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Spring Fever in the Garden 20 Year Anniversary Celebration
This year’s Spring Fever in the Garden will be held the weekend of April 4th & 5th, 2020. It’s an extra special year for the festival, because it’s celebrating its 20 Year Anniversary! The Bloom & Grow Garden Society started this yearly festival two decades ago and it has become Winter Garden’s most anticipated event each spring… and that’s something worth celebrating!
Spring Fever in the Garden is held on Plant St. in Downtown Winter Garden. The event is free to attend, open to the public, and pet friendly. It’s also perfect for every age! This is an excellent opportunity for residents to support both local businesses and the Bloom & Grow Garden Society.
Bloom & Grow Garden Society Mission
“To stimulate a knowledge and love of gardening through promotion and sponsorship of community projects and the protection and sustainability of native habitat. To promote and sponsor educational and horticultural experiences and civic involvement.”
Photo Credit: www.centralfloridalifestyle.com
A Little About Bloom & Grow Garden Society
Founded in 1997, the gardening club has contributed to the natural beauty and preservation of trees, bushes, and plants in the Winter Garden area. They also fund money to give back to the community. To date, they have given over $450K in donations to local charities and non-profit organizations.
Spring Fever In The Garden is the club’s biggest fundraiser of the year. Proceeds from this fun, vibrant, and fresh event go towards funding different nature projects and charitable donations throughout the Winter Garden and surrounding communities. Some of these projects and community service events include:
- Habitat Homes for Humanity
- Maintaining the entrance to Oakland Nature Preserve
- Working in the yard at the Christian Service Center in Ocoee
- Planting trees on Arbor Day
- Providing and maintaining the Gazebo in Oakland Town Square
- Planting plants at the Palm Park in Windermere
- Contributing plants for the butterfly garden on the West Orange Trail
Contributions from The Bloom and Grow Garden Society have gone towards:
- Wekiva Summer Environmental Camp for children
- Landscaping portions of Downtown Winter Garden
- Purchasing bike racks for the new City Hall
All it takes is a step outside in almost any part of Winter Garden to see the selfless work of the members of The Bloom & Grow Garden Society within the community. In fact, if you’ve ever stopped at Chapin Station off of the West Orange Trail, you’ve probably seen the tranquil and peaceful Path of Life tucked under a canopy of mature Oak trees. Or maybe you’ve heard the quiet bubbling of a water fountain splashing into the pond and read the names of Winter Garden families etched into the bricks beneath your feet. This peaceful retreat off the trail was a project designed by The Bloom and Grow Garden Society. The gardening club has absolutely achieved their mission to stimulate knowledge and the love of gardening while helping to protect native plants and birds, and they continue to exceed it each year!
Chalkin’ It Up at Spring Fever in the Garden
Now let’s get into the festivities during the festival! Each year there is an extraordinary chalk art competition. Some of Winter Garden’s most artistic and creative residents come out and show off their talents. Each piece of art is 6×6 feet and is a related to something in nature or gardening. Chalkin’ It Up will begin as early as sunrise on April 4th, 2020. It’s free to enter but there is limited space, so get your application here and turn it in asap, the deadline is 3/20/20.
There are prizes for the following categories:
- Adult individual or group
- Elementary individual or group
- Middle School individual or group
- High School individual or group
- Family group
- $400 for People’s Choice
- $700 for Best in Show
Photo credit: West Orange Times & Observer 2019
Kidzone is the Hot Spot for all the Little Gardeners
Spring Fever In The Garden attracts people of all ages. That is why there is a designated Kidzone designed specially for the youngest gardeners in the city. Booths and activities geared to children use fun ways to teach them about nature and the environment.
Some of the past features have been:
- Dino Dig
- A street juggler along with a stilt walker who does balloon animals
- A seed planting experience and lady bugs exploration
- Mosquito education
- A visit from KC the talking police dog
- Train education
- Three different craft tables
- Water safety education
- Up close and personal interaction with West Orange HS FFA animals
- A large walk-in Butterfly Encounter
- Representatives from the Lake Louise Nature
- An appearance by Smokey the Bear
- Friends from Wendy’s offering ice old Frosty’s
- A puppet show and
- A special presentation from Bikers against Child Abuse
And all of that is just in the Kid-zone!
Entertainment in Front of City Hall
On both days of the festival there will be FREE entertainment located right in from of City Hall. There will be a tent and chairs for you to enjoy area musicians and singers. Some of this year’s entertainment includes:
- The Sandy Back Porch Band
- The Citrus Singers Girl Scout Choir
- Orlando Gentlemen of Jazz & Dixieland
- Scotty Long
- Captain Harry Hann
- And more
For the festivals exact lineup, times, and info about the artists, click here.
At Spring Fever in the Garden You can Ask the Garden Experts
Along with rows of local plant and garden vendors, Chalkin’ It Up, food booths, and Kidzone, there will be an Ask The Expert Gardner’s booth. This booth will give residents the opportunity to speak with experts in a particular field, ask questions, get advice, and learn something new. They have all the answers on topics regarding your landscaping, lawn, garden pests, water conservation or attracting certain wildlife to your yard and more.
Free Plant Pick-Up
Wrapping up all the great things Spring Fever In The Garden has to offer is the free plant pick-up program. Seasoned participants know to bring wagons to haul all of their new, beautiful plants and trees home (seriously there is an abundant amount of beautiful things to buy and bring to your own home, so don’t think you’re going home empty handed.) But for those who buy more than they can carry, a system is in place that allows customers to pull their car right up to a designated area and load their new plants directly into their car.
This event is designed to help Winter Garden residents appreciate the natural beauty of this small town, while supporting local businesses and connecting with neighbors at the same time. Mark your calendar for April 4th & 5th to explore downtown Winter Garden, pick up a few new things for your garden, and support one of the most influential community service clubs in the area. Without The Bloom and Grow Garden Society, Winter Garden would not be the blossoming, beautiful, colorful, fragrant city that it is today.
Erica Diaz Team – Spring Fever in the Garden
If you’ve got a green thumb (or not) you will love living in Winter Garden. Whether you are looking for a home with plenty of outdoor space to plant a garden, or you want to live in a place surrounded by trees and natural fauna. There’s also a yearly festival, Spring Fever in the Garden. It is an elaborate spring festival that brings together local gardeners and the community.
Want to know more about how to put your roots down in Winter Garden? Let the Erica Diaz Team help plant you and your family in this beautiful city.
