Hendersonville – Downtown Hendersonville will burst into bloom with the Garden Jubilee festival on May 25 and 26. The festival will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on both days, with more than 200 vendors stretching from Caswell Street to Sixth Avenue along Main Street.
Garden Jubilee has been held for more than 30 years every Memorial Day weekend. Local and regional nurseries will offer ornamental plants, vegetables, and herbs. There will be craft vendors as well as garden essentials including tools, furniture, and decor. There will also be expert speakers and interactive demonstrations throughout the weekend.
In 2023, the Friends of Downtown Hendersonville took over management of the event from the Henderson County Tourism Development Authority.
“Last year was the first year the event was taken over by the Friends of Downtown. We were able to see what the event was all about first hand,” said Terrye Jacobs, Downtown Event Coordinator for the City of Hendersonville. “We’ve been super excited about ramping up for this year and getting everything set up.”
The event will be held rain or shine. Over 200,000 attendees are expected over the course of two days, with many out-of-town visitors. “People do travel quite a bit for this show, from Raleigh and Charlotte and other towns within about a four hour radius,” said Jacobs. “It’s great exposure for our businesses, and an opportunity for people who aren’t here all the time to check out our shops and restaurants.”
Jacobs noted that Garden Jubilee intentionally does not bring in food vendors to encourage attendees to dine at local restaurants.
Jacobs provided tips for visitors to make the most of the festival.
If attendees need assistance or have questions regarding vendors, Jacobs suggests looking for a volunteer wearing a light green Garden Jubilee shirt. There will also be a Downtown Hendersonville information booth at the Historic Courthouse plaza. The Hendersonville Visitor Center will be open and will offer Garden Jubilee information as well as information on other Henderson County attractions, restaurants, and accommodations.
Restrooms will be available at the Visitor Center, the public restrooms on Fifth Avenue, or a restroom trailer beside the Historic Courthouse plaza.
Parking is available in the new parking garage on 5th Avenue for a flat daily rate of $10 per day. Public and private lots throughout town will also offer parking. Hendersonville City Hall is the designated lot for handicap accessible parking. Main Street will be closed to parking at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, May 24 ahead of the festival. Detailed parking information and maps are available on the town’s website, www.hendersonvillenc.gov.
Jacobs suggested bringing a wagon or boxes to help transport purchases, and suggested leaving time to attend the Speaker Showcase sponsored by Parks Ford.
“Our Speaker Showcase has really taken on a life of its own,” said Jacobs. “We have two nationally recognized speakers, plus our local and regional experts. It’s really taken on a life of it’s own.”
Speakers include Bill Quade, who is the Director of Horticulture for the Biltmore Company in Asheville on Saturday. Emmy-winning television host and horticulture expert Bryce Lane will speak on Sunday. The speaker line up is completed by local experts including popular speakers The Shady Ladies, Kay Campbell and Brenda Rosbrook who have over sixty years of gardening experience between them. “Locally, they’re very famous in their own right,” said Jacobs.
In addition to the Speakers Showcase, there will be the Lowe’s Outdoor Experience at the Visitor Center stage featuring kids’ activities, demonstrations, and displays of lawn and garden equipment with a focus on electric equipment and cutting-edge technology.