Events

A celebration of native plants, the ecosystems they support, and local organizations working hard to protect our environment, this annual festival is organized by Keep Henrico Beautiful in conjunction with the Dorey Park Farmers Market and mission-aligned organizations that partner with the Plant RVA Natives Campaign.  This year's festival will emphasize the connections between Virginia's native plants and beneficial insects.

Each year, the Plant NATIVE! festival brings together native plant vendors, educational booths, children's activities, a tree giveaway, plant vouchers, and more.  Under a grant from the Virginia Department of Forestry, the 2025 festival is making available 750 one-gallon potted trees were available for the tree giveaway, on a first-come, first-served basis (one tree per household while supplies last). Tree species available this year are White Oak (Quercus alba), Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), Arrowood (Viburnum dentatum), Chickasaw plum (Prunus angustifolia), and Sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana). 

Short presentations/workshops led by volunteers from Keep Henrico Beautiful, Virginia Master Naturalists, the Virginia Native Plant Society, and Wild Ones Greater Richmond Virginia Chapter, will cover the following topics: 

Container Gardening with Native PlantsPlanting and Caring for Your New TreeNative Plants? Improvise and Adapt! Customizing a Sample Native Garden Design for Your Site

Tables with children's activities will be interwoven among the educational exhibits, and an Insect Costume Contest is planned as part of the festivities.