NC State Fair, 2022 Native Garden Volunteering

The Margaret Reid (Triangle) Chapter has been busy getting ready for the NC State Fair. In addition to the permanent garden installed in 2006, this year we received a new demonstration garden space and a covered open-air booth. We asked for plant donations, and we received over 300 plants (59 species) from 14 NCNPS members to help fill out our gardens. Twelve members spent more than 200 hours preparing the gardens, installing patio stones, and planting and caring for all those plants. New signs are on order to install at each entrance. We can’t wait for you to see the gardens.

• New opportunities for educational outreach

Our larger footprint at the Fair offers us more opportunities to share the importance and value of native plants: the covered booth will have posters, resources, and volunteers to answer questions and speak with many more Fair visitors; the patio stones in the new garden will provide a fun place for children’s activities; garden interpreters will have two gardens full of native plants to show our visitors; and we will present a 20 minute talk three times a day for 8 days of the fair on why and how to add native plants to your yard.

• More space means more volunteers Click here to Sign up to volunteer

This will be an exciting year to volunteer in our native plant gardens. We are asking for three volunteers per shift and three shifts per day. Consider more than one shift or plan to spend the day with us! Each shift will consist of three positions. If you have a preference, tell us in the comment box on SignUpGenius.
⇒ Garden Interpreter – will be outside in the gardens interpreting the native plants and their benefits.
⇒ Covered Booth Interpreter – will have the opportunity to be more engaging at the booth and assist with garden information.
⇒ Roving Educator – will conduct children’s activities, assist in the gardens, and offer other volunteers a break if needed.
If you want to present one of our talks, there is a sign-up under each shift that has a talk available. The talk will be 20 minutes on the Flower Show stage that backs up to our booth. The script and list of props and visuals will be sent to you in time to prepare. You will give away native plants at the end of each talk. This is a great opportunity to spread the word and convert people to native plants.

• Partnerships

We thought it would be fun to invite partners to share our space this year. We are inviting organizations that share our love of native plants to spend a day with us at the fair to help us reach more visitors and promote their organization. Likewise, NC native plant nurseries will be donating plants for the talks and to give away with a donation to NCNPS. Some will even be spending a day with us and be the go-to on where to find native plants. A schedule of who is coming when will be out when all is confirmed.

Be part of this exciting outreach opportunity to educate thousands of fair-goers over 11 days. Getting the word out on the value of native plants is the most important job we have as members of the NC Native Plant Society so sign up today!