Lavender Festival returns to Jackson Square
The 26th Jackson Square Lavender Festival will return to Historic Jackson Square on Saturday, June 20, featuring more than 140 artisan vendors, local lavender farms, live entertainment and family activities.
The festival celebrates health, local creativity, environmental awareness and lavender products from across East Tennessee.
The main event, a free herb fair, will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Additional ticketed events throughout the weekend include a Tennessee wine tasting, a garden tour and an herb lunch.
More than 140 juried artisan vendors will offer handmade and locally grown products, including pottery, woodworking, ironwork, baskets and other crafts. Food vendors and food trucks also will be on site.
Festival organizers noted that Kathy Mihalczo of Erin’s Meadow Herb Farm remains the only vendor to participate in all 26 festivals. Scott Eatherly of Baskets & Chairs returns for his 22nd year as an artisan vendor.
Returning vendors include Smoky Mountain Lavender, Garden Treasures, Gardener’s Wisconsin Cheese & Sausage, TN Naturescapes, Frog Juice, Custom Copperworks & Blacksmithing, Tryon Mountain Farm, Locally Grown, Watson’s Stained Glass and The Empirical Herbalist.
New vendors this year include Full Moon Tea Company, Oakville Iron Works, Secret Mountain Pottery, White Pine Leather, Special Growers, The Pickle People, Roth Art Photography and Maple Creek Woodworks.
Eight lavender farms from across the region will offer fresh-cut and dried lavender, culinary products and bath and body items. Participating farms include Ever After Lavender, French Broad Lavender Farm, LoCo Lavender, Midfield Lavender, MGM Lavender Farm, Smoky Mountain Lavender, Fair Winds Lavender and J&C Local Farms.
Free activities will include live music on two stages, educational presentations, children’s activities and demonstrations. Educational sessions will cover topics such as growing lavender in East Tennessee, butterflies of Tennessee, turmeric and medicinal herbs, and recycling.
Children’s activities will include The Art Spot, Pendleton’s Playground Carousel, the Nourish Kids Club spin-art bicycle, a Home Depot building workshop and The Kid Creator Art Workshop.
A Tennessee wine tasting on Saturday will feature four local wineries and more than 20 wines and ciders. Proceeds will benefit United Way of Anderson County.
The Tour of Gardens will showcase landscapes in the Royal Troon Circle neighborhood.
Additional information and tickets are available at JacksonSquareLavenderFestival.org.
