SEASONAL FESTIVALS & PLANT SALES
LAHR NATIVE PLANT SYMPOSIUM & NATIVE PLANT SALE
39TH ANNUAL LAHR NATIVE PLANT SYMPOSIUM
Join the U.S. National Arboretum on Saturday, March 28th from 9 AM to 4 PM for a day of engaging presentations about native plants, wildlife, and ecosystems. This event is perfect for the home gardener! You will learn from five expert speakers about:
- Regenerative gardening and agroforestry
- Designing a garden with native plants
- Traditional ecological knowledge and the relationship between people and plants
- Birds and trees at the U.S. National Arboretum
- The intersection of native plant purism and sustainable horticulture
Proceeds from this event directly support the Arboretum’s Fern Valley Native Plant Collection and help cover the costs of hosting the event. Tiered tickets are available to help make this educational program as accessible as possible.
NATIVE PLANT SALE
Stop by FONA’s Native Plant Sale on Saturday, March 28th from 8 AM to 1 PM. This sale is held in conjunction with the National Arboretum’s Lahr Native Plant Symposium. You don’t need to attend the Symposium to shop the sale. But make sure to shop early! In the past, some vendors have sold out by lunchtime.
Our annual Native Plant Sale includes 5 native plant vendors from across the mid-Atlantic region selling spring ephemerals and many other choice perennials and woody plants. This year’s vendors are:
- Hill House Nursery
- Goodman LLC Native Plants & Conservation Consultancy
- Nature by Design
- Seven Bends Nursery
- Pollinator Rare Plants
Please bring your own boxes, wheeled cart, or wagon to transport your plants back to your car. Plant sitting is available so you can leave your plants while you get your car or attend the Lahr Symposium.
These vendors are subject to change. Please note that the Native Plant Sale is not as large of an event as our Garden Fair & Plant Sale, which we will hold on Saturday, April 25th.
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.
GARLIC PLANTING PARTY & BULB SALE
Our annual Garlic Planting Party & Bulb Sale is a great way to celebrate fall and FONA’s community at the National Arboretum! This event takes place each year in the Washington Youth Garden on the last Saturday in October. Attendees can plant garlic, harvest sweet potatoes, try fresh sugar cane juice, and enjoy free nature-based family activities. They can also buy edible and ornamental bulbs to plant in their own gardens. We will share information about the 2026 event in the late summer or early fall of 2026.
WINTER FESTIVAL & CHRISTMAS TREE SALE
Thank you to all who joined us for our 2025 Winter Festival & Christmas Tree Sale! This important annual fundraiser supports our work at the National Arboretum. We hold this event each year in early December. We will share more information about the 2026 Winter Festival & Christmas Tree Sale in the late summer or early fall of 2026.
BECOME A VENDOR
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). Email donations@fona.org to learn more about becoming a corporate sponsor.
Photo by Josh Peterson
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.
