OCALA, FL (352today.com) – The Marion County Master Gardener Spring Festival celebrated its 30th anniversary on Saturday and Sunday, March 14 and 15, 2026, with lively crowds and vibrant plants. The festival took place at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion where vendors lined up, showcasing plants and horticulture-based items.
Before the event began, crowds of guests began waiting in line with wagons in hand, waiting to enter. Just past the entrance, a large display of vendors stood under the pavilion while larger displays took place outside of the pavilion on the right and a line of food trucks on the left. Some plant life included decorative flowers, house plants, medicinal herbs, shrubs, trees, terrariums, seeds, edible plants, produce crops and more. Some of these vendors include Clover Meadow Nursery, Tower Hill Nursery, Murray’s Flowers & Fun Finds, The Peacock Cottage, Lady Vanda Orchids, Wild Prairie Farms, Master Gardener Seed Board, A Pot Ahead Nursery LLC, Under the Sun Succulents and Cactus, High View Nursery, Grumbles House Antiques & Garden Shop and many more.
Along with plant life vendors, the event featured vendors specializing in agriculture and garden-themed items and information such as Leaf Filter Gutter Protections and Ocala Water Resources. Some of the food vendors included authentic lamb gyros, the Krafty Kettle, Caldonia’s Food Truck Kitchen, Curbside Cuisine and Ice Cream Mustache.
The Marion County Master Gardeners Spring Festival allowed guests to explore some of the gardens that profit from the event from March 14-15, 2026. Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today 
A long line of guests waited outside of the Master Gardeners Spring Festival entrance before the event began from March 14, 2026. Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today 
Large crowds visited the Master Gardeners Spring Festival, exploring the displays and purchasing plants on March 14, 2026. Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today 
Guests wheeled around wagons to collect plants at the Master Gardeners Spring Festival on March 14, 2026. Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today 
Food trucks and vendors made hand-crafted and fresh food at the Marion County Master Gardeners Spring Festival on March 14, 2026. Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today 
Verti-Gro featured a variety of plant life at the Marion County Master Gardeners Spring Festival on March 14, 2026. Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today 
Unique Cherie featured flower-themed jewelry at the Marion County Master Gardeners Spring Festival on March 14, 2026. Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today 
Kids could enjoy a train display in the kids’ zone at the Marion County Master Gardeners Spring Festival on March 14, 2026. Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today 
The Peacock Cottage featured a display of multiple vibrant flowers at the Marion County Master Gardeners Spring Festival on March 14, 2026. Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today 
The Krafty Kettle showcased their second food truck, featuring lemon shakers and popcorn, at the Marion County Master Gardeners Spring Festival on March 14, 2026. Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today 
Annette D’Amore and her K9, Prudence, featured a demonstration of the Search and Rescue of Central Florida’s process for finding missing persons at the Marion County Master Gardeners Spring Festival on March 14, 2026. Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today 
The kids’ zone at the Marion County Master Gardeners Spring Festival featured multiple activities for children on March 14, 2026. Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today 
Kids had the opportunity to observe and interact with small insects in the kids’ zone at the Marion County Master Gardeners Spring Festival on March 14, 2026. Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today 
McCrory’s Bromeliads featured vibrant plants on display at the Marion County Master Gardeners Spring Festival on March 14, 2026. Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today 
Vendors showcased vibrant displays of flowers available for guests to purchase at the Marion County Master Gardeners Spring Festival on March 14, 2026. Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today 
Rooted by Two Sisters showcased their collection of potted plants at the Marion County Master Gardeners Spring Festival on March 14, 2026. Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today 
The Kids’ Zone at the Marion County Master Gardeners Spring Festival featured live bees at a honey vendor on March 14, 2026. Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today 
The Marion County Master Gardeners Spring Festival allowed guests to explore the on-site gardens on March 14, 2026. Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today 
Garden Spot Nursery featured multiple types of flowers for guests to explore at the Marion County Master Gardeners Spring Festival on March 14, 2026. Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today
A kid’s zone featured indoor activities including viewing and touching bugs, watching a display train, entering a small makeshift bat canopy, viewing live bees and more, teaching kids the importance of agriculture. A special feature was the K9 Search and Rescue of Central Florida where Annette D’Amore and her K9, Prudence, chose a child to hide in the outdoor garden where Prudence used her scent to find her. Beyond the kids’ zone was a lecture where guests could learn about agriculture through a presentation by Amanda Marek with Florida Friendly Landscaping.
Proceeds from this yearly event benefit the Florida Master Gardener Program, which also supports the University of Florida/IFAS Extension and the local agriculture community through events like these. For those looking to grab plants for a garden or decorations for the house and those looking to sell plants while teaching guests about the importance of agriculture, Marion County’s Master Gardener Spring Festival has plenty to offer. For those who enjoy gardening and supporting the community, the Master Gardener Volunteer Program is a fun way to get involved.
Learn more about these programs and the festival by visiting their website here.
