8th Annual Garden Party and Spring Sale

 

Saturday & Sunday,

April 1st & 2nd

at Community Forklift

 Our Annual Garden Party is a fun-filled event with a ton of landscaping and garden supplies; gardening demonstrations, experts, and vendors; activities for kids; live bands; and local food.  It’s been so popular that we’re extending the party to TWO DAYS this year!

Festivities at 10am – 4pm Saturday and 11am – 3pm Sunday

Shopping from 9am – 6pm both days

The shopping starts at 9am on Saturday…

Throughout the winter, we collect gently-used and surplus lawn & garden supplies as well as outdoor décor and furniture.  Then, we put it all out for your shopping pleasure!  The sale begins at 9:00 am Saturday, but folks start lining up outside the gates even earlier, eager to dig through piles of flowerpots and shovels. (If you can’t get there in the morning, don’t worry – the staff continues to bring out items throughout the weekend.)

The Garden Sale is the Forklift’s biggest fundraiser each year. Proceeds support our work to create green jobs, reduce waste, educate the public about reuse, and provide free supplies to nonprofits and neighbors in need.

Note to early birds:  No lawn and garden supplies are out yet.  The Forklift will not have any garden items available until 9am on April 1st. 

 

Then, the party starts at 10:00 am on Saturday!

There will be prizes for people and pets dressed in garden party finery.

Photo by Carrie Delesky

So find yourself a dapper suit or fancy hat, and check out all the activities in store for you:

 

Local Experts and Teachers

(Saturday Only)

Anacostia Watershed Society
MOM’s Organic Market
Prince George’s County Master Gardener Program
Treincarnation
Veteran Compost

 

Photo by Carrie Delesky

 

Vendors

Saturday only
ECO City Farms will be here with seedlings, already sprouted and ready to go right into your garden.
The Colmar Manor Garden Club will be selling an additional variety of seedlings.
Good Sense Farm & Apiary will be offering their mushroom growing kits and assorted edible mushroom products.
Hyattsville Horticulture Society will be selling vegetable, flower, and herb seeds, along with some helpful gardening books and used garden equipment.
Sol Nectar Farm will have sustainable beekeeping products available, including beehives and honeybee wax.
Tanglewood Works is joining the fun to sell planted arrangements in funky upcycled containers.

Saturday & Sunday
Capitol Hill Art League will be selling their garden-themed artwork.
PERMIE KIDs will be here with a selection of educational gardening resources and food for both kids and adults.

 

Activities for All Ages

Saturday only

  • Big and little Forklift Fans can give hands-on help to our local rivers:  help plant seedlings for the Anacostia Watershed Society to use in restoring wetlands.
  • To win fun prizes and gift certificates, kids (and adults!) can track down trivia at the exhibitor tables to complete the Partner Passport.
Saturday & Sunday
  • Check out fun eco-activities led by Jen from PERMIE KIDs.
  • Hunt down dinosaurs for our Reuseosaur Scavenger Hunt

 

Live Music (Saturday)

11am-12pm: Ballad Of
The DC-based quartet Ballad Of draws its influences from a deep well of both traditional and contemporary musical styles including early blues, Appalachian old-time, experimental classical, & shape-note hymnody.
1pm-2pm: Blue Plains
Blue Plains is a local band with an eclectic flair for the original. Inspired by indie rock, folk, blue grass, jazz and blues, & even the punk movement; you never know what they’ll play next, but it’s sure to be great!
3pm-4pm: Vico Cycle
The Vico Cycle is a group of like-minded musicians based in the Washington, DC metro area who have come together to blend rock, funk, blues, soul, & hip-hop into a lively fusion of raw sound.

 

 

Free Workshops

Saturday (click the titles to learn more, and reserve a seat!)
10am-11am: Introduction to Permaculture, presented by Eric Lewis
12pm-1pm: From Evergreen to Edible, presented by Ramona Winkelbauer, a DC Master Gardener
2pm-3pm: The Benefits & Use of Organic Compost, presented by Fritz and Justen of Veteran Compost
4pm-5pm: Economically Sustainable Honey Bee Keeping, presented by Josh Calo of Sol Nectar Farm

Sunday
11am-3pm: Outdoor Pallet Creations, presented by Matt Menke of Community Forklift and Gary Barnhart of GL Barnhart Construction
11am-3pm: Appraisal Advice, presented by Chris Melendez of Community Forklift, as well as appraiser Jackie Gray.  Bring in your vintage items to learn more about them!

 

Free Tours (Saturday)

12pm: Behind the Scenes at The ‘Lift, led by Ruthie of Community Forklift

2pm: Eco City’s Farm Reuse Tour, led by Kayla of Eco City Farms

 

And delicious local food!

  
Shortcake Bakery (Saturday)
Shortcake Bakery is a 5 year old bakery, located at 4700 Rhode Island Ave, Hyattsville, Maryland. Shortcake exclusively bakes with fresh ingredients, producing products with a homemade taste. They have received numerous accolades from Washingtonian Magazine and the Washington Post. Shortcake will be selling breakfast (and coffee!) in the morning, and desserts throughout the afternoon.
County Manners Food Truck (Saturday)
County Manners is brought to you by Chef Jeremy; a true “County Boy” at heart with deep roots in Southern Maryland. His passion for food was built on cooking fresh caught fish over a campfire on the Potomac River. He created a unique concept by combining traditions passed on to him by family and his years of experience as chefs.  Brisket, pork, and shrimp are his most popular sandwiches (menu subject to change with the seasons), and he’ll also have a vegetarian option available.  He says, “I look forward to bringing you the best of what Southern Maryland has to offer.”
  
Pink Confetti Cupcakes (Sunday)
Pink Confetti is a home-based business which offers uniquely designed cakes for all occasions. “Our elegant wedding cakes, customized cakes, cupcakes, cookies, dairy-free treats, and desserts are made from scratch by the owner and chef, who passionately turns your creative vision into a velvety-sweet reality. We love to share our flair, creating the most delicious and visually appealing sweets.”

Special Thanks to

Riverdale Park Arts Council for the sound system; and photographers Lenzy Ruffin & JoAnna Mak.

So invite your friends, start planning your stylish garden party ensemble, and we’ll see you this weekend!

Ruthie and Matt Garden Party 2013 compressed