The Penny McHenry Hydrangea Festival

While I adore flowers I’m certainly no gardener….maybe one day I’ll dig in the dirt, but for now I’ll admire from afar.   One of my favorite flowers happens to be the hydrangea….and if you’ve driven down Campbellton Street you may have noticed hydrangeas are popping up everywhere and I don’t just mean across the lawns. 

Hydrangea decorations are popping up on mailbox after mailbox…..that means only one thing here in Douglasville…..

The Fifth annual Penny McHenry Hydrangea Festival is almost here.   This year it will be held on Saturday and Sunday…..June 2^nd and 3^rd.

Penny McHenry was the founder of the American Hydrangea Society.   The festival is given to celebrate her work as she passed away in 2006.  The festival is presented by the Douglas County Tourism and History Commission with the support of the City of Douglasville, Douglas County and various other sponsors.

There is something for everyone even if you aren’t into gardening.   

I’m most excited this year concerning Saturday’s guest speaker…….Vince Dooley.   Yes, THAT Vince Dooley!   He will be speaking at the Douglas County Courthouse in Citizen's Hall at the Douglas County Courthouse at 2 p.m.    Tickets to hear Coach Dooley are $10.00 per person.  The festival website states, “Enjoy Coach Vince Dooley’s presentation filled with motivation, inspiration and humor …..[He] will also make an appearance at the flower show and will have his books available for sale.”

Other paid events on Saturday and Sunday include daytime garden tours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for $25 per person and a Moonlight and Magnolias dinner from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.    A $50 ticket per person includes the opportunity to explore three different gardens at twilight while enjoying hor d’oeuvres, a main course and desserts.  These gardens will be different from the gardens featured in the daytime tour. Tickets for the dinner are ONLY available through the Douglasville Welcome Center and the Douglas County Museum of History and Art.

Free events include the Festival Market on Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the lawn of the Douglas County Courthouse including several vendors  with lots of things to look at and buy – plants, fine arts, antiques, jewelry, food & more

The Standard Flower Show is also free on Saturday and Sunday and will be held in the Douglas County Courthouse Rotunda.  There will be display gardens as well on both days  for you to view created by nationally published and award winning garden designers  at the Cultural Arts Center located at 8652 Campbellton Street in Douglasville from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information you can call 678-838-4449 or visit the official website for additional details and to purchase tickets.  Tickets can also be purchased online or at the Douglasville Welcome Center or Douglas County Museum of History and Art.

See you there!