-no pets allowed
-we close early at 5pm both days
-no entry after 4:15pm
-bring your own wagon
-no solicitors, flyering, collecting signatures
-we do not accept bills larger than $20
Admission is the regular price for entering into our 68 acre facility with over 20 speciality gardens. $10 for Adults and $5 for children five to thirteen. A $2 discount is given for members of Kanapaha. Admission is only good for one day and can not be used for both days. We do not accept bills larger than twenty dollars. Pets are not allowed at these festivals.
March 23 & 24, 2024
9 am - 5 pm
no entry 45 before closing (4:15pm)
VENDOR APPLICATION WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE DECEMBER 2023 WITH A FEBRUARY 15, 2024 DEADLINE. PLEASE NOTE WE HAVE MORE VENDORS APPLY THAN WE CAN ACCEPT SO APPLY EARLY. ARTS & CRAFTS VENDORS SELLING THEIR OWN WORK THEY HAVE CREATED, NOT JUST RESELLING, ITEMS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE ACCEPTED. WE ARE ONLY ALLOWING INFORMATIONAL BOOTHS THAT ARE GARDEN & NATURE RELATED AND ONLY BY INVITE THAT WE EMAIL DIRECTLY.
Files coming soon.
The Spring Garden Festival is an annual celebration held at the Kanapaha Botanical Gardens located in southwest Gainesville, Florida. The Festival has over 100 booths including many where patrons can select from a variety of plants to add color, shade and beauty to their yards and gardens. Patrons can also purchase garden related products including tools, furniture and outdoor decorations.
In addition there are booths staffed by local gardening and environmental organizations where patrons can gather information about plants, ponds, pests, the environment at large, and a variety of other topics. There are also a number booths presented by artisans who create a wide range of fine arts and crafts for your home or garden. No festival would be complete without a large variety of foods available along with picnic areas where they can be enjoyed.
The Festival has a stage featuring live local entertainers on Sunday. Young visitors will enjoy our free Children’s Activities Area where they can pot plants, design newspaper hats and be involved in a wide variety of supervised activities.
The Spring Garden Festival is filled with activities and opportunities to gather information, and purchase plants or other garden related products. There is plenty of food, and entertainment, and seating areas so everyone can enjoy their stay at the festival. Comfortable shoes, broad brimmed hats and sunscreen can make the hours of meandering through the festival more enjoyable. The festival is located in grassy areas and under trees so we recommend strollers, walkers or wheelchairs with inflated tires. We do not provide a tote-n-carry service to transport purchased goods to your vehicle. For those of you who expect to purchase large plants, numerous small plants or many other items, we recommend that you bring a wagon or small pull cart. We recently purchased 6 acres of land so that all parking is on-site during our special events; we no longer have shuttle parking. No pets are allowed during these festivals
This is Gainesville's premier horticultural event. The Spring Garden Festival features over 100 booths offering plants, landscape displays, garden accessories, arts and crafts, educational exhibits and, of course, foods. Also featured are a children's activities area and live entertainment. Parking is free. Please no pets at this event. Bring your own wagon.
Kanapaha is a private non-profit and we do not allow people to solicit signatures, flyers or solicitors of any kind.
The children's area is free with regular admission price. The children's area will include photo opportunities, bean bag toss, a face painter, and crafts, such as making paper hats. Children have the opportunity to plant and take home with them a flowering plant compliments of Hatchett Creek Nursery.
The main stage is located under a large live oak tree near the entrance to the Festival. Performances are scheduled on Sunday from 11am-5pm. Entertainment is provided by a diverse group of performers from folk dancers to drum ensembles. Tables and seating are provided under the tree so patrons can enjoy food from the adjacent vendors while they enjoy the entertainers on stage.
2023 Itinerary
Sunday
11 AM: AELEA
12 PM: Emmett Carlisle
1 PM: Lost safari Drummers
2 PM: Brian McMahon Band
3 PM: Klezmer Katz
We will not have vendors set up in our building and our gift shop will be closed due to COVID. All activities are outside for this year's event.
There are over 100 booths filled each year with a wide variety of garden related materials.
Each year over 40 booths are filled by local and regional nurseries and growers who bring a wide variety of plants to show and sell at the festival. Plants are available in a multitude of sizes and varieties including fruit trees, landscape trees, large potted plants, herbs, vegetables, and houseplants. Plants are available that will thrive in many conditions from sun to shade, in wet areas, dry areas, or even ponds and water features. Plants that are native to this area are featured alongside tropical or exotic selections. Local plant societies provide information and sell roses, bromeliads and other specialized plants as fundraisers for their organization.
Over 20 booths feature products to help in your gardening activities or to make your garden more beautiful. Vendors sell gardening tools, pots, birdhouses, wind chimes and yard art to fill that special spot in your garden. A number of booths have representatives available to discuss garden services from tree trimming to irrigation systems.
Over 50 booths contain a wide variety of nature inspired handmade products that can be used to beautify you home, garden or person. Stained glass, turned bowls, tee shirts, incense, soaps, and weathervanes are among the many items available from the Arts and Crafts booths.
Several booths present original art inspired by nature. These items include paintings, photographs, quilts and blown glass.
Information booths are set aside for local non-for profit plant societies and environmental organizations to present their specialties and answer questions from visitors. The Camellia and Orchids Societies exhibit plants grown by their members and answer questions from visitors. There are booths staffed by members of environmental organizations with specialized information that can help answer almost any environmental question that might be raised.
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