Shop, sip, explore, create and learn at the free Point Defiance Flower & Garden Festival in Tacoma happening June 7 and 8.
Featuring more than a dozen self-guided experiences spread across the parks’ eight permanent gardens, visitors will spend the weekend surrounded by color as they enjoy fantastic displays created exclusively for this festival, meet and learn from some of the Northwest’s best-known horticultural experts, listen to live music and explore vendor village featuring nearly 100 local artisans, businesses, farms, nurseries and food options.
General admission to the festival is free with additional ticketed experiences available throughout the weekend including:
- Guided Tours of the Rose and Japanese gardens
- Make and Take Botanical Crafts
- Paint & Sip Workshops (21+)
- Wine and Beer Tasting (21+)
- Wine Garden Happy Hour (21+)
Northwest gardening expert Ciscoe Morris returns as Saturday’s keynote speaker. Bryon Jones, Parks Tacoma’s horticulturist for the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, will appear on Sunday. This year’s lecture series is free for all to drop in and listen to engaging speakers present topics like:
- Beyond the Backbone: Pacific NW Perennials for Resilient Gardens by Anna Thurston
- The History of the Hedgerow: Wild plants as Food, Medicine, and Habitat by Madrone McCarthy and Teresa McKee of Hedgerow Herb Co.
- Happier Houseplants by Sarah Brackman of Girl Run Farm
- Dreamy English Gardens by Justin Henderson
Local wines and beers will be featured in the Rose Garden with tasting packages available all day throughout the weekend. On Saturday enjoy an after-hours happy hour featuring live music for the 21 and over crowd. Bottles of wine will be available for sale on site and proceeds from both bottle sales and tasting packages will benefit the Fort Nisqually Foundation.
Find more information and purchase tickets online at PtDefianceGardenFest.org