Garden Fest

 

BC to host Garden Fest 2011

The Horticulture Department at Bakersfield College is pleased to present their Garden Fest 2011 on Saturday, April 9 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the college's Environmental Horticulture Gardens, now called Renegade Park, which are located on Mt. Vernon Avenue north of Memorial Stadium. Garden Fest will celebrate the horticulture and agriculture programs at Bakersfield College for the seventh year.

"The event is an information outreach event to tell the community about our programs," said Lindsay Ono, Environmental Horticulture faculty at Bakersfield College. "We started our first year as a simple plant sale with nursery seminars in partnership with Kern County garden clubs. Since then, though, we've become bigger and better."

Bakersfield College's Garden Fest 2011 has grown to become Bakersfield's premiere springtime garden event for seasoned "greenthumbs" and novice gardeners alike. Garden Fest 2011 is an open house, featuring Bakersfield College's Environmental Horticulture and Agriculture programs, and draws thousands of visitors annually.

Events scheduled for year's Garden Fest 2011 include Country Garden Seminars on the California Landscape Contractors Country Garden Stage, hosted by Dale "Sultan of Sod" Edwards and Lindsay "The Plant Professor" Ono, with the help of California Living Museum. Along with Ono and Edwards, industry professionals will provide valuable tips and information on gardening, floral design, pet care, cooking and more. The popular "Build-a-Pond" seminar from Buck's Landscape Materials and Pond Shop will return again this year, too. Vendor booths will be available with information on gardening, pets, cooking, outdoor leisure, arts & crafts, and environmentally-friendly home improvement ideas. The annual farmer's market, by the Bakersfield College Renegade Ranch and Murray Family Farms, will have fresh fruits and vegetables ripe and ready for purchase.

Returning again this year is the Mean and Green Car Show, featuring muscle cars and industry-produced hybrid automobiles, and is hosted by the Bakersfield College Agriculture Ambassadors.

More than 150 participants with vendor booths will be part of Garden Fest 2011! Admission is free and some activities require a fee for participation. Proceeds benefit the horticulture program at Bakersfield College.