33rd Annual Festival of Gardens

Annual Fundraiser to Support Columbia Green’s Community Grants and Beat the Heat

Columbia Green, a local nonprofit dedicated to beautification, greenspaces, and urban reforestation since 1984, is proud to announce the 2026 Festival of Gardens. This year’s tour will take place in the historic Forest Hills neighborhood, located just off Gervais Street, offering a rare look into some of the area’s most beautiful private landscapes.

The 33^rd annual Festival is Columbia Green’s signature fundraising event, each year raising money to fund its Community Grants program which provides money to not-for-profits across greater Columbia to create and improve neighborhood gardens and greenspaces. The 2025 event raised over $25,000 for grants, and this year’s Festival aims to increase that amount to continue to provide essential funding for school gardens, nature trails, pollinator gardens, edible landscapes, and groves of trees across greater Columbia.

Event Details:

• Dates: Saturday, May 16 (9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.) and Sunday, May 17 (12:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.).
• Location: Forest Hills Neighborhood, Columbia, SC
• Check in: Registration will be at the corner of Canterbury and Westminster Roads. Attendees must check in to receive an official brochure-ticket with a map and descriptions of the gardens.
• Weather: The event is held rain or shine! Dress for the weather.
• Tour Guides: Each garden on the tour will be staffed by a Columbia Green Volunteer to greet visitors and provide instructions as well as a Master Gardener who will be available to answer questions about plants, design, and local horticulture.
• Local artists will display artwork throughout the gardens curated for the event by Cecilia Lucas Stucker with the Five Points Association. Art will be on sale throughout the gardens.
• Several of Columbia Green’s nursery partners will provide demonstrations about container gardening at the registration area.
• Partner nonprofits will be on hand to provide information about gardening for wildlife, pollinator gardens, native plants and to provide tips about gardening.

“The Festival of Gardens is more than just a tour; it’s a celebration of the community members who work tirelessly to prepare their private spaces for the public,” said a representative from Columbia Green. “The funds raised allow us to invest directly back into the soil of our city, enhancing the quality of life for everyone through expanded green spaces and shade trees for people in areas of the city with low tree canopy cover. Our goal is to provide both inspiration and information about gardening for everyone.”

Ticket Information:

• Advance tickets are sale now and are being offered at $25, which represents a $10 discount off same-day tickets purchased at the gate which will be $35. This price is significantly lower than in past years to encourage wider participation. When purchasing a ticket, you are encouraged to include an additional donation to support Columbia Green’s work in the community.
• Tickets are available at https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/festival-of-gardens–2026 and via this QR code:
• Registration will be at the corner of Canterbury and Westminster Roads. All attendees must check in to receive an official brochure-ticket, which includes a map of the tour and detailed garden descriptions.

For more information about the Festival of Gardens, sponsorship opportunities, or to learn about Columbia Green’s work through its Community Grants program and Beat the Heat, please visit columbiagreen.org or contact [email protected].

About Columbia Green

Columbia Green is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has spent over four decades promoting beautification and urban greenspaces through landscaping, gardening, and community education in the greater Columbia area. Their mission is to enhance the quality of life for all in the greater Columbia area by protecting and restoring our urban tree canopy, promoting green infrastructure, and supporting neighborhood green spaces, gardens, and beautification. Their two programs operationalize that mission. Columbia Green Community Grants helps other nonprofits bring green projects to life, from urban parks to educational school gardens and trees for campuses. Their urban forestry programs have included the 10,000 Trees initiative and now the Green Square Mile initiative which serves as the umbrella for the Columbia Canopy Project, a partnership with Historic Columbia completed in 2024, and Beat the Heat—Plant a Tree, an ongoing partnership with the City of Columbia.