3rd Annual Herbfest Kicks Off with Herbal Remedies from The People's Pharmacy®

April 1, 2012 - PRLog -- CARY, NC – With spring nearly in full swing and summer just around the corner, Triangle gardeners are venturing out to begin planning and planting their warm-weather gardens.  The Friends of the Page-Walker Hotel are offering garden enthusiasts just the inspiration they need at their 3rd Annual Herbfest and at a pre-festival program and reception.    

The Friends are delighted to kickoff Herbfest weekend on Friday, May 4 at 7:00 PM by welcoming Joe and Terry Graedon of The People's Pharmacy® to the Page-Walker Arts & History Center for an engaging and informative discussion about herbal remedies.  Guests will have an opportunity to meet the Graedons at a wine and hors d’oeuvres reception and book signing following the program.  

Tickets for The People's Pharmacy® program are $35.00 each, and may be purchased at the Cary Arts Center box office Monday – Friday from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM and Saturday from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM; online at http://www.eTix.com; or by phone at
1-800-514-3849.  A limited number of tickets are available to this event and a sellout is anticipated.  

Then on Saturday, May 5 (rain or shine) from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM, the Friends will host their 3rd Annual Herbfest.  Held on the lovely grounds of the Page-Walker Arts & History Center, this event promises something for everyone – from the most seasoned garden enthusiasts to anyone looking to turn their thumbs green.  Cary Teen Council volunteers will return to provide hands-on activities for the kids, too.

Festival-goers will have many opportunities to find out all they need to know about starting an herb garden by touring the Page Educational Garden, including a close-up look at the historic 1850’s Page smokehouse.  In addition, they’ll have an opportunity to watch herb cooking demonstrations and stroll through booths selling a wide variety of herbs, crafts and garden products.  Participating vendors include The Little Herb House, Garden Supply Company, Whole Foods Market of Cary, and many more.  Each vendor will be offering items related to gardening, herbs, native plants, perennials, nature and cooking.  Lunch will be available for purchase.

New to this year’s Herbfest will be a special folk concert featuring the Charles Pettee Duo starting at 2:00 PM.  Pettee delights audiences with a tasty blend of original and traditional American folk, bluegrass, and Celtic music seasoned at more than 3,500 performances throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe.  Wielding mandolin, guitar, mandola, or harmonica, he brings virtuosity and good humor to any venue presenting family concerts.

Visitors also won’t want to miss the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences’ “Meet the Animals” program – with a focus on backyard/garden animals – from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM or a chance to win a beautiful garden-themed painting.  Raffle tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5 and will benefit the Friends’ garden projects.  

"We're pleased that Herbfest has become another great reason for so many folks to visit historic downtown Cary,” said Friends’ President, Ed Yerha. “This year we are especially honored to have the world-renowned Graedons join us on Friday evening.  It will be an event you won't want to miss.”    

This event is co-sponsored by the Town of Cary and The Friends of the Page-Walker Hotel.

MEDIA CONTACT:  Lisa Englert at (919) 342-0806 or info@friendsofpagewalker.org

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The Friends of the Page-Walker Hotel serve as guardian for the Page-Walker Arts & History Center; advocate preservation of Cary historic sites; archive history and facilitate history education; and promote the cultural arts.