See Rock City Gardens Atop Lookout Mtn.

Southern Blooms Festival

Celebrate the beauty of southern blooms during this premiere garden event! This 3 day garden event includes garden tours, workshops, demonstrations, special vendors, book signings, music, and a premiere garden series honoring Rock City's original gardener, Frieda Utermoehlen Carter.

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Southern Blooms Festival

 
 

Click to view slideshow

 

 

Event Hours

May 4, 5, & 6 2012

*Event Included with Regular Rock City Admission
Special Promotions:

Friday, May 4th - all 19, 32, & 80 year olds get in FREE (based on 1932 being Rock City's opening year and its 80th Anniversary)
Saturday, May 5th - every 80th person gets in FREE
Sunday, May 6th - the first 80 people pay only 80 cents

Buy Tickets Link

 

 

 

Event Activities

The Southern Blooms Festival is full of events for the garden enthusiasts!
  • The Frieda Utermoehlen Carter Garden Series - daily lectures by some of the South's foremost horticultural experts
  • Book Signings by our guest lecturers
  • Group Garden Tours led by Rock City's Director of Horticulture and Chattanooga's Master Gardeners will be available each morning. Limited space available, first come first serve. Tours begin promptly at the Rock City Ticket Desk at 9:00am
  • Workshops - daily interactive workshops. Full schedule below.
  • Kids Activities - Make-And-Take Projects and Pictures with Rocky and Friends, daily 10am-4pm. Rock Climbing Wall**, Panning for Gems**, Fairyland Forrest Makeovers**
  • Live music
  • Local artisan vendors will be on site with handmade garden items and related gifts. Vendors include...The Georgia Winery featuring the all new Southern Blooms Blush and Tangerinas featuring functional and fun artwork from reclaimed and recycled materials. Daily 10am-4pm. Vendors will be located near Lovers Leap. 
  • The Hamilton County Master Gardeners in partnership with the Food Bank will host an information table in the Vendor area near Lovers Leap. Master Gardeners will be available for garden questions and planting advice.

**A small additional charge may apply for some activities.

 

Buy Tickets Link

     

 

Event Schedule

The Frieda Utermoehlen Carter Garden Series

Join us on the Cliff Terrace Porch at Lovers Leap as we hear from some of the South's foremost horticultural experts.
Daily, 1:00pm

Friday, May 4 Tom Stebbins
Good Bugs, Bad Bugs: Hands-On Insect Activity Workshop with UT Extension Agent Tom Stebbins

Satuday, May 5

Virginia Willis
Virginia will be sharing some secrets for dressing up your Southern cooking and will share some fun tips during a cold food prep featuring local food.

She will have her books available for purchase and will be available for a meet-and-greet and book signing after the 1pm presentation.


Sunday, May 6

Erica Glasener & Walter Reeves
Getting the Most Out of Your Garden: Erica and Walter will be talking about creating a garden that is not only beautiful but incorporates some edibles...your garden doesn't have to be exclusively one or the other!

They Will have their Gardening in Georgia books available for purchase (Georgia's Gardeners Guide and Month-by-Month Gardening in Georgia) and will be available for a meet-and-greet and book signing after the 1pm presentation.

In addition, Walter will host an interactive workshop at 11am on Sunday about Propagation of Cuttings and will invite people to participate.


Musical Performances

Enjoy live music throughout the park.

Workshop Schedule
Day/Time Workshop Information Location
Daily
10am
Pizza Garden
The Chattanooga Area Food Bank will be leading an interactive Make-And-Take Pizza Garden Workshop each day. Plant your own pizza garden to take home and grow.
Pavilion
Space is limited. Sign up at the Pavilion 1/2 hour prior to workshop.
Daily
3pm
Build-Your-Own Rain Barrel
Coca-Cola will be sponsoring a Build-Your-Own Rain Barrel workshop each day.
Pavilion
Space is limited. Sign up at the Pavilion 1/2 hour prior to workshop.
Daily
10am-4pm

KIDS ACTIVITY: Recycled Newspaper Pots
Make-And-Take Recycled Newspaper Pots and plant your own edible plant seeds activity.
Location T.B.D.
Saturday & Sunday
10am - 12noon
Annual Planting Demonstration
The Rock City Horticulture Team will be leading an interactive workshop demonstration that features an interactive Annual Planting Demonstration. Come learn how we keep Rock City blooming all year long!
Outside the Pavilion
Sunday
11am
Propagation of Cuttings
Walter Reeves will host an interactive workshop about Propagation of Cuttings and will invited people to participate.
Location T.B.D.

Friday
1 - 4pm

Good Bugs, Bad Bugs
Good Bugs, Bad Bugs: Hands-On Insect Activity Workshop with UT Extension Agent Tom Stebbins
Details T.B.D.

 

What's Blooming at Rock City?

In May, look for these southern blooms blooming in our gardens:

  • Rhododendrons
  • Native Azaleas
  • Mountain Laurel
  • Rose Campion

What's blooming at Rock City

 

Community Partner and Sponsor

Community Partner

Rock City is proud to support the Chattanooga Area Food Bank as our community partner for the Southern Blooms Festival. We are partering with Gaining Ground to invite local farms, growers, food artisans, and chefs to be a part of this year's festival.

Chattanooga Area Food Bank

Sponsor

Southern Blooms Festival is Sponsored By Coca-Cola.

 

 

Annual Pass

Buy an annual pass and come back all year for more Special Events: The Birds of Prey Raptors Show & Summer Music Weekends Memorial Day - Labor Day, Rocktoberfest in October, the Enchanted Garden of Lights in the Winter, Shamrock City in March, and EarthDayz in April.

Rock City Annual Pass
For less than the cost of 2 one-day tickets to Rock City, you can purchase an Annual Pass and enjoy Rock City year-round. Each season, there's a new reason to visit.
    Adult: $34.00
    Child: $18.00 (child ages 3-15)
    Family of 4 Pass: $79.00 (includes 2 adults and up to 2 children ages 3-15)
    Family of 6 Pass: $109.00 (includes 2 adults and up to 4 children ages 3-15)

 

 


*Additional charges apply for food, drinks, some activities, & accessories. Rock City Admission is required to enter the park and festival.

 

 

 

 

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Rock City, All Year 'round