Pollinator Palooza

We are so excited to announce that Pollinator Palooza will be on May 11, 2024 from 10:00am-4:00pm! Our goal is to bring people together, have fun, and celebrate the beauty and ecological value of native plants! 

This is a FREE, family friendly, educational event held at our shop in New Albany, MS. (921 Sam T Barkley Dr., New Albany, MS, 38652)

We will have several different exhibitors discussing different areas of interest including butterflies, bee keeping, birding, medicinal plants, land restoration, natural dyes and crafts, photography, and plein air arts! 

Camp Creek will have a terrarium station and a Mother's Day Pick-and-Pot tent set up! The terrarium bar allows you to create your own mini world full of fairies, animals, rocks, and plants. The Mother's Day Pick-and-Pot is perfect for anyone shopping for Mother's Day. For $32 you will receive a potted plant of your choosing with a bow and a butterfly pick to top it off! Both of these tents are worth stopping by!

Pillar of Fire Pizza will be set up all day serving delicious wood-fired pizza! Prices range from $12-$15 for your own personal pizza. Made to order at the event!

Are you traveling? New Albany has a variety of accomodations including locally owned Airbnbs and full service hotels. Make a weekend out of your stay by checking out New Albany's other attractions! The Union County Heritage Museum is home to the Faulkner Library and Garden and the Tanglefoot trail is perfect for anyone wanting to get active and get outside. If you are looking for any information on where to stay, what to do, or what to eat check out https://www.visitnewalbany.com/explore 

Pollinator Palooza Exhibitors:

Sherra Owen: Native plant folklore - Sherra has been studying native plants since the 80s and offers a plethora of knowledge pertaining to the identification, edible/medicinal uses, and folklore of plants native to the Southeast.

Robin Whitfield: Eco-artist - Robin is a plein air artist and educator from Grenada MS. Robin is also involved in trail restorations at the Lee Tartt Nature Preserve. If you want to combine your interests for art and local ecology, Robin is worth the visit.

Mitch Robinson: Birding - Interested in birding as a hobby? Mitch is a birding enthusiast who can answer questions about bird identification, what you will need to get started, and how to find different species in Mississippi. 

Nadine Philips: Mississippi Native Plant Society - Nadine is the president of the MS Native Plant Society and a nature therapist. She is excited to answer any questions about native plants, joining the Native Plant Society, or nature therapy. 

Nate Venarske: Native plant enthusiast/educator - Nate is king of identification and will be hanging out all day to answer any question you might have related to native plants. 

Brady Dunaway: Entomologist - Brady is an entomologist with the MDWFP and an educator at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science. Brady has been studying native bees and will be bringing native specimens for the public to view and learn from.

Mykl Wallwrath/Mississippi Wildlife Rehabilitation: Wildlife rehabber - Mississippi Wildlife Rehabilitation, Inc. (MWR) was founded in 1995 to meet the increasing need for wildlife assistance in north Mississippi. MWR is a non-profit organization assisting hundreds of injured and orphaned native wild birds and reptiles. MWR also offers a variety of education programs for community festivals, civic organizations and thousands of school children annually.

Jeanette Stone: Natural dyes & crafts - Jeanette has been using native plants to create a range of crafts including baskets, shoes, and watercolors! Stop by her table to learn about these techniques and how to explore them on your own. 

Tara Henderson: Edible & medicinal plants - Tara Henderson is a naturalist, artist, and teacher in Memphis, TN. Tara founded Grounded Nature as an avenue to promote ecological regeneration and community building through nature education, native plant gardening, foraging, and more. Grounded Nature offers a range of services such as garden transformation workshops, guided nature walks, ecology-based presentations, camping experiences, and more. 

Tula Wilde: Herbal Medicine Shop - Tula Wilde is a mom operated, small batch, handcrafted business born out of a desire to spread the healing bounty of God's creation with people who are striving to improve their health. 

Sandy Hangey: Butterflies - Sandy is a butterfly enthusiast and educator. Stop by her table to learn more about Mississippi's butterflies!

Emily Tanner: Nature photographer - Emily created a pocket prairie in her backyard to photograph birds and other wildlife. Ask Emily about this process and check out her beautiful artwork!

Robbie Duckworth: Master Gardener/beekeeping - Mrs. Robbie is a Master Gardener and has been educating the public on pollinators, bee-keeping, and gardening over the years. 

Jill Smith: Naturalist/Union County Heritage Museum - Jill is Union County's Heritage Museum director, but she is also an educator and naturalist. Jill will have an interactive table for kids and adults.

Rosycology: Artist - Rosy is a printmaker from Tupelo, MS selling apparel, prints, and more.