This multifaceted outdoor event takes inspiration from the world’s best and most famous flower shows and garden fairs, including Chelsea and Philadelphia, while remaining true to our Maine heritage.
The Garden Fair is free with regular admission, although there will be a small fee for some of the education workshops. There is plentiful free parking available at the Boothbay Fire Department on Route 27, with free shuttle buses running to the Gardens and Garden Fair every few minutes.
Tickets ($45 per person) are required for the Garden Fair Preview Party. Parking for the party is on-site.
Here are some exciting features of the Garden Fair and Preview Party.
Display Gardens: Eight whimsical children’s gardens will be created by fine New England landscape architects and designers, selected through a jury process and eligible for awards. Appropriately, these display gardens will be constructed on the site of the future Children’s Garden.
Workshops: Nearby will be a tent where we’ll present a series of programs focusing on native plants, container gardening, stone features, new introductions, and perennial garden design.
Keynote Speakers: In a second, larger tent on our Cleaver Event Lawn, we will host nationally recognized keynote speakers daily, including Paul Tukey and Bill Cullina.
Native Plant Sale & Vendors’ Marketplace: An extraordinary sale featuring thousands of specially selected native plants will be open to the public, except for the Friday morning “first dibs” sale for Gardens members. In addition, the Gardens has invited quality vendors to offer garden-related products in a retail marketplace on the Great Lawn.
Expanded Food Service: Our own Kitchen Garden Café will expand operations, providing delicious food in a garden setting.
Organizations’ Displays: A small area will be dedicated to exhibits by non-profit organizations that focus on plants, the environment, and other related subjects.
Flower Show: Inside the Visitor Center will be an invitational exhibit of flowers and plants submitted by professional florists, amateurs, and even school children. This show will be judged by Garden Club of America and National Garden Club judges, and entrants will be awarded ribbons.
Preview Party: At this elegant preview from 5:00-8:00 p.m., ticketed guests will be the first to explore and shop in the garden marketplace and to see the display gardens, as well as to learn who received the awards for both the flower show and gardens. This is also an opportunity to meet the designers and savor delicious foods and beverages. Preview Party tickets are $45; call 207-633-4333 for reservations, or click on the button below.
The photo above is by Paula Norton, courtesy of the Cincinnati Flower Show.
Date/Time: June 6 - 8, 9:00 a.m - 4:00 p.m. (Preview Party June 5, 5:00-8:00 p.m.)
Location: Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
June 5 Preview Party: $45.00