2 Great Garden, Food, Crafts, and Fun Festivals This Weekend

For gardeners, foodies, casual shoppers, kids, parents—just about everyone—this weekend
offers the Washington area two venerable spring festivals: the National Cathedral
Flower Mart and the Azalea Garden Festival. Both start Friday morning and run through
the weekend.

At the National Cathedral Flower Mart, expect to see racks of plants, stalls offering
crafts, book sales, fresh strawberries, and carnival foods, performances, and rides
for the little ones. In years past, an organ grinder has also been in attendance.
Children love the merry-go-round, the moon bounce, and the pint-size Ferris wheel.

The Flower Mart runs Friday from 10 to 6 and Saturday from 10 to 5 and overtakes most
of the Cathedral grounds at Wisconsin and Massachusetts avenues. There is garage parking,
but it fills up early. The closest Metro station is Cleveland Park.

On Saturday only there will also be tours of the Cathedral’s tower at a cost of $10
per person. It’s a good workout—300 steps—and there is a minimum height requirement
of four feet.

To enjoy the splendors of the Azalea Garden Festival, one has only to head out to
the Landon School on Wilson Lane. Yes, it’s a great place to buy azalea plants,
but you’ll also find rhododendrons, roses, peonies, mountain laurel, geraniums, lilacs,
and herb and vegetable plants. In addition to the bountiful plant sales, there is
a boutique with 60 vendors, games and rides for children of all ages, plus concessions
offering pizza, lobster rolls, burgers, baked goods, and beverages. Expect concerts
featuring the school’s bands and choirs.

The Azalea Festival runs Friday through Sunday, May 5, from 10 to 5. Parking is available
on the Landon grounds.

For more fairs, festivals, and farmers markets, pick up a copy of the May issue of

The Washingtonian, on newsstands now.

Carol Ross Joynt