Come Visit the NC State Fair Native Gardens
The North Carolina Native Plant Society via the “Triangle” Reid Chapter has maintained a permanent native garden in the Flower Show area of the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh for 18 years. In 2022 we added a new garden and information booth.
The 2024 State Fair runs from October 17-27. Be part of this exciting outreach opportunity that educates thousands of fairgoers over 11 days. Getting the word out on the value of native plants and promoting our mission to the public is the most important job we have as members of the NC Native Plant Society.
Activities will include native plant giveaways, educational hands-on activities, acorns for children, a Venus Fly Trap display and plenty of information.
This is the largest NCNPS outreach event in the state. You will not want to miss it! Come help us spread the word on the importance of planting natives! Volunteers are always welcome and you can sign up while you are there.
This year we have added one more garden to highlight the NC Native Plant Nurseries. After hosting Native Plant Nurseries as guests in the NCNPS Booth for the past two years, we have secured an exhibit space just for them this year.
NC native nurseries have been invited to staff the exhibit during the State Fair from 9 am – 5 pm for an opportunity to share information about their nursery and native plants.
Over twenty nurseries statewide have donated plants for the exhibit. Chapter members have prepared and planted the exhibit, which will showcase fall flowers and grasses in a meadow, fall berry/leaf color in a part sun wooded site and an area for wetland plants.
It will have a large banner across the top of the exhibit, a sign with the outline of North Carolina with each participating nursery posted geographically, and their nursery information shown on a companion display.
Stop by to visit the nurseries while at the fair.
An update of nurseries attending the fair and those who donated plants will be out soon.
We have been inviting and sharing our booth with like-minded organizations since 2022. They are all returning this year and perhaps a few new partners. The message that native plants help support our ecosystem and the wildlife that live there is so vital we thought it was important to have others join us to share what their organization does to promote native plants.Our returning organizations are the Coastal Landscapes Initiative, Local chapters of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation, Friends of Plant Conservation, North Carolina Botanical Garden, New Hope Audubon, Wake Audubon, and Wild Ones of Central Carolina. The schedule will be created once all are final. Seems like the Native Gardens are the place to be at the State Fair!