Botanical Garden of the Ozarks glows during Firefly Fling Festival for families
by July 17, 2016 2:53 pm 567 views
Glowsticks from the crowd shine as Violetta Lotus Fireflies dance with fire.
Children, some dressed as angels and some as garden fairies, frolicked on the lawn of the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks (BGO) during the summer festival, the Firefly Fling, on Saturday (July 16).
Elizabeth Wilhelm, director of special events for the BGO, said the purpose of the annual event is to get families into the Garden to have fun and explore what it has to offer.
Activities lasted from 6 to 10 p.m. and included giant bubble blowing, a monkey bridge, face painting, fairy house building, crafts, a photo booth, an obstacle course, and a maze. Kid-friendly dance music rang out from the main stage through the evening, courtesy of three bands: Shaky Bugs, Papa Rap, and The Firefly Fling Faire Band.
“It’s a mini-Woodstock for families,” Wilhelm said.
But, she noted, there was no alcohol at the Firefly Fling since it is a family-friendly event. Puppetry and storytelling provided entertainment on secondary stages in the Garden and children roamed free across the bridges, into the tree houses, and on the mini-train that are fixtures in the Garden.
After dark, families enjoyed glowing games, glow-in-dark performances and a fire dancing show by Violetta Lotus Fireflies. Lights strung in the trees and along bridges illuminated walking paths and gave the Garden a soft glow.
“We try to transform the Garden into a magical land of imagination (for the children),” Wilhelm said.
“MC Nbdy” (John Oliver), host for the evening, agreed and said, “As we say in the fairy kingdom, it’s about the children. … all of us didn’t make it into the chocolate factory, but the children still believe it’s out there.”
The end of the evening brought an unexpected surprise for the crowd as the event concluded with a fireworks show.
“That’s the magical part of the night that everyone waits for,” Wilhelm said. “The big exit!”
Families were encouraged to bring blankets and picnic suppers to the event. Food was also offered for sale from food trucks, including Frickin Chicken, Mellow Mushroom, The Green Goat, Pedal Pops, Yarnell’s Ice Cream and Tropical Smoothie Café. Admission at the gate for the event was $10 for adults and $5 for children ages 3-13, with kids under 3 getting in free. Main sponsors for the evening were Arvest and Whole Foods Market.
The Botanical Garden of the Ozarks is a 40-acre community–based non-profit botanical garden located at the border between Fayetteville and Springdale and proceeds from the event supported their mission “to provide education, entertainment and recreation for thousands of visitors and students who visit the Garden each year.”
Wilhelm said that other upcoming events at the BGO are Tyson Tuesdays and Fitness in the Garden. Tyson Tuesdays, provided through a grant from Tyson Foods, are events offered free to the public on Tuesdays from 5 to 8 p.m. through the end of August. Upcoming events include a cooking demonstration (July 19), a concert by Divas on Fire (July 26) and an international celebration (Aug. 30).
Fitness in the Garden, consisting of free Tai Chi or Yoga classes, is held every other Saturday morning from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., through Sept. 17. Wilhelm said 75 people participated in the yoga class on the lawn of the Garden last Saturday (July 9).
