Flower and garden show kicks off Thursday (2024)

by: Jonathan Turner

Posted: Mar 19, 2024 / 02:12 PM CDT

Updated: Mar 19, 2024 / 03:02 PM CDT

The 2024 QCCA Flower and Garden Show will add several new exhibits this year as well hosting the Preview Gala on Thursday night, March 21 as the kickoff event to the show.

The Flower and Garden Show Preview Gala will be held on Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the QCCA Expo Center, 2621 4^th Ave., Rock Island. Tickets are $25 at the door, and advance tickets are available HERE.

The Flower and Garden Show opens to the public on Friday, March 22nd and runs through Sunday, March 24th. Hours are Friday noon – 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Tickets for the show are $8 for adults, $1 for children 6-15 and free for children 5 and under.

Friday is Senior Day and Military Appreciation Day. Anyone 65+ and/or military veteran or active duty is able to attend the show for just $6.

Most of the flowers and plants you see at the show will be available for purchase on Monday, March 25 beginning at 2 p.m. in the North Hall of the Expo Center.

The event schedule is:

Friday, March 22

• 5 p.m. – Tree Care – Presented by Emily Swihart, University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator, she will discuss tree selection, proper planting depth, supplemental watering recommendations, and how to care for newly planted trees.
• 6:30 p.m. – All You Need to Know about Native Plants – Presented by Cindy Lenger, University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener. You will learn how to create a pollinator pocket and how they support so many different species of bees, butterflies, moths, insects, birds, and bats. Lastly, you will explore growing from seed versus buying plants.

Saturday, March 23

• 11 a.m. – The Branches of Extension and What It Can Do for YOU – Presented by David Arensdorf, University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener. The class will focus on the services and support that The Extension Office provides to the community with selected examples to illustrate how they benefit all of us.
• Noon – Home Energy Savings-Presented by Jim Knorr, University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener.
• 1 p.m. – “Lil’ Green Thumbs.” Adventures, ideas, and projects to get kids involved in gardening – Presented by Heather Bonsell, University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener. Projects and ideas will be suitable for kids and gardens of all sizes.
• 2 p.m. – Our New Asian Tiger Mosquito – Presented by Margie Estivill, University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener. The invasive Asian Tigers love Iowa and Illinois! Learn about the diseases they carry, their unusual breeding requirements, and the consequences of mosquitos that survive our cold winters and summer droughts.
• 3 p.m. –All You Need to Know about Native Plants – Presented by Cindy Lenger, University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener. You will learn how to create a pollinator pocket and how they support so many different species of bees, butterflies, moths, insects, birds, and bats.
• 4 p.m. – Cultivating Community: Where Harvest Meets Heart – Presented by Mitchell Walker, SNAP-Education Program Coordinator with Illinois Extension– Join Mitchell Walker, SNAP Education Program Coordinator with Illinois Extension, as we discuss how the Floreciente Community Garden is working together with a rock-star network of local growers to provide fresh, free, locally grown produce to those who need it most. ​

Sunday, March 24

• Noon –The Branches of Extension and What It Can Do for YOU – Presented by David Arensdorf, University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener. The class will focus on services and support that The Extension Office provides to the community with selected examples to illustrate how they benefit all of us.
• 1 p.m. – “Lil’ Green Thumbs.” Adventures, ideas, and projects to get kids involved in gardening – Presented by Heather Bonsell, University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener.
• 2 p.m. – Our New Asian Tiger Mosquito- Presented by Margie Estivill, University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener.
• 3 p.m. – Home Energy Savings-Presented by Jim Knorr, University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener, as he shares his experience in this introduction to residential homes’ energy usage.

The Quad City Conservation Alliance was founded in 1984 as a nonprofit conservation alliance by five local conservation clubs. The QCCA owns and operates the QCCA Expo Center. Monies raised through the Expo Center are directed to conservation activities within a 90-mile radius of the Quad Cities.