Step into spring and explore "The Magic of Gardening" at the sixth annual Maymont Flower and Garden Show at the Richmond Convention Centre from Thursday through Feb. 26.
The Maymont show attracts visitors from all over Virginia and the mid-Atlantic region. It also attracts well-known gardening specialists, such as Jim Wilson, co-host of the PBS series "Victory Garden," and many others as guest lecturers.
In addition to landscape exhibits, vendor booths and lectures, there will be a series of workshops in the adjoining Richmond Marriott Hotel. Limited in size, the workshops offer audiences hands-on opportunities to practice gardening techniques. A separate admission is charged for the workshops, and advance registration is required.
A Flower Festival, produced in conjunction with the show by Historic Richmond Foundation, is also planned. Representative of the church flower festivals that became popular in England in the early 1950s, it celebrates ways that flowers enhance the liturgical seasons, feasts and sacraments of the church. It will be held Friday through Feb. 26 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Monumental Church on Broad Street. A shuttle bus will run between the Convention Centre and the church. Admission is $4 with a ticket or "hand stamp" from the show.
Show hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Sunday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Admission is $6 for adults; $3 for children 2 to 12; free for under 2. Proceeds will benefit Maymont Foundation, which operates and maintains Maymont, a 100-acre Victorian estate in the heart of Richmond that includes a 33-room mansion, extensive gardens, a children's farm, nature center, and wildlife refuge. For information, call (804) 358-7166.
Frederick's anniversary
Frederick celebrates its 250th anniversary this year with a calendar jammed with events.
First on the list is "WinterSong '95," a midwinter celebration of art, music and dance. This annual celebration will be held Saturday at the Adult Recreation Center (Old Armory), Second and Bentz streets, in Frederick.
Events begin at noon on the main stage with Local Hero and Friends, Massachusetts performers of traditional and contemporary Scottish tunes. Other performers include Pete and Maura Kennedy, who present original folk/pop songs; the Daryl Davis Band, which plays swing and boogie-woogie; the gospel group Prophecy; Capitol Klezmer, playing Jewish soul music; and the folk group Terra Nova.
Mini-concerts featuring bluegrass, Irish music, acoustic folk, bagpipes and traditional Southern music, offer entertainment for smaller audiences. Throughout the afternoon, performers will also lead workshops.
WinterSong also offers a full schedule of entertainment for children, including percussion, theater games, storytelling, clowning, juggling and other activities from noon to 5:15 p.m.
That evening, there will be contra dancing from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. with free instructions at 7 p.m.
Admission for the afternoon session is $6 for adults; $3 for children, with a family cap of $15. Tickets for the evening dance are $6. For information, call (800) 999-3613.
Feast in Helvetia
"Fasnacht" (feast night) will bring visitors to Helvetia, W. Va., on Saturday. Similar to Mardi Gras, the celebration is held each year on the last Saturday before Lent.
Helvetia, in north-central West Virginia, was founded by Swiss immigrants in the early 19th century. The first district in the state to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places, it retains the atmosphere of Switzerland of the 1800s.
The event begins with a buffet of traditional Swiss food at the Hutte Restaurant at about 6 p.m. After dinner, revelers will don masks and costumes and march in a procession through the village carrying Swiss lanterns. Prizes will be awarded for the best costumes and masks.
Festivities continue at Helvetia's community hall with dancing and more feasting from 8 p.m. to midnight. At midnight, an effigy of Old Man Winter will be taken from the hall and set ablaze outdoors. Admission, which includes entertainment and finger food, is $4 for adults; $2 for children under 12. The Swiss buffet costs $10.50 for adults; $5.25 for children. Reservations are required. Call (304) 924-6435.