Antiques in the Gardens (7/17) (Preview Party 7/16)
Exceptional gardens, fine antiques, and the coast of Maine in mid-summer – who could ask for more? This is the unbeatable combination visitors will find at “Antiques in the Gardens,” the new and innovative Maine Antiques Dealers Association show at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay on Thursday, July 17.
But there’s more: Martha Stewart has accepted the role of honorary chair for this event. She will attend the Preview Party at the Gardens on Wednesday evening, July 16.
More than 45 exhibitors – a select group of MADA members – will have their merchandise on view and for sale at this exceptional show. With its diversity of dealers’ specialties and the high quality of the antiques, “Antiques in the Gardens” will offer opportunities for established and new collectors to discover appealing and valuable items, as well as some rare finds.
Plentiful free parking is available at nearby Boothbay Region High School, just a few minutes away on Route 27 at the entry to Boothbay Harbor, with free shuttle buses running to the Gardens and show every few minutes.
There are two ticket prices for the July 16 Preview Party, both of which also include admission to the show and the Gardens on the 17th. Those who purchase the $100 Patrons’ ticket may arrive at 5 p.m. to be the very first to see and purchase the antiques. They will start the evening with a glass of 'bubbly,' accompanied by flavorful hors d’oeuvres. Guests at the $45 ticket level may attend beginning at 6 p.m. and will enjoy wine and the gourmet hors d’oeuvres. The party will conclude at 8 p.m. Proceeds from sales of Preview Party tickets benefit the non-profit Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, and a portion of the ticket price is tax deductible. We will not send tickets; guests will be welcomed at the door.
The “Antiques in the Gardens” show itself is open from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. the following day, Thursday, July 17. Display “rooms” under several large tents will house the near-limitless variety of merchandise for sale. Advance-sale admission tickets purchased before the day of the show are $15 each, which includes entry to both the show and the Gardens grounds. On July 17, tickets for the show alone are $10; the fee for both the show and Gardens is $17. No tickets will be mailed; they will instead be available for pick-up at the Visitor Center on the day of the show.
Snacks and lunches prepared in the Gardens’ own Kitchen Garden Café will be available in the show area throughout the day of the Antiques Show, and the café and gift shop in the Gardens’ Visitor Center will be open. There is plenty of parking on site, with shuttles running throughout the day for those who’d like to save their walking for the show and perhaps a stroll through the garden areas. Off-site parking will be available as needed, with buses running to the Gardens and show every few minutes.
Because of the show’s setting, not to mention the popularity of garden-related antiques, there will, of course, be garden ornaments, fountains, urns, benches and accessories. Other specialties among the antiques dealers represented are folk art and country primitives; decoys; stoneware; fine botanical books, prints, and art; sterling silver; fine estate jewelry; and American, English and French Country furniture and accessories. There will also be barometers; fine porcelain, pottery and glass; early textiles; hooked and oriental rugs; nautical pieces, and American Indian antiques.
While her celebrity reaches around the world, it is Martha Stewart’s love of fine gardens, antiques, and food and their significant role in her career, as well as her deep connection to Maine, that make her the perfect honorary chair for “Antiques in the Gardens.” Through the years, she has extolled the joys of collecting vintage material and incorporating these items into her everyday lifestyle. Her gardens are passionately planted and tended to maintain harmony and beauty in all seasons, and she has creatively communicated these ideals to the public in her award-winning magazine, Martha Stewart Living, online at www.marthastewart.com, on The Martha Stewart Show and other television programs such as the "Martha Stewart's Outdoor Living" special airing on Fine Living Network in May 2008. Her personal vision has often precipitated trends in the world of fine and decorative arts.
The Maine Antiques Dealers Association is the nation’s oldest organization devoted to antiques, according to President Bev Reynolds. Impressively, the 79-year-old organization was the first to put together an annual antiques show, and these shows continue to this day. The majority of MADA members are from Maine, but about 25 percent are “from away,” in fact from as far away as Tennessee and Illinois.
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is the show’s official co-sponsor. “Antiques in the Gardens” is MADA’s first-ever partnership with another organization. The Gardens, located off Barters Island Road in Boothbay, about 10 miles from coastal Route 1, will make a splendid backdrop for the antiques and associated events. Maine’s first and only botanical garden opened in spring, 2007 and attracted 40,000 visitors between May and December. With spectacular ornamental gardens; breathtaking stonework and sculpture; a shingle-style visitor center featuring a gift shop, a café, and art exhibits; and miles of trails on its 248 waterfront acres, it’s no wonder the Gardens are being hailed as one of Maine’s top attractions.
For “Antiques in the Gardens” and Preview Party tickets, or to learn more, call the Gardens’ office at (207) 633-4333, or purchase tickets by clicking on the button below.
The photo of Martha Stewart, cropped to meet Web site parameters, is by Vanessa Lenz.
Date/Time: Thursday, July 17, 2008, 9:00-4:00
Location: At the Gardens
7/16 Preview Party (includes 7/17 admission) - Patrons (5 p.m. entrance): $100.00
7/16 Preview Party (includes 7/17 admission) - All Other Guests (6 p.m. entrance): $45.00
7/17 Antiques Show & Gardens (reserved by 7/16): $15.00