Free event provides educational sessions, activities for all ages
JACKSON, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is hosting their highly anticipated Summer Celebration on Thursday, July 13, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center.
This event is free to attend and open to the public.
The 2023 Summer Celebration will feature educational sessions hosted by more than 20 UTIA researchers, Extension specialists and horticulturists as well as regional experts on topics such as gardening, weed and animal control, plant health and diagnostics, turf management, pesticide application and more.
Specialists will also be onsite to provide free plant diagnostics and the UT Kitchen Divas will host cooking lessons inside the center.
“Summer Celebration is our biggest event, and the part most attendees look forward to are the talks and information sessions we have throughout the day,” said Scott Stewart, director of the West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center.
“Each year, people come out to learn from local UTIA researchers and other experts who are donating their time to share what they know. This is the perfect opportunity to explore a variety of topics related to agriculture, gardening and more, while having a great time at all the activities we have going on.”
The event will also feature garden tours, crafts, kids’ activities, wagon tours of the research center and much more. Local food and merchandise vendors will be available providing visitors with shopping opportunities in addition to a plant sale hosted by UT Gardens, Jackson. There will be several varieties of plants to purchase or to serve as inspiration for your own home or garden.
“UT Gardens, Jackson, is full of hundreds of flowers, trees, shrubs and just about every local plant you can think of,” said Jason Reeves, curator.
“Visitors can shop the plant sale and other local vendors as well as tour the grounds to find new ideas for what to plant in their own backyard or maybe even make the decision to start gardening for the first time. That’s really what Summer Celebration is all about, people coming together to learn more about the world of gardening, whether for beauty, food or to benefit wildlife.”
Organizers say this event is changing its traditional schedule from an annual event to a biennial event, so enthusiasts should be sure to come this year. Following the July 13 event, the next Summer Celebration is scheduled for 2025.
The West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center is located at 605 Airways Boulevard in Jackson, Tennessee. The UT Gardens, Jackson, is located on campus and is open from dawn to dusk every day.
For more information about Summer Celebration and other events at the center, visit westtn.tennessee.edu.
Through its land-grant mission of research, teaching and extension, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture touches lives and provides “Real. Life. Solutions.” utia.tennessee.edu