Fall Festival - Plant Sale & 4-H Open House

Eat, learn, shop, and have fun at this free two-day community event held at Discovery Gardens. Explore the gardens, enjoy educational talks, and shop plants and garden-related craftsonal talks. Visit the 4-H Open House to learn about local youth programs, enjoy hands-on activities and meet our rabbits and chickens!

DATES
Saturday & Sunday
October 10-11, 2026

TIME
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

LOCATION
UF/IFAS Discovery Gardens
1951 Woodlea Rd
Tavares, FL 32778

COST
Free Admission

WHAT TO EXPECT

• Saturday Only
  4-H Open House
  UF/IFAS Displays
  Educational Talks
• Both Days
  Local Vendors (plants, crafts, food

IMPORTANT
No pets allowed. Service animals welcome.

MORE INFORMATION
Carla Fernandez
Residential Horticulture Assistant
carla.fernandez@ufl.edu 

PLANT VENDORS
Calton's Nursery Chianina Microtopia Hartley Farm Citrus Kazumi Garden McCrory's Bromeliads Mincy Farms Plant Sages Scrubland Farmz Struthers Nursery Wonders of Water
CRAFT & OTHER VENDORS
All Good Gifts Central FL Native Landscaping Cornerstone Caregiving Danny Hoffman Woodturnings Doug's Air Plants Mac's Outdoor Design Nature Built Patchwork Place Apiary Patio, Lanai & Tropical Plants by D&J Plant Nativity / Just USA Pocket Flower Co. Regenerative Designs Shara Abel Photography Sheri's Sourdough n' Such Simerly Insurance Group Soulshine in a Jar Spirit Healer's Teas The Grow Food Company Wild Garden Co.
FOOD VENDORS
Fluffy Scoops Taco Power Food Truck The Assador Brazilian Barbecue The Lemon Grove The Dog House The Real Maine Lobster
COUNTY & NON-PROFITS
Butterfly Club South Florida Trail Association Keep Lake Beautiful Lake Beautyberry Chapter, FNPS Lake County Conservation Council Lake County Parks & Water UF/IFAS Lake County 4-H UF/IFAS Commercial Horticulture UF/IFAS Family & Consumer Sciences UF/IFAS Plant Clinic
ENTERTAINMENT
Royal Harbor Jammers Saturday, 10am - 11am Sunday, 12pm - 1pm Blackwater Creek Bluegrass Band Saturday, 11am - 1pm

EDUCATIONAL TALKS SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY

9:30am - Easy Salsa Recipe (with samples)
Speaker: Lori Johnson, UF/IFAS Extension Lake County, Family & Consumer Sciences Agent

10:00am - Plant This, Not That
Plants native to Florida may: use less water, require little or no fertilizer; and add texture and color to your landscape. They also provide food and shelter for birds and butterflies; and add action and drama to your landscape. Join Naturalist Lavon Silvernell to learn how you can bring some of their benefits and beauty to your landscape.
Speaker: Lavon Silvernell, Florida Native Plant Society

10:30am - Bees, Bees, Bees!
Speaker: Giles Paget-Wilkes, Master Gardener Volunteer, Lake County Beekeepers

11:00am - All About Hops
Speaker: Matt Smith, UF/IFAS Extension Lake County, Commercial Crop Production Agent

11:30am - Native Landscaping
Speaker: Christie Leibner, Wild Garden Co.

12:00pm - Compost: The Basic Equation
Speaker: Giles Paget-Wilkes, Master Gardener Volunteer

12:30pm - Show & Tell: Chickens and Rabbits!
Speaker: Dallas Meringolo, UF/IFAS Extension Lake , County Extension Director, 4-H Agent

1:00pm - Restoring Shorelines
Speakers: Luke Valentine and Veronica Dau, Keep Lake Beautiful

1:30pm - What is a Bioactive Terrarium, Aquarium, or Pond?
Speaker: Kyle Trotter, Nature Built

2:00pm - Butterfly Puddlers
Speaker: Sandra Bryan, Master Gardener Volunteer