29th Annual Sand Springs Herbal Affair & Festival set for April 21st

Sand Springs, OK - The City of Sand Springs announces its plans for the 29th Annual Sand Springs Herbal Affair & Festival in downtown Sand Springs. The event occurs on Saturday, April 21, and runs from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. This year's event showcases more than 100 plant, herb, arts, crafts, food and wine vendors from around the four-state area. In addition to all of the gardening enthusiast items, this Herbal Affair features a half-dozen live musical performers on the historical stage at Charles Page Triangle Park in the heart of the downtown district. 

SEE RELATED: Sand Springs 29th Annual Herbal Affair & Festival

"This year's event is slightly larger than in the past, with a few more vendors adding to the diversity of our event," stated Grant Gerondale, Community Development Director for the City of Sand Springs. "What began as a small gathering of gardening enthusiasts with Ruth Leib and Sandi Byerly in 1989 has grown into Oklahoma's premier herbal festival."

With the positive growth seen this past year at the City's Riverwest Development just south of downtown, parking options at that site no longer exist. Event goers should rely heavily on the free parking and shuttle service at Charles Page High School (500 N. Adams Road) and utilize on-street parking around the downtown area. The free shuttle service will run from 8:00 a.m. until shortly after 4:00 p.m.

Each year the Sand Springs Herbal Affair offers shoppers a unique variety of tomatoes, herbs, annual and perennial plants and an assortment of arts, crafts, foods and wines. Visitors also enjoy the announcement of the "Hometown Hero" award, presented to a deserving Sand Springs citizen each year on the stage.

"This year's event brings in some new items and also goes back to some of the traditional roots of the festival," Gerondale added. "We'll feature eclectic gardening features like worm soil casings, a soil amenity for your garden, and we'll also see trendy hydroponically grown tomatoes. On the musical side of things we'll have the traditional sounds of the Shelby Eicher Trio, but we'll also bring back Dulcimer Magic which played the event for years. To end the day we've added the Sand Springs Community Band which did a fantastic job during last year's Riverfest grand opening at the new Case Community Park. I really encourage locals to come out and enjoy this great live music."

When you do come out, you'll be joining nearly 30,000 other visitors who make the annual trek to Sand Springs to get their fill of outdoor gardening plants, arts, crafts, and good food. This year's event features nearly 20 food operations to satisfy hungry strollers. 

"Who doesn't like the Amish chicken and noodles, right?" asked Gerondale. "You'll find old standby herbal affair foods and treats like fresh roasted nuts, but you'll also see some offerings like succotash and pitas."

This is a family and pet (on a leash) friendly outing as folks mingle amidst the historic downtown triangle of Sand Springs. Parents will want to check out the kidz-zone on the west side of the event area. Church That Matters is again hosting a variety of activities including a Radio Control Car display, kids petting zoo, snow cones and the chance for some Home Depot wood building kit activities. All of those activities are free to children.

The Sand Springs Cultural & Historical Museum will also be open and offers a great walk-through for interpretative displays and features a fine example of 1920's art-deco architecture.  The museum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Is there a wine lover in your home? You won't want to miss the small wine-garden located immediately across from City Hall. Five area wineries will have small taster samplings on hand as well as a variety of their products for sale.

The City of Sand Springs encourages all event goers to step into the fun-filled shops that line the downtown streets of Herbal Affair. Unique and hard to find antiques, apparel and small treasures can be found in many of our small businesses in downtown Sand Springs.

Want to learn more? Check out our Facebook page in the days leading up to the April 21 event to find informative Herbal Affair event videos and details.

For more information about the City of Sand Springs, please visit  www.sandspringsok.org and www.seesandsprings.com.