BlancoLav

Hill Country SUN

By Kelly Carper Polden
As the Lavender Capital of Texas, Blanco is proud to celebrate all things lavender at the Sixth Annual Blanco Lavender Festival, June 11-13 on the grounds of the Old Blanco County Courthouse in Blanco, Texas.
The Official Lavender Festival of Texas is also an authorized Go Texan© event and offers a variety of activities, from the Texas Lavender 5K and 10K Fun Run to lavender-infused culinary adventures and lavender growing seminars.
The Lavender Festival Market will be open 2 pm to 8 pm Friday, June 11, from 9 am to 6 pm Saturday, June 12, and 9 am to 4:30 pm Sunday, June 13.
Guests can enjoy music, wine tasting, arts, crafts and lavender vendors, plus educational demonstrations that feature area chefs, herbalists and master gardeners.
In addition, four local farms will sponsor special events, farm tours, lavender gift shop items, and much more throughout the Lavender Festival weekend.
Each farm is located a short, scenic drive from downtown Blanco. Farm tour maps and information are available at the Blanco Chamber of Commerce office and website, as well as on farm websites.
Heron’s Nest Herb Farm (www.heronsnestherbfarm) will host the Texas Lavender Women’s 5K and 10K Run/Walk June 12. The women’s-only run is a scenic out and back route along River Bend Road and County Road 407.
Registration includes a post race champagne brunch, music, free massages, and an onsite lavender market. Registration is available online at www.signmeup.com/68332.
For those who prefer to relax instead of run, Heron’s Nest Herb Farm offers activities including hands-on essential oils workshops with co-owner Melanie Van Aken, farm tours by co-owner Fred Van Aken, and a culinary session with Sibby Barrett from Juniper Hills Farm.
Miller Creek Lavender (www.millercreeklavender.com), an evolving dream of owners Karen and Don Roets, will feature butterfly garden tours and lavender art and wand-weaving classes, cooking demonstrations, and a session on lavender for fun and profit.
Hill Country Lavender (www.hillcountrylavender.com), Blanco’s original commercial lavender farm, will highlight more than 75 lavender products.
Farmhand turned owner Tasha Brieger will host several “Here’s What I Know” sessions and offer classes on creating wands and one-of-a-kind note cards using aromatic lavender.
Wimberley Lavender Farm (www.wimberleylavender.com), owned by Karen and O’Neil Provost, will give guests an opportunity to indulge in a chair massage or lavender footbath, sip lavender lemonade, savor lavender ice cream and locally produced goat cheese and yogurt, and relax with the Hearts for Hooves miniature therapy horses.
The Blanco Lavender Festival showcases the area’s newest rural industry in a county that has a rich agricultural and ranching tradition.
After celebrating more than “150 Years of Friendly,” the region’s cotton fields of years past now feature with the rich color and scent of lavender.
“Blanco has been proud to be named the Lavender Capital of Texas since 2006,” says Penny Thomas, Blanco Chamber of Commerce executive director.
“The local lavender growers as well as the Blanco merchants and residents look forward to hosting another fun-filled and successful Lavender Festival. Each year we listen to festival attendees to make sure we offer a wide range of activities, from wine tasting, food and music, to vendors, demonstrations and tours.”
FYI • For more information about the Sixth Annual Blanco Lavender Fest June 11-13, call the Blanco Chamber of Commerce at 830 833-5101, email info@blancochamber.com or visit the web site at www.blancolavenderfest.com.

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