TROY — Nothing says spring quite like sight of thousands of beautiful flowers at the Capital Region Flower & Garden Expo, March 24-26 at Hudson Valley Community College. The Capital Region’s most anticipated springtime tradition features over 60,000 square feet of themed floral exhibits, fully landscaped gardens, an indoor farmer’s market, retail exhibits, hourly seminars, NYS wineries and food trucks. “Our 2023 theme is ‘Roots.’ We chose Roots because it’s relevant in so many ways. We are going back to our ‘Roots’ by filling the lower-level arena with flower and garden displays. We are growing new ‘Roots’ by adding Food Trucks with breakfast, lunch, and dinner offerings. Our ‘Roots’ are anchored and continue to support Wildwood,” says event manager, Pennie Gonzalez.
“It takes over 12 full months to plan and organize an event this size. After a two year pause and a rebuilding year, we are just so happy to be back in full form. With tireless efforts, we are thrilled to present bigger floral arrangements, more interactive, full-scale garden exhibits, additional educational activities and stations, a better shopping experience, more wineries, more houseplants, and more succulents than ever before,” says Gonzalez. “We are pumped to have the area’s premiere garden centers, designers, and landscape contractors all under one roof; it is a plant lover’s dream come true.”
This year’s event has more than 200 exhibitors including but not limited to: Toadflax Nursery, Northeastern NY Orchid Society, Upstate Property Management, Empire Water Gardens, Poppytree, Goode Farm with Vischer Ferry General Store, Ambiance Florals and Events, Posie Peddler, Weathered Wood with the Rosery Flower Shop, Home Earth Alliance, Dirt and Décor, The Plant Hatch, UPshining Houseplant Shop, The Planter, Green Scapes, Jordan’s Jungle, Troy’s Landscape Supply, Clever Carnivores, George’s Market, Surroundings, Fleurtacious Designs, Renaissance, Felthousen’s Florist and Greenhouse and many more.
Since 1988, the Capital Region Flower & Garden Expo has influenced, educated, and motivated gardeners to get a jump start on their spring plantings through an expansive, non-stop schedule of seminars and demonstrations. The 45-minute presentations are given by local and regional experts, including Fred Breglia of Landis Arboretum; several Master Gardeners from Cornell Cooperative Extension; Chris Grigas of Samantha Nass Floral Designs; Barbara Melera of Harvesting History, Michele Peters of Ambiance Florals and Events; Suzanne Balet-Haight of Balet Flowers & Design; Bill Schwartz of Clever Carnivores; and many more. All seminars are free with paid admission.
Whether you are a flower novice or an expert or you simply someone who wants a break from this gloomy March weather, the Capital Region Flower & Garden Expo will lift you up, inspire you, and give you a glimpse of spring. Additional highlights of the 2023 Capital Region Flower & Garden Expo include:
All new ecological landscape exhibit presented by the Home Earth Alliance featuring a native garden designed to protect pollinators, regenerate biodiversity, mitigate climate change and promote natural beauty for future generations.
Outdoor kitchen and water feature displays.
A marketplace featuring more than 160 farm-to-table, farmer’s market, outdoor living and garden themed retail exhibits, and many unique garden and craft items.
Garden centers and floral shops featuring popular and unique houseplants, succulents, seeds, bulbs and pussy willow.
Free tastings from more than 17 New York State wineries, and distilleries.
Sand Sculpture and butterfly wing murals by artist Phil Singer. Great photo opportunities.
Soil testing by Cornell Cooperative Extension for a minimum donation.
Food Trucks: Iron Works (BBQ), The Mac Factor (gourmet macaroni and cheese) and Food Daddy (tacos and hot dogs).
The 2023 Capital Region Flower & Garden Expo will be held 10 a.m.-6 p.m. March 24 and March 25; and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. March 26. This event is made possible through the generous support of WM Biers, Troy Sand and Gravel, CLA Site, and Cornell Cooperative Extension.
Tickets to the Capital Region Flower & Garden Expo are $15 at the door; children under 10 are free with paid adult. Discount advance tickets are available at www.flowerandgardenexpo.com for $12 through March 23. A three-day admission pass is $33. March 24 is MVP Health Care Senior Day with $11 tickets for individuals ages 62 and older. Limit one discount per admission. A portion of each ticket sold at the Capital Region Flower & Garden Expo will benefit Wildwood. Wildwood provides people and families living with autism and developmental disabilities with the very best innovative supports.
Parking is free at Hudson Valley Community College, McDonough Sports Complex, 80 Vandenburgh Ave.
For more a full seminar schedule and complete list of participating vendors visit www.flowerandgardenexpo.com or follow the show on Facebook.
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