Host Janet Michael sits down with Melanie Mullinax, Communications and Event Manager at Blandy Experimental Farm, to get all the details on the 36th Annual Garden Fair — one of the Shenandoah Valley's most beloved Mother's Day weekend traditions.

Event Details

📅 May 9th & 10th, 2025
⏰ 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM both days
📍 Blandy Experimental Farm / State Arboretum of Virginia
🎟️ Tickets: $12/car online | $20/car at the gate
🌧️ Rain or shine

Buy Tickets: https://blandy.virginia.edu/garden-fair

Members & Volunteers Preview Night

- Friday, May 8th | 5:00 – 7:30 PM

Open to Blandy members and volunteers only (~250 tickets)
Includes a charcuterie box + glass of wine or beer
First access to all vendors before the weekend crowds
Food & drink: Tom's Traveling Coffee, Bruster's Ice Cream (preview night only)

What to Expect

63 vendors including plants, native species, gifts, home décor, and garden supplies
Blandy-grown plants nurtured by Assistant Curator Carrie Whitacre (started in February!)
Highlighted vendors: Digging Daylilies, Sherry's Garden Decorations, Medina Mercantile, Temalle (Ghanaian baskets), Wild Birds Unlimited
Environmental nonprofit booths with info on local conservation
Kids' Scavenger Hunt — collect stamps from nonprofit booths, win a marigold grown at Blandy
Arboretum Tours: Saturday & Sunday at 1:00 PM, led by Director David Carr and Curator T'ai Roulston
Live music: 10:30 AM – 3:30 PM both days
Beer and wine available on-site
Picnic tables for resting and enjoying food/music

Food Vendors

Bam Bam's Barbecue
Sara Festivals
The Laughing Crab (Chesapeake Bay crab cakes)
Hot Mama's Biscuits (new this year)
Tom's Traveling Coffee
Burg Charcuterie (Fredericksburg area)

Pro Tips

Bring your own wagon or cart — Blandy's ~100 Radio Flyer wagons go fast
Your own wagon means you can take it to the parking lot (Blandy wagons must stay on-site)
Consider arriving around noon: eat, listen to music, take the 1 PM arboretum tour, then shop
Grab a program at the entrance — it includes a vendor map with a key

Volunteer Opportunities Blandy needs 70–100 volunteers for setup, the event itself, and teardown. Volunteers receive free admission and an invitation to Preview Night.

Connect with Blandy 🌐 blandy.virginia.edu

Bring Your Wagon: A Guide to Blandy's Garden Fair