Next Gardenfest – April 3,2027

Gardenfest is the annual garden extravaganza hosted by the volunteer Boone County Master Gardeners (BCMG). It’s a popular event with over 800 people attending at the Farm Bureau Community Building at the Boone County Fairgrounds. Each year the first 400 attendees will receive a free native tree seedling. The Master Gardeners have several tables offering soil testing, native seed packets, information about invasives, rain gardens, ask a Master Gardener gardening questions, community gardens and how to become a Master Gardener. In addition there is the Pansy Patch with kids’ activities and the Potting Shed selling gently used garden items. Over twenty vendors also participate.

Here’s our flyer from Gardenfest 2026.

38th Annual Boone County Gardenfest Draws Record Crowd

This is the article written by Tom Ewing that appeared in the Lebanon Reporter on April 20, 2026.

The gardening season officially opened Saturday. Officially, that is, for the 906 people – a record attendance – who came to Gardenfest, the annual gardening extravaganza at the Boone County 4-H Fairgrounds in Lebanon, hosted and organized by the Boone County Master Gardeners. It was the 38th annual Gardenfest event.

As in years past, a long line of garden enthusiasts waited to enter the world of plants, garden accoutrements and valuable information – from soil testing to expert advice on controlling invasive species, as well as lectures from gardening experts. The all-volunteer Boone County Master Gardeners work with the Cooperative Extension Service of Boone County and Purdue University. Their common goal is to promote sound gardening practices and provide research-based information about gardening.

Amelia Braga is Boone County Master Gardeners Association president. She is also the Boone County Solid Waste Management District educator. Braga emphasized that Gardenfest itself serves as a key venue for the gardening-education mission.

“Look at the topics covered today,” Braga said. “People can arrange soil testing through the County Soil and Water Conservation District. They can sign up for seminars on numerous topics, like composting, for example. They can get help about controlling invasives or get information about pollinators or native plants.”

Gardenfest is a fun event, Braga said, but it also provides a more serious function for the Master Gardeners – serving as an education resource early in the gardening season, providing information and support all year long.

Boone County Solid Waste Management District helped with program printing costs and provided recycled shopping bags and sunflower seeds in biodegradable pods. The District gave away a composting bin as a prize.

GreenCycle, the mulch, topsoil and materials producer, helped with printing costs, and along with Jones Greenhouse and Dull’s Tree Farm, helped with supplies for the Pansy Patch, the area set aside for kids to get their hands dirty.

Gardenfest is important for vendors and attracted 24 vendors this year, some traveling quite a distance. Benedict’s Nursery, for example, is based in Nappanee, IN, about 2.5 hours away, just south of South Bend. Benedict’s specializes in miniature plants, e.g, mini hostas, sedums and “hens and chicks.” Gardenfest provides valuable exposure to these specialty plants. This was Benedict’s 9th Gardenfest.

Another returning vendor was Davidson Greenhouse & Nursery, of Crawfordsville. Gardenfest offered Davidson’s new owner – Hannah Yund – a chance to meet and interact with many of Davidson’s Boone County customers who frequently drive to Crawfordsville.

A new vendor was RJ Noggle, which specializes in western red cedar bird houses and feeders, specially designed to attract birds and support hatchlings. Owner Rob Noggle, who lives in Boone County, said that Gardenfest was an opportunity to expand beyond Internet sales. “Gardenfest shows provide really good exposure,” he said, adding that “birdhouses fit right in with gardens. After all, birds eat insects.”

Community Service

Gardenfest also serves as a fundraiser for the Boone County Master Gardeners. Seed and food sales this year were brisk. The profit from this event helps support gardening projects in Boone County. In 2026, for example, Master Gardeners are helping to fund an agricultural science program at Western Boone High School and to help the Boone County Historical Society restore the Cragun House Flower Bed. The Master Gardeners also help with college scholarship money for students pursuing degrees in horticulture and plant sciences.

The Master Gardener program starts with a rigorous 14-week training course. Then, for certification, students must complete 40 volunteer hours and 12 hours/year after that, in addition to follow up education. For more information, contact Andrea Hatfield at alhatfie@purdue.edu or 765-482-0750.

Get ready: Gardenfest next year is April 3, 2027.

Photos from Gardenfest 2026