32nd Annual Spring Garden Festival

We recently purchased 6 acres of land so that all parking is on-site during our special events; we no longer have shuttle parking. Parking is free. To help this event run smoothly, we need guests to follow our VOLUNTEER parkers instructions to guide you to your parking location. The flow of traffic is only one way during the event. Guests who refuse to follow parking instruction (drive the wrong way, speed past our parkers etc) pose a safety hazard to our other guests and will be escorted off the property. 

Be aware that you may pass open spots/lots while being directed further to park because certain areas have handicap / small vehicle / oversize vehicle etc. designations.  Please "go with the flow" and trust that our parkers know what they are doing. When we are parking thousands of cars in a day, our parkers do not have time to stop and explain our parking process and any vehicle stopped asking questions holds up the entire line of traffic behind them. 

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. 

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.  

This is Gainesville's premier horticultural event. The Spring Garden  Festival features 100 booths offering plants, landscape displays,  garden accessories, arts and crafts, educational exhibits and, of  course, foods. Also featured are  live  entertainment on Sunday.

The main stage is located under a large live oak tree near the  entrance to the Festival. Performances are scheduled on Sunday from 11am-4pm. 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.

2024 Itinerary

Sunday 

11 AM: AELEA

12 PM: Emmett Carlisle

1 PM: Lost safari Drummers

2 PM: Klezmer Katz

3 PM: Brian McMahon Band

We will have informational booths set up in our building.
 

There are over 100 booths filled each year with a wide variety of garden related materials.

Each year over 50 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 10 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 30 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.