SEASONAL FESTIVALS & PLANT SALES

GARDEN FAIR & PLANT SALE

Join us for the annual Garden Fair & Plant Sale on Saturday, April 26th from 9 AM to 4 PM (rain date Sunday, April 27th). Shop from thousands of plants, get expert gardening advice, browse 30 local vendors, and enjoy free family activities.

EVENT SCHEDULE

  • 8 AM: Arboretum opens to the public. Members may start lining up outside the Plant Sale tent for members-only hours.
  • 9 AM – 11 AM: Members-only hours in the Plant Sale tent. The Vendor Village is open to the public during this time. Donate any amount to become a FONA member and get early access.
  • 11 AM – 4 PM: Both the Plant Sale tent and Vendor Village are open to the public. Free family-friendly activities are offered by DC Child Care Connections from 11 AM to 3 PM.
  • 4 PM: Event ends. All visitors must pick up their plants from plant sitting by this time.
  • 5 PM: Arboretum closes to the public.
map of arboretum grounds for the 2025 garden fair

Click the map to view in full screen.

PARKING & SHUTTLES

  • Attendees must park at either the R Street parking lot near the Visitor Center or the Grove parking lot. Parking is free.
  • A free shuttle service will run between the parking lots and the event, which will be held in the New York Avenue parking lot. Shuttles will run from 7 AM to 5:30 PM.
  • A limited number of handicap parking spots are available in the New York Ave lot. No other event parking is allowed in this lot.
  • A pedestrian pathway connects the R Street lot to the event. Please use the pathway if you walk to the event so cars can safely use the road.
  • Per the spring traffic plan, cars can only drive one way through part of the Arboretum.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

  • There are no discounts on plants.
  • Plan to pay with a credit or debit card in the Plant Sale tent (no cash sales).
  • Dogs are not allowed in the Plant Sale tent, but are allowed on leash in the Vendor Village. Bringing your dog is not recommended since the event can get very crowded.
  • A limited number of shopping carts are available. Shopping carts must stay in the Plant Sale tent area.
  • In the event of inclement weather, we will send an email on Friday with alternative arrangements.

Please register below to let us know you’re coming and to receive important event-related updates.

FONA member with plants at the Garden Fair & Plant Sale

EVENT OFFERINGS

Scroll through the tabs to learn more about the event.

EVENT REGISTRATION

FONA member with plants at the Garden Fair & Plant Sale

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 2025 event in the late summer or early fall of 2025.

Emi and Erin in Washington Youth Garden for the Garlic Planting Party

CHRISTMAS TREE SALE

Thank you to all who joined us for our 2024 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 2025 Tree Sale in the late summer or early fall of 2025.

Christin, a FONA staff person, helps visitors select a christmas tree during the annual christmas tree sale.

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.

visitors and their dog holding plants purchased from the native plant sale

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.

garden fair volunteers get ready for the event

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