The gates have closed on our 2019 Fair. Thank you to each of our vendors, all the Master Gardener volunteers, and to everyone that attended this year. Save the date for next year:
2020 Fair Dates: May 2nd, 9 am – 5 pm & May 3rd, 9 am – 4 pm
Every year we invite over 140 of your favorite garden vendors to the Fairgrounds and Event Center in Canby. Our two day event also has plenty of free attractions for gardeners of all ages. You can read a more about our event below.
Garden Fair Passport – printed on the front of the Gate Brochure.
Complete your passport for a chance to win a container garden, or one of our special Birthday gifts. Visit the following 5 locations – Potting Station (row L) New Plant Introductions (row F & G), pH Soil Testing (4-H Hall), Ask A Master Gardener (4-H Hall and row F & G). Volunteers will stamp the passport squares on your brochure. When all 5 squares are stamped you may enter a drawing. Each location will have drawing slips and a jar for entering. Drawings will be held on Saturday at 1 and 3 pm and Sunday at 3 pm. You need not be present to win. Have fun, and Good luck!
10-Minute University™ : Classes are included with your admission to the fair – so take a break from your shopping and stop by Clackamas Hall for one of our information packed sessions. Each class is around 30 minutes long, and comes with a handout.
| Saturday, May 4 – 2019 | Sunday, May 5 – 2019 | ||
| 10:00 | Pruning Trees & Shrubs | ||
| 10:30 | Growing Tomatoes | 10:30 | Growing Tomatoes |
| 11:00 | Growing Blueberries | 11:00 | Growing Blueberries |
| 11:30 | Planting Tips based on Research | 11:30 | Planting Tips based on Research |
| 12:00 | Successful Vegetable Gardening | 12:00 | Successful Vegetable Gardening |
| 12:30 | Growing Roses | 12:30 | Gardening in Raised Beds |
| 1:00 | Gardening in Raised Beds | 1:00 | Growing Tomatoes |
| 1:30 | Growing Tomatoes | 1:30 | Growing Blueberries |
| 2:00 | Growing Blueberries | 2:00 | Pruning Trees and Shrubs |
10-Minute University was developed in 2006 to fill the need to educate the public about gardening. The first classes were held in at the Spring Garden Fair in Clackamas Hall. You can find out more about this program by following this link: 10-Minute University webpage
Plant Taxi Service: Students from local schools work for tips and donations as a fundraiser for extra activities. This year we have 4 groups taking care of you: Canby High Horticulture Club, Baker Prairie Middle School, Molalla High School & Canby High Leadership Class. You can flag them down inside the main gate and between the restrooms and Clackamas Hall, across from row L. Plant taxi’s first appeared on the scene in 2006, and are a favorite feature of the Fair.
Exhibits Hall: You’ll find the following: educational displays, children’s activities, Ask a Master Gardener™ Clinic, Spring Garden Fair Raffle, pH Soil Testing, inside seating for the Good Thyme Food Court, and Coffee Thyme and more! We are located in the 4-H Hall building, look for our big green roof. Want to know who’s coming? Check out the list on the right.
Free pH Soil Testing: Located inside the Exhibits Center in 4H Hall. We will test soil samples taken from your garden for proper pH and make recommendations how to correct low or high pH. Please bring no more than 6 samples for testing. Use plastic baggies with about 1/2 cup of your soil. Mark each bag with the location from which it was collected. Since we need an hour to do the testing please get your soil samples to the “testers” one hour before the days quitting time. Our hours are Saturday 9 – 4 and Sunday 9 – 3. Click for the handout from 10 Minute University™ about Testing Soil pH. Soil Testing has been a part of the Spring Garden Fair since 1985.
Ask a Master Gardener™ : We will have two locations for your questions, outside in a tent in the vendor area and another inside the 4-H Hall. Bring your home and garden plant or pest question to us and we will give you researched based answers and advice.
Silent Auction featuring New Plant Introductions: Come into the New Plant Introduction and Silent Auction tent to view the new plant introductions for this year. The silent auctions run on both Saturday and Sunday; and you need not be present to win the auction, but if you have the top bid the item must be picked up between 2 & 3 that same day. Look for them on row F/G in the front of the center section. You can’t miss that big yellow banner!
The Silent Auction has been part of our fair since 1986, with New Plant Introductions being added to the auction in 2009. This popular feature is a great way to add the latest plants to garden, and help support the Master Gardeners efforts here in the Portland Metro area. Check out the list of plants for this year’s fair – link on the right.
Garden Fair Raffle: What a great way to add to your plant collection! Donations come from several of our vendors and area merchants. (Many thanks to all who donate!) And the proceeds add to our ability to support our local OSU Extension and other community projects. Since 1986 the raffle has been a favorite feature of our Fair. Look for volunteers wearing their yellow and green aprons, walking around selling tickets, inside 4-H Hall or in the raffle area between row L and M.
4/ $1.00 tickets: Drawings are held hourly from 10 to 4 on Saturday and 10 to 3 on Sunday. (Prizes will be determined after the Fair begins, and must be picked up the days they are chosen)
Grand Prize Tickets $1.00 each: Winners are drawn at 3:30 on Sunday, and you don’t have to be present to win.
Grand Prize sponsors:
- H and I Stone Casting – space Q1
- Timberpress Books – a set of gardening titles
- Oregon Turf and Tree Farms — 500 square feet of turf
- Clarks Lawn & Garden Equipment — Generously donates a mini-tiller!
- Portland Rose Festival Foundation — Rose Festival Ticket package including passes to CityFair and Grand Floral Parade
Pots for Sale – the Potting Station: A fairly new addition, the Potting Station was first seen during our 2008 fair. If you buy a new plant at the Fair, choose and purchase a pot and Master Gardeners will provide free potting soil for your new container and plant. Several nurseries will also have displays of what they sell and possible planting combinations for inspiration. Look for the big blue tent in front of row L.
Free Plant-Check: Drop off your purchases and volunteers will hold them until you are ready to venture home. Pick-up is easy with a drive up area to get you on your way quickly. Located in Rosebrook Arena, towards the back of the fairgrounds. Just look for the green and white banners! Plant-Check closes at 4:30 on Saturday, and 3:30 on Sunday. And please don’t forget to pick up your plants before you leave for the day!
Good Thyme Food Court: Since 2011 the food court has been tempting shoppers – this year they are serving up BBQ, Taco’s, Kettle Korn, Apple Fries, and everything in between. Look over the menu on the right for our full selection. And Mark Seymour will be playing for us again on Saturday from 11 – 2. Check it out! https://www.facebook.com/mark.seymour.music/
Coffee Thyme: In 2012 we created a place to relax inside the Exhibits Center in 4H Hall and enjoy a quick treat. It will be warm and dry if it’s gloomy outside. Introducing our newest vendor – Baker’s Prairie Bakery will be tempting you with sweet treats and serving hot coffee.
Greater Portland Iris Society annual Early Show on Sunday. The Iris Society joined us in 2015, and has become a Sunday staple on the porch of the Main Pavilion. This event showcases the many different early blooming irises, and will be judged by American Iris Society judges. Judging of horticulture iris flowers and floral arrangements starts at 10 am to 12 noon. The public is welcome to watch the judging. Nana Bellerud, the past President for the Ikebana Schools of Portland will hold a class at 2:30 to 3:00 in the Main Pavilion – “Iris for the Pacific NW” with a handout, list, and suppliers. Grand Floral display provided by the Ikabana Schools of Portland. Greater Portland Iris Society is an affiliate of the American Iris Society. www.greaterportlandirissociety.org
ATM’s available on site: If you come to the Spring Garden Fair short on cash to purchase your treasured finds you will find the ATM machine on the asphalt between the 4-H Exhibit Hall and the Main Lawn vendor field and also another in a small building near the outside picnic tables on the asphalt near the Carnival Lot vendors.
Smoking and Dog Policy of the Event Center: The Clackamas County Fairgrounds & Event Center is a Smoke-Free facility. There is no smoking allowed anywhere on the grounds or buildings. No pets are allowed on the Fairgrounds at any time, but Service Dogs are welcome. Clackamas County Fairgrounds & Event Center webpage.
Disability Access: Accommodation requests related to a disability should be made by April 13 by notifying the metro Master Gardener program at 503-655-8631. or sending an e-mail to Janet Hohman janet.hohman@oregonstate.edu
Getting Social: You can find us on Facebook – we have both a page and group – Facebook page Facebook Group And we are on Instagram too! Follow us – @Springgardenfair and tag us in your posts – #springgardenfair. You can also share our page via the buttons at the bottom of this page.
About Clackamas County Master Gardeners™: We are a non-profit organization supporting Oregon State University Extension Service.
About Spring Garden Fair: This event is planned, organized and hosted by Clackamas County Master Gardeners™. Volunteer leaders plan September through May, and and at the Fair over 300 volunteer shifts are filled by Master Gardeners. The Spring Garden Fair is a fundraiser for the Clackamas Chapter.
Proceeds from the event go to educational programs and projects sponsored by the Chapter: free Soil Testing at Chapter sponsored events, 10-Minute University classes, Grow an Extra Row Giving and Learning Garden, Gray Thompson Community Grants, Farmers Markets, Pioneer Garden at the End of the Oregon Trail, Hopkins Demonstration Forest, Master Gardener continuing education, reference and research materials at the Extension office call center in Oregon City and other educational programs in our community like our Gardening Speakers Guild.
We also fund horticultural scholarships at Clackamas Community College, support the Oregon City Farmer’s Market POP Club and the OSU Extension new Red Soils building fund.
The Spring Garden Fair supports the following local community organizations: Canby High School sports programs, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Cadet Program, Canby Young Life, The Canby Historical Society Depot Museum, Portland Iris Society, and Canby Garden Club. Plant Taxis support the Molalla High School Band, Brush Prairie Middle School and Canby HS Leadership Horticulture programs.
Our Fair supports local businesses and organizations by providing a venue for our loyal Vendors to connect with customers. The Exhibits Center in 4-H Hall gives local organizations a free platform for community outreach and education. We use local businesses for promotional materials used at the Fair. Our event also supports the Clackamas County Fairgrounds & Event Center, and our members assist with special projects on the Fairgrounds, such as the fountain by the restrooms, the benches and garden area in front of Horning Hall, and our covered booth area in the Horticulture Pavilion.
How to get involved: Master Gardeners™ are trained volunteers, educated through OSU Extension Service to offer the local community Reliable, Relevant and Reachable gardening information and education opportunities. Click here for more information on becoming a Master Gardener: What does it take to be a Master Gardener Volunteer?
