Enjoy Seasonal Activities, New Event Theme
JACKSON, Tenn. – One of Tennessee’s biggest gardening events returns with educational presentations, shopping opportunities, an all-new theme and more! Get ready for the 34th Summer Celebration on July 10 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center, located at 605 Airways Boulevard in Jackson, Tennessee. It is free to attend and open to the public.
The 2025 event theme is “Come for the Show,” putting a Hollywood twist on the day’s activities. Beginning at 8 a.m., attendees can shop local vendors, explore educational booths and receive free plant diagnostics courtesy of researchers and Extension specialists from the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture.
Starting at 9 a.m., 14 expert-led presentations will cover seasonal topics such as gardening, landscape design, pest control, cut flower production, turfgrass management, forestry practices and more. Enjoy arts and crafts led by Madison County Master Gardeners, in addition to wagon tours of the AgResearch Center every half hour. Cooking demonstrations by the UT Kitchen Divas are scheduled for 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m., with $5 tickets sold one hour prior to each session.
“This is the first Summer Celebration since 2023, and we’re excited to bring back the fan-favorite tradition of event themes,” says Scott Stewart, director of the West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center. “The program, presentations and especially the decor will feel like they’re straight out of Hollywood. Both longtime attendees and newcomers alike will find exciting and educational activities to enjoy.”
From 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., UT Gardens, Jackson, will host a plant sale featuring thousands of hand-selected plants for purchase. Guided garden tours are scheduled for 9 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., offering an up-close look at annuals, conifers, pollinator plants and the on-site arboretum collection.
“Our indoor talks are extremely popular, but we want visitors to enjoy the natural world firsthand,” says Jason Reeves, curator of UT Gardens, Jackson. “Throughout the day, you can explore the new art installations in the gardens created especially for this year’s event. We haven’t had any major theme-focused additions since 2014’s bottle displays, so don’t miss the debut of our Hollywood creations!”
Due to its biennial schedule, Summer Celebration will not be held again until 2027. However, UT Gardens, Jackson, is open from dawn to dusk daily for public enjoyment and community education.
To become an event vendor, please email Miranda Tucci at mtucci4@utk.edu or call 731-424-1643. For more information on Summer Celebration, including the complete program when it’s released, visit westtn.tennessee.edu/summer-celebration.
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is comprised of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension. Through its land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach, the Institute touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. to Tennesseans and beyond. utia.tennessee.edu.