Oak Ridge Today

Photos: Lavender Festival

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Lavender Festival Overview

The 16th annual Lavender Festival was Saturday in Jackson Square in Oak Ridge. The Oak Ridge FARM Market is in the foreground, and the festival is in the background. (Photos by Ray Smith)

 

The 16th Annual Lavender Festival was on Saturday in Jackson Square in Oak Ridge. The herb fair included more than 100 vendors, exhibits, and demonstrations featuring products and information related to gardening, cooking, health, aromatherapy, and all things herbal. 

Throughout the square, vendors offered live plants, herbs, art, crafts, herbal products, jewelry, baskets, pottery, wooden utensils, and more. Sample foods made with herbs were available, and there was also grilling with herb demonstrations by local chefs.

The Oak Ridge FARM Market was open across the street from the festival, local musicians were featured throughout the day, and children’s activities were available.

Vendors said they were very busy at the well-attended festival on Saturday morning. An afternoon storm dampened the activities, but many festival-goers continued to shop and enjoy the music. [Read more…]

Reminder: Lavender Festival on Saturday

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Lavender Festival

The 16th Annual Lavender Festival will be held on Saturday, June 21, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Oak Ridge’s Historic Jackson Square. This herb fair is a perennial favorite of folks from all around and focuses on all that is fresh, healthy, and good for the body and soul.

The Lavender Festival transforms Jackson Square into a hub of activity, information, fun, and of course, lavender. More than 100 vendors, exhibits, and demonstrations will offer products and information related to gardening, cooking, health, aromatherapy, and all things herbal.

The Lavender Festival doesn’t just celebrate lavender. It also features the International Herb Association’s “Herb of the Year,” which this year is Artemisia. Artemesia isn’t just one herb, but a species which includes Tarragon, Mugwort, Wormwood, and Sweet Annie. Gardeners, cooks, and nature enthusiasts can be sure to find useful information about how to use Artemesia in healthy and beautiful ways. Visit the booth in front of the Jackson Square fountain to learn more about Artemesia this year.

Throughout the square, vendors will be offering all varieties of live plants, herbs, art, crafts, herbal products, jewelry, baskets, pottery, wooden utensils, and more. Sample foods made with herbs will be available from 9 to 11 a.m., with grilling with herb demonstrations by local chefs from 1 to 3 p.m. [Read more…]

Lavender Festival in Jackson Square on June 21

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Lavender Festival

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The 16th Annual Lavender Festival will be held on Saturday, June 21, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Oak Ridge’s Historic Jackson Square. This herb fair is a perennial favorite of folks from all around and focuses on all that is fresh, healthy, and good for the body and soul.

The Lavender Festival transforms Jackson Square into a hub of activity, information, fun, and of course, lavender. More than 100 vendors, exhibits, and demonstrations will offer products and information related to gardening, cooking, health, aromatherapy, and all things herbal.

“I wouldn’t miss it,” said Betsy Prine of Knoxville, who has attended the festival for about five years. “I love gardening. I love to see so many vendors together, and I love that it’s all natural.”

The Lavender Festival doesn’t just celebrate lavender. It also features the International Herb Association’s “Herb of the Year,” which this year is Artemisia. Artemesia isn’t just one herb, but a species which includes Tarragon, Mugwort, Wormwood, and Sweet Annie. Gardeners, cooks, and nature enthusiasts can be sure to find useful information about how to use Artemesia in healthy and beautiful ways. Visit the booth in front of the Jackson Square fountain to learn more about Artemesia this year. [Read more…]

Organizers could consider separate weekends for Secret City, Lavender festivals

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Crowd at Secret City Festival

Thousands of people enjoy the Secret City Festival each year, including the Friday and Saturday night concerts.

Most years, the Secret City and Lavender festivals fall on the same weekend in June.

This year, due to the way they’re scheduled, the two festivals landed on separate weekends. And that gave organizers an opportunity to see how the festivals would do on separate weekends.

[Read more…]

Letter: Thanks Barbara Ferrell and team for another great Lavender Festival

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To the Editor:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Barbara Ferrell for all the hard work she put into pulling together another successful Lavender Festival this year. Judging from the crowd and the number of venders I witnessed on Saturday, I would venture to guess that the 15th annual event was the best yet. Barbara and her great team of volunteers are to be commended for their hard work and dedication to this community!

As a corporate sponsor for the Lavender Festival for several years, Cowperwood Company is proud to be associated with an event that celebrates good food; arts and crafts; great local entertainment; and locally grown herbs and produce. But more importantly, we are proud to be involved in an event that celebrates our great community by bringing people together for a common purpose. It seems we sometimes get caught up in the mess of making sure the city continues to prosper, and, as in most communities, we tend to “stake our sides and dig our heels in” on very important issues. So the Lavender Festival is a great opportunity for us to be involved in celebrating all that is good about Oak Ridge! [Read more…]

Lavender Festival returns to Jackson Square on Saturday

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Lavender Festival

Celebrating all things herbal in Oak Ridge, the Lavender Festival returns to Historic Jackson Square on Saturday. It’s the festival’s 15th year, and it’s scheduled from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

The free festival features food and music, and close to 100 vendors. They will have plants and herbs, and products related to gardening, cooking, health, and aromatherapy, in addition to fine art and crafts. There will also be booths for children, with crafts, a dinosaur exhibit, and street performers.

Festival-goers can sample foods made with herbs from 9 to 11 a.m. and watch a grilling-with-herbs demonstration by Market House chefs beginning at 1 p.m. Live music will be performed by local musicians throughout the day. Informative presentations and workshops will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. inside the CapitalMark Bank and Trust building next to the playhouse. [Read more…]

Lavender Festival in Oak Ridge this past weekend

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Gourd Vendor

Elese P. Steward Meadows, left, sells decorated gourds at the 14th Annual Lavender Festival in Oak Ridge on Saturday.

The 14th annual Lavender Festival in historic Jackson Square was in Oak Ridge this past weekend.

There were many repeat vendors, such as Erin’s Meadow Herb Farm and Heaven Scent, as well as musical performances and food. Performers included Allen McBride, Liz and Tim, and Frost Bottom Boys.

[Read more…]

Lavender Festival at Jackson Square this weekend

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The 14th annual Lavender Festival in historic Jackson Square is happening this Friday and Saturday, and it features herbs, music, food and crafts.

There will also be demonstrations, such as information about growing  your own lavender, “Herbs for Radiant Skin,” and learning about extracting botanical waters.

[Read more…]

Jackson Square hosts Lavender Festival on June 16

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A vendor at the Lavender Festival

A vendor sells herbs at the Lavender Festival. (Photo submitted by Charlie Samuels)

Oak Ridge’s Historic Jackson Square will host the 14th Annual Lavender Festival on Saturday, June 16, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The festival will feature information and products related to gardening, cooking, health, and aromatherapy. There will be plants and herbs for sale as well as arts and crafts. Children’s activities will include blow painting, seed planting, a sachet workshop, and more.

[Read more…]