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Spring
must be here because Bob and Elizabeth
Johnson are once again filling downtown
Wake Forest – at least the White Street
parking lot – with herbs, flowers,
artists of all kinds and, of course, the
ducks.
This is the sixth year of
the popular free event that brings herb-
and flower-lovers from all across the
Carolinas and Virginia. It will be held
Friday through Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 5
p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 10
a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
There will be more than
10,000 herbs and 5,000 perennials for
sale. There will be free demonstrations
about using herbs in cooking, gardening
with herbs (some do repel deer) and
using herbs to promote health. The
demonstrations will be led by students
from Franklin Academy, where the Johnson
children attend.
There are also some special
events, including the live broadcast by
WPTF Radio Saturday morning. Ann Clapp
and Mike Raley will be airing the
Weekend Gardener from 8 to 11 a.m.
Shortly after the radio
show, the Franklin Academy Jazz Band
will play at 11:30 a.m.
Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.
the Red Herring Puppet Show will delight
children and parents. This is sponsored
by the Town of Wake Forest and the
United Arts Council.
“HerbFest is a chance to
stop and smell the herbs. For many it is
an introduction to a new way to enjoy
their homes, yards and gardens,” Phyllis
Foster, the past president of the Wake
County Herb Society, said. “We have such
busy lives. Herbs are a way to
incorporate more pleasure, aroma and
positive experiences into our habits on
a daily basis.”
The ducks are (somehow we do
not associate ducks with herbs) but Bob
Johnson does or did and began the duck
parade as the starting event each of the
three days. Providing that the ducks
cooperate, the parade will be at 10 a.m.
each of the three days.
This year, part of the
proceeds from the sale will go to the
Graham Johnson Memorial Scholarship Fund
at Franklin Academy in honor of the
Johnson’s son who died this spring. Many
of his classmates will be at the sale to
help customers.
Part of the proceeds also
will help the Downtown Revitalization
Corporation, a sponsor, with its efforts
to preserve the downtown business
district. The Cotton Company, owned by
the Johnsons, is the grand sponsor along
with the Wake Forest Chamber of
Commerce, Sprint, the Town of Wake
Forest, North State Bank and The Wake
Weekly.
There will be a number of
vendors and artists selling garden art
as well as herb-based products such as
soaps, lotions and baked goods.
Joe Dumas from Alabama will
again sell his one-of-a-kind benches,
tables, chairs and garden art made from
metal and rock.
For more information, go to
http://www.thecottoncompany.net. |
