Equality Garden Club has just announced their tenth anniversary Tropical Plant Fair which will be held on November 18 & 19, 2023, at Richardson Historic Park & Nature Preserve, 1937 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors, FL 33305. Club Secretary Pat Ellson has gathered an impressive group of over 40 vendors from around the state of Florida who will be selling a wide variety of native and exotic plants. “We have filled every available space,” she said. Fairgoers will find everything from small aroids, hoyas, and orchids to colorful blooming butterfly plants, shrubs, fruit trees and much more. Food vendors, artists, and crafts workers will complement the selection of plant vendors. And many vendors will be stocking gift items.
The two-day outdoor event – to be held this year on the weekend before Thanksgiving – is Equality Garden Club’s signature annual event. “It’s amazing to think that this is the fair’s tenth anniversary,” said community leader and garden club founder Chuck Nicholls. “In 2013 we realized that there were no other plant fairs in our area, so we decided to go for it.” Chuck, Chip Jones, and Richard Perez were the organizers of the first Tropical Plant Fair, which was held at The Pride Center at Equality Park.
As the fair grew both in size and in popularity, the location was moved to Richardson Park and Nature Preserve. The park provides an ideal setting for the fair. Fairgoers can take a relaxing stroll under the shade of the native oaks, cypress, and towering royal palm trees as they try to decide on their purchases.
“The plants for sale at our fair are grown in our area and will therefore be much more likely to survive in our home gardens than many of the plants available at the big box stores,” said club president Bob Mays. “Our vendors are experts in their fields, and they are very willing to share their knowledge. When buying plants we all have questions such as ‘How much light and water does this plant need, how big will it grow, etc.’ Our vendors will be able to answer these questions – and more – with authority.”
Proceeds of the plant fair benefit the club’s projects and activities including support of local charitable organizations. The club is currently working with Wilton Manors Elementary School to restore their very large butterfly garden. This project will enable the students to learn not only about plants in the garden but also about the amazing lifecycles of butterflies. For the second year the club has also cooperated with the City of Wilton Manors, Fort Lauderdale Orchid Society, and Fairchild Tropical Garden to plant almost 900 native Florida orchids in the trees of Richardson Park. This year’s fairgoers will be able to see the results of this project.
Admission to the event is $5.00, good for both days. There is free admission for children 12 and under. Parking is free in the parking lot of Wilton Manors City Hall across the street, and free shuttles will be running continuously from the parking lot to the fairgrounds. There will be a free plant holding area where fairgoers can temporarily store their purchases until they are ready to leave the event. Park policy does not allow pets on the grounds.
Equality Garden Club is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit club founded in 2010 to provide gardening information and social programs for its members and local communities. The club meets on the third Wednesday of each month at the Hagen Park Community Center, 2020 Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors. Each meeting features a guest speaker, refreshments, door prizes, and a plant raffle. Guests are welcome to attend. More information on Equality Garden Club and A Tropical Plant Fair is available on the club’s website: www.equalitygardenclub.com.
Content Courtesy of Bob Mays and Equality Garden Club
