Visit our Press Room for a full list of recent press releases from Bok Tower Gardens.

CONTACT: Brian Ososky
Director of Marketing & Public Relations
863-734-1210; bososky@boktower.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 30, 2015

Bok Tower Gardens and Florida Citrus Hall of Fame present second annual Florida Citrus Celebration Nov. 7-8

 

LAKE WALES, Fla. – Bok Tower Gardens partners with the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame to present an inside look into Florida’s citrus industry through a variety of fun, free programs. Special tours, films and activities take place throughout the Nov. 7-8 weekend, and everything is included with regular Gardens admission. Rates are $12 for adults and $3 for ages 5-12. Members and children under five are admitted free.

The Gardens’ educational staff will present daytime talks on juicing and cooking with citrus. Florida Citrus Hall of Fame president, John Jackson, leads tours of on-site citrus groves and answers questions about the business of growing Florida’s number one agricultural commodity.

Visitors will have the opportunity to meet the current Miss Florida Citrus, Summer Foley, as well as previous crown-holders who represented the industry throughout the years.

“We’ve begun placing a bigger emphasis on healthy eating and offering events that support that discipline,” said Jennifer Beam, Director of Visitor Services and Programs at the Gardens. “Our partnership with the Florida Citrus Hall of Fame fits perfectly, especially since Polk County is at the heart of Florida’s citrus industry. I think the most impactful activity that visitors can participate in this weekend is a grove tour with John Jackson, whose experience and perspective will really bring the citrus story to life,” Beam said.

Other weekend activities include a Citrus Crate Label Show & Sale, free juice samples from Florida’s Natural Growers, and photo ops with a life-sized cutout of Captain Citrus, the newest comic hero of the Florida Department of Citrus. Visitors will also enjoy Blair Updike’s “Gardens & Groves” art exhibition (thru Jan. 14, 2016) and a documentary film showing the pictorial history of the citrus industry entitled “Barrels to Bins.”

Children ages 2 to 5, accompanied by a caregiver, can participate in the Gardens’ new “Storytime” book reading series at 10 a.m. on Saturday, featuring Blueberries for Sal by Robert McCloskey. After the story, kids will engage in a hands-on activity or go on a short sensory walk in the Gardens.

Gardens carillonneur Geert D’hollander performs live concerts on the 60-bell Singing Tower carillon at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. both days. And for something completely different, there will be an ‘Eat a Florida Orange’ flash mob with group selfie (#CitrusSelfie) taking place both days at 12 noon inside the Gardens’ Visitor Center.

The second annual Florida Citrus Celebration is sponsored in part by Visit Central Florida, Duke Energy, Florida’s Natural Growers, and the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.

For a complete schedule of activities and more information, visit BokTowerGardens.org/citrus.

# # #

Download printable PDF

About Bok Tower Gardens:
Voted Florida’s best garden, Bok Tower Gardens is a National Historic Landmark located 10 miles from LEGOLAND Florida, 55 miles southwest of Orlando and 60 miles east of Tampa near Lake Wales in Central Florida’s rolling hills of citrus. Open every day of the year from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Visitor Center, Café and Gift Shop are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $12 for adults and $3 for ages 5-12. Members and children under 5 are admitted free. LEGOLAND ticket holders will receive free admission for children under 12. For more information, contact Bok Tower Gardens, 1151 Tower Boulevard, Lake Wales FL 33853; 863-676-1408 or visit www.BokTowerGardens.org.

 

You are receiving this email from Bok Tower Gardens due to your partnership or relationship. If this is the incorrect email to receive these emails please contact Brian Ososky at bososky@boktower.org. If you no longer wish to receive emails from us you may unsubscribe .