The Camellia Festival

February 14, 2026 | 10:00 am – February 15, 2026 | 4:00 pm

The Camellia Festival
Saturday, Feb. 14 and Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026
Sessions from 10am – 1pm and 1 – 4pm each day
Location: The Camellia Greenhouse and Main House
Tickets: Adult $20 | Children $15 | Kids 3 and under FREE
All tickets are final sale.

Step into a vibrant winter festival this Valentine’s Day weekend and experience the season’s most enchanting sight: over 200 camellia varieties in full bloom!

Long celebrated for their elegance, color, and symbolism, these stunning flowers offer the perfect way to celebrate the holiday weekend and shake off the winter blues. Whether you’re visiting with a partner, friends, family, or simply treating yourself to something beautiful, there is something for everyone.

This multi-sensory festival spans both the Main House and the Camellia Greenhouse, with something for every visitor.

In the Main House
Guests are invited into the historic Main House for hands-on activities and camellia-inspired experiences, including:
– Personalized, one-of-a-kind poems crafted by a typewriter poet. Perfect for sharing with someone special or taking home as a keepsake!
– A special display from our Collections Department, featuring a rare set of camellia-themed plates custom-made for the Coe family, beautifully complementing the camellia collection on view.
– A curated tea tasting, exploring the shared botanical origins and cultural history of tea and camellias.
– Activity stations offer fun for all ages! Create your own custom blend tea bags, paper camellia flowers, and camellia watercolor painting.
– Enjoy live music as you explore the historic house-museum’s first floor.
– Watch an artist paint a masterpiece live!
– Knowledgeable docents on site to answer questions and share deeper insights into the history of the Main House.

Inside the Camellia Greenhouse
Explore the largest camellia collection under glass in the Northeast.
– Complimentary guided tours with Planting Fields Arboretum Director, Vincent Simeone, at 11am, 1pm and 2:30pm. Discover the history of this remarkable collection and learn how to incorporate hardy camellias into your own garden spaces. Tours are welcoming, accessible, and engaging for visitors of all ages.
– Learn about ladybugs and the role these beneficial insects play in supporting healthy plants and thriving gardens.

For the Love Birds: Explore Together Outdoors
As part of the Camellia Festival weekend, guests are invited to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count, a national citizen science initiative led by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Explore The Great Bird Blind Debate, created by Catalyst artists Mark Dion and David Brooks, which frame the landscape as both habitat and living laboratory. These unique structures offer exceptional vantage points for observing birdlife and contributing to this global research effort. Guided walking tours will be available at select times throughout the weekend offered by Centre Island Bird Sanctuary.

Don’t miss this joyful celebration of winter’s most elegant bloom. Come for the flowers, stay for the experience!

Please Note
– The Camellia Greenhouse is wheelchair and stroller-accessible.
– The first floor of the Main House is wheelchair accessible.
– Programs and activities are self-paced, except the guided tours inside the Camellia Greenhouse.
– Staff and volunteers are available to provide assistance and answer questions during your visit.
– This program’s activities are subject to change.

Guests with specific accessibility questions or accommodation requests are encouraged to contact us in advance so we can best support your visit.

For additional information or to learn how to you become a sponsor, please contact, Lilly McGurk, Stewardship Director, lmcgurk@plantingfields.org

By registering for this event, you consent to receive emails from Planting Fields Foundation and also consent to Planting Fields Foundation photographing and filming during the event. These images may be used for promotional purposes, including social media, on our website, newsletters, grant requests, reports. As it may not be feasible to identify individuals who may wish to opt out, your registration implies your consent to be photographed. If you have any concerns, please contact us at lmcgurk@plantingfields.org.

Thank you to our partners: