The Wildflower Show and Pollinator Festival will showcase regional flowering plants and native pollination species at the Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory. The family-friendly festival takes place Saturday, June 24 from 9am-3pm.
"We try to take a look at the biodiversity of the high desert ecosystem and showcase that for people. When you look around our lovely desert landscape, you might not realize how many incredible flowers are ensconced in the various habitats and ecosystems," said Kelli Neumann, programs director at Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory.
At the event, attendees can explore expansive displays, join guided wildflower walks in the botanic garden, listen to educational talks and demonstrations, learn about the bees, explore native plants for sale and peruse the various local vendors. This year, the festival partners with Oregon Natural Desert Association with a headline speaker, educating attendees about the sagebrush sea and importance of flowers in the habitat.
Families and individuals have the opportunity to take home wildflowers from the native plant sale to create their own pollinator garden and watch it grow.
"We are encouraging people to think about native plants when they're around the high desert or doing things in the high desert or landscaping," Neumann told the Source Weekly. "It's really important that people, if they are trying to landscape their area, be encouraged to use [native plant species]."
Sunriver Nature Center's botanical garden has several hundred species of native plants, allowing visitors to identify different flowers, explore the diversity and take in the natural beauty. Adding to the sensory activities, the festival incorporates hands-on activities for kids including flower sketching, flower dissections and a bee-communication dance.
