SEASONAL FESTIVALS & PLANT SALES
GARLIC PLANTING PARTY & BULB SALE
Celebrate fall and our amazing FONA community with us during our annual Garlic Planting Party & Bulb Sale. Join us on Saturday, October 25th from 11 AM to 3 PM in the Washington Youth Garden. Whether you attended your first FONA event this year, or are a long-time Washington Youth Garden volunteer, all are welcome to attend this free event. Wearing Halloween costumes is highly encouraged!
EVENT SCHEDULE
- 10 AM – 11 AM: Member social and early-bird sale for FONA members (donate any amount to become a FONA member)
- 11 AM – 2 PM: Garlic Planting Party & Bulb Sale, open to the public for all to enjoy! Activities will include:
- A variety of ornamental bulbs for sale (see which decorative bulbs were ordered for the sale)
- Family-friendly art activities
- Garlic planting & vegetable harvesting
- Food tastings
- Garden tours
- Good Company Doughnuts & Cafe: Food truck with lunch and snacks for sale (10 AM – 1 PM)
- 1 PM – 3 PM: The Bulb Sale will continue through 3 PM, or as supplies last
Click the map to view in full screen.
What kind of bulbs can you buy? We’ll have tulips, daffodils, amaryllis, mixed bulb sets, and more for sale! Bulbs are planted in the fall and bloom in spring. Some do well when planted containers, so you don’t need a yard in order to grow them. They are also great pollinators and attract bees and butterflies! View the list of bulbs we have ordered for this sale. Due to shipping issues, we will not have edible garlic for sale.
This event is located at the Washington Youth Garden. Enter the Arboretum through either the New York Avenue (3501 New York Ave NE) or R Street entrances (2400 R Street NE). We recommend people park in the Grove Parking Lot — it’s a short 5 minute walk from there to the garden. Handicap parking is also available next to the garden in the Fern Valley Parking Lot. See the adjacent map for full details, or click the links above to navigate to each lot via Google Maps.
REGISTRATION
Registration for this free event is encouraged but not required. Please let us know you’re coming and to receive important event updates.
WINTER FESTIVAL & CHRISTMAS TREE SALE
Get in the holiday spirit during FONA’s annual Winter Festival & Christmas Tree Sale on Saturday, December 6th! This year’s event includes some exciting new changes from past years. More information is coming soon!
The Winter Festival will take place near the Arboretum’s Visitor Center and will include an artisan vendor village gift market, holiday train ride, food trucks, free family-friendly activities, and more. Apply here to be a vendor at the Winter Festival.
The Christmas Tree Sale will take place in the Grove Lot, and will extend beyond December 6th (dates coming soon). When you buy a Christmas tree at FONA’s sale, a portion of your purchase is donated to FONA and supports our work at the National Arboretum.
LAHR NATIVE PLANT SYMPOSIUM & NATIVE PLANT SALE
The National Arboretum’s Lahr Native Plant Symposium brings together expert speakers for an engaging day of presentations about native plants, pollinators, and ecosystems. FONA’s Native Plant Sale hosts a small number of native plant vendors from across the mid-Atlantic region to sell spring ephemerals and other choice perennials and woody plants.
Both of these events are held together on the same day in late March. Registration for the Lahr Symposium often opens in January.
GARDEN FAIR & PLANT SALE
Celebrate spring at the National Arboretum during FONA’s annual Garden Fair & Plant Sale! This is our largest seasonal festival and is an important fundraiser for FONA. Shop from thousands of plants, browse from dozens of local vendors, and enjoy free family activities. You can also get advice from our expert gardeners.
We will share more details about this event in early 2026. Learn how to become a vendor at this event.
BECOME A VENDOR
2025 Events
FONA is accepting vendor applications for the upcoming Winter Festival on Saturday, December 6th. This event will take place near the Arboretum’s Visitor Center, and will include an artisan vendor village gift market, holiday train ride, food trucks, free family-friendly activities, Christmas tree sale, and more. If you are a local business, artisan, or food truck interested in vending at the Winter Festival, please apply today! A limited number of booths are available and space fills quickly.
2026 Events
Apply today to be a vendor at one of FONA’s 2026 seasonal festivals! Our seasonal festivals draw thousands of visitors to the National Arboretum throughout the year. Each event is unique: the Native Plant Sale connects with native plant enthusiasts; the Garden Fair & Plant Sale provides everything a gardener needs to get growing in the spring; and the Winter Festival offers holiday cheer and a gift market. Apply today if you are a local business, nursery, or food truck interested in vending at one or multiple 2026 seasonal festivals. A limited number of booths are available at each event and space fills quickly.
CORPORATE SPONSORSHIPS
FONA offers many corporate sponsorship opportunities throughout the year at our community events, visitor programs, and annual Dinner Under the Stars. These events connect thousands of people from the D.C. region and beyond to nature, science, and plant stewardship at the National Arboretum. Corporate sponsors gain digital and in-person visibility leading up to and at these events. FONA has over 16,000 engaged followers across Instagram and Facebook and reaches 17,000+ subscribers through FONA Field Notes, our weekly e-newsletter.
Sponsorships are available for a variety of events of different sizes and audiences. They include but are not limited to the Garden Fair & Plant Sale (April), 5K races (March and November), Summer Evening Hours (June through August), Dinner Under the Stars (September), Garlic Planting Party & Bulb Sale (October), and Winter Festival & Christmas Tree Sale (December).
Upcoming event sponsorship opportunities are featured below. Email donations@fona.org to learn more about becoming a corporate sponsor.
Photo by Josh Peterson
Winter Festival Sponsorships
The 2025 Winter Festival & Christmas Tree Sale will take place near the Arboretum’s Visitor Center and Ellipse Meadow on Saturday, December 6th. This festive event typically draws over 1,500 visitors, and features fun for all ages including a Christmas tree sale, a train ride, specialty gift vendors, free family activities, and tasty treats.
FONA offers three event sponsorship levels and welcomes both monetary or in-kind contributions. We are also happy to customize a sponsor package that works best for you. Email donations@fona.org to sponsor FONA’s Winter Festival.
EVENT VOLUNTEERING
Volunteering at FONA’s events throughout the year is a great way to support our work building community at the National Arboretum. Spend a day enjoying plants and people by volunteering at our annual Garden Fair and Plant Sale, or help with other seasonal festivals, concerts, 5K races, and more. No experience is required, but we greatly appreciate when people can commit to volunteering at multiple events throughout the year. Fill out our event volunteer interest form and we will get back to you with more details.
