West Chicago celebrates Blooming Fest on Saturday

West Chicago will celebrate every aspect of gardening during its annual Blooming Fest celebration from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 18, in the city’s downtown.

The 13-year-old garden festival attracts those with green thumbs from throughout the region to the displays along Main Street to get their fill of local and homegrown perennials, annuals, herbs, vegetable plants, trees and shrubs.

Headlining the list of vendors for native plants is the West Chicago Garden Club. Each year, club members divide plants that have thrived in their own gardens, and then pot and label them for sale at Blooming Fest.

Several area nurseries, the West Chicago Community High School Horticultural Club, garden crafters, food vendors, an assortment of West Chicago businesses and local musical talent also will be on-hand.

University of Illinois Extension master gardeners and other plant and tree specialists have become favorite staples of the event. This year they will be joined by representatives of Cantigny Park, The Morton Arboretum, the Lincoln Park Zoo, The Conservation Foundation, and Ball Horticultural who will present ideas, information and demonstrations in a new “Speakers Tent.” The following is the schedule and topics of speakers coordinated by West Chicago Park District:

Ÿ 9 to 10 a.m.: Marvin Miller from Ball Horticultural on “Container Design.”

Ÿ 10 to 11 a.m.: Jim Kleinwachter from The Conservation Foundation on “Native Landscaping/Rain Gardens.”

Ÿ 11 a.m. to noon: Lydia Scott from The Morton Arboretum on “Tree Diversity and the Emerald Ash Borer.”

Ÿ Noon to 1 p.m.” Liza Watson Lehrer from Lincoln Park Zoo on “Urban Wildlife.”

Ÿ 1 to 2 p.m.” Craig Kruckenberg from Cantigny on “Designing Your Garden.”

For an informational podcast or a full schedule of the day’s activities, visit www.westchicago.org or call Krista Coltrin at (630) 293-2200, ext. 139.