Art And Garden Fest Brings Opportunities For Agriculture

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences North Florida Research and Education Center held its second annual Art and Garden Fall Family Festival Saturday in Quincy, Fla.

The festival is sponsored by the Gadsden Arts Center, Gardening Friends of the Big Bend, Plein Air Painters, Quincy Garden Club and Tallahassee Watercolor Society.

From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. people gathered to explore venders, visual arts and gardening of the North Florida area. Children were provided a Kid Zone, which included pumpkin and face painting, paper making and doodle cart.

Nicholas Comerford, the director of the North Florida Research and Education Center, said the festival is a great way to help agriculture bring in new and productive enterprises.

“We’re teaching people about flower arranging and we have other programs going on,” Comerford said. “We get people the opportunity to see what the venders in the local area can provide for them.”

This year the festival added musical entertainment from the Big Bend Woodwind Quintet, a Barbershop Quartet and Plein Air Painters.

First time visitor Andrea Ryals said she likes how many people have come out to the art and garden fest.

“They have a pretty good turnout this year and I think next year it may double because people are gonna tell people about it,” Ryals said.

Andrea’s sister, Ashley Ryals, said her favorite part of the festival is the Kid Zone.

“It’s very interesting, it’s very fun for kids, and it’s very interesting to see all these different pieces in a little town called Quincy,” Ryals said.

The Art and Garden festival also has trolley tours and walking garden tours.