TOP TEN REASONS WHY YOU (and your mom, brother, husband, teenager, dog and pet canary) CAN T MISS THE NORTHWEST FLOWER AND GARDEN SHOW January 4, 2014 By Barry Bartlett, president of The Bartlett Group As a PR professional with more than 30 years of event production and promotion experience, I ve rallied media and created press for an enormous variety of events, everything from wine tastings in France and celebrity signings in Los Angeles to Crocodile Hunter shows and bicyclebeer tours. Yet after all these years, the Northwest Flower and Garden Show still stands as my favorite event. How could this family-friendly, four-day event be more exciting than Justin Bieber, 1000ft boa constrictors or getting buzzed with ten friends on a bike? It s because people who come to see Justin Bieber, giant reptiles or beer bicycles know exactly what they re going to get, and leave happy knowing they got it. But this show consistently captivates the hyperactive children, angsty teens, bored husbands and even the stubborn moms who managed to drag everyone out of the house. Never have I seen an event that so effectively blasts misconceptions and singlehandedly creates hundreds of new fans (well, us PR folks do help a little). For those of you who do better with visuals and Twitter-sized thoughts, here are my top ten reasons why you and the whole family should mark your calendars for the Northwest Flower and Garden Show (NWFGS) this February. 10. It s spring! What better way to start the season (and avoid spring cleaning) than to get lost here? Plus, if you re anything like me, far too lazy to drive all the way to Mount Vernon for the tulip festival in May, you ll love taking the 30 minute bus ride to downtown Seattle instead. Row after row of colorful tulips, tourists and obsessive Instagrammers line every room.
9. If you re not coming for the flowers, come for the animals With birdbaths, animal obstacle courses, an edible plant garden and even a petting zoo, NWFGS is more than pet-friendly. 8. Watch King 5 film a year s worth of Gardening with Ciscoe episodes in one day If you re persistent, you might even be able to snag a few seconds of fame.
7. Ditch the kids! Presenting the Playgarden, a supervised terrace where digging, jumping, shouting and running is highly encouraged, and talented actors from the Seattle Children s Theatre give your little angels the entertainment they need and you the break you deserve. 6. The Marketplace and Vintage Garden Market Who knew shopping could be so inspiring? Creative forces collide in this marketplace of ideas, where exhibitors display new garden species, accessories and tools sure to impress dad and guarantee mom the winning spot in the friendly neighborhood best-front-yard competition.
HELEN APRIKYAN NWFGS blog 5. The Silver Screen Takes Root Gardens Go Hollywood Celebrating its silver anniversary, the NWFGS has embraced a Hollywood theme. Fancy a walk on the red carpet? Stroll across the convention center s six sparkling acres, where cinematic elements will be woven into the blockbuster garden displays. 4. The priceless look on every teenage boy s face when he realizes Mom and Grams aren t the only women interested in gardening.
3. Live music Jam out with our talented local jazz, folk, bluegrass and indie pop headliners. 2. A state somewhere between fantasy and reality Following this year s cinema theme, artists, gardeners and architects took to designing breathtaking sets that will make you feel like Alice wandering through Wonderland. Visit a hobbit s house in Middle-earth, cruise through Rome on a Vespa, catch disco fever on a party patio and much, much more.
1. My favorite NWFGS moment: The shocked-turned-smug look on mom s face when she looks around and sees her whole family having more fun than she is. For more information on the Northwest Flower and Garden Show, visit www.gardenshow.com Barry Bartlett is a full-time dad, part-time gardener and president of Seattle PR agency, The Bartlett Group. He has been handling NWFGS press for more than 10 years. You can catch him at the event, showing off Twiggy the waterskiing squirrel.