CAMAS — The 20th annual Camas Plant & Garden Fair will return to historic downtown Camas on Sat., May 13 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. bringing thousands of visitors to town to explore the offerings of local nurseries, growers, and garden artists.
Customers will find a large assortment of trees, plants, flowers, garden art and furniture, planters, veggie starts, birdhouses and feeders, pottery, metal art, flowering hanging baskets, garden benches, stone art, sculptures, herbs, and more. The Plant & Garden Fair hosts over 100 vendors and is organized by the Downtown Camas Association (DCA).
A new addition this year is the “Birch Street Wine Garden” to help celebrate the fair’s 20th anniversary. From noon-4 p.m., customers will be able to relax and enjoy a glass of quality wine and perhaps even learn a bit about the wine process in the Birch Street Uptown Lounge Wine Garden, 311 NE Birch. Their full drink menu will also be available and nearby live music and fresh food vendors will add to the experience.
The fair will have 20 designated vendor experts that customers can talk with to learn more about plants, effective gardening techniques and other related topics. Look for the “yellow sun” signs on expert booth locations. Some of the topics include:
- Attracting birds and butterflies to your garden
- Container gardening
- Hot pepper plants
- Lavender, herbs and pain relieving extracts
- Clematis
- Water gardens
- Rhododendrons
- Beekeeping and pollinating
- Outdoor living spaces
- Japanese maples
- Carnivorous plants
- Geraniums and pelargoniums
The full Plant Fair Expert List and a list of all the fair vendors can be found at www.cwplantfair.org/vendors. Stop by the DCA info booth at 4th & Cedar on the day of the fair and pick up the Expert List and booth locations.
The free Potting Station will be back, this year at 5th and Cedar, so you can plant your plants in the containers you buy before going home.
“We are really growing as a fair and we have over 35 new vendors this year in addition to all our favorites,” says Val Mouser, DCA vendor liaison for the Plant Fair. “We’re excited about all the diversity and quality of the products and are pleased to have a wine garden this year as well. A great way to celebrate our 20th anniversary!”
There will be many engaging activities for kids. A “Find the Ladybug” game is new this year and will be played throughout participating downtown businesses. Players earn tickets to win a Family Gardening Basket for each ladybug they find. Children will also enjoy Rhys Thomas who is returning with his Strolling Jugglemania Show including a giant rose puppet, themed juggling, and many more activities. The Kids’ Zone from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., found on Dallas Street between 3rd and 4th Avenues, will be coordinated again this year by Camas Farmer’s Market and Camp Windy Hill and will include free flower planting, seed sprouting, a worm bin and other garden related crafts and activities. The free petting zoo by 4 Seasons 4H and Camas Camp n Ranch returns as well, bringing goats, bunnies, and more. Many of our sponsors also provide free family friendly activities at their booths as well.
Live music will include Bret Malmquist playing acoustic jazz guitar from 10 a.m.-noon at 4th and Cedar, and Lance Kinniard will perform his popular folk and indie style music from noon-3 p.m. near the wine garden on Birch Street.
Boy Scout Troop 554 will be on hand with their trusty wagons to help citizens transport their purchases as needed.
The DCA will also be hosting a raffle prize drawing with plants, trees, flowers, and more as a fundraiser for the Camas Plant & Garden Fair and scholarships for women. The items will be on display and tickets can be purchased for $5 or 3 for $10 at the DCA table on the corner of 4th and Cedar on the day of the event. The winner will be drawn at 3:30 p.m.
The DCA thanks the generous sponsors of this event which include our main sponsor Waste Connections of Washington-Clark County as well as iQ Credit Union, Lizzabeth A Home Décor and Gifts, NW Natural, Riverview Bank, Pure Wellness, Georgia Pacific, Renewal by Andersen, Gutter Helmet, City of Camas, Columbia Litho Printing and Graphics, Windermere Crest Realty, St. John’s Presbyterian Church, The Calling Church, Closetbox, and Kathleen Hibbs Design.
The DCA is a 501c3 nonprofit Main Street Program, whose purpose is to strengthen and promote Downtown Camas culturally, socially, and economically. For more information on the Plant Fair, see www.cwplantfair.org or www.fb.com/CamasPlantAndGardenFair. For information on the DCA and other downtown events, visit www.downtowncamas.com.
