INCLUDES FAIR HIGHLIGHTS VIDEO | Discover all of the activities that families enjoyed at this inspiring outer East Portland celebration, signaling the beginning of the spring season …
Looking down at the Carriage House and Manor House from the Aerial Tree Walk, the greenery appearing at Leach Botanical Garden suggests that spring has arrived.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
The weather was ideal on March 22 – the first day of spring – at the Leach Botanical Garden (LBG) Spring Equinox Fair. Families were strolling the upper and lower garden areas, participating in activities, and taking in the beautiful natural surroundings.
In the Manor House patio, Leach Botanical Garden Program Director Jami LeBaron decorates the face of a young guest with a painted design.
“As the title implies, our event was held in celebration of the Spring Equinox, a time we recognize the change of the season – with warmer weather and new blooms – and we all can begin to unfurl from our winter hibernation,” explained one of the Spring Equinox Fair organizers, LBG Program Director Jami LeBaron.
Take our video tour of the day’s activities:
“We had a great fair, and welcomed at least 630 guests throughout the day,” said LeBaron.
This year, there was a steady flow of visitors, thanks to the new “timed-entry” system for their arrival, LeBaron observed. “With very limited parking, using the timed-entry model helped us spread the influx guests throughout the day – and it also helped to ensure that guests found parking spaces available when they arrived.
Spring Equinox Fair Community Partners greet guests in The Arbor.
In the Arbor, Zenger Farm Educator Teiah Henry shows one of their ‘Apothecary’ products.
“And, this time, we offered complimentary admission for anyone arriving by alternative transportation,” LeBaron told East Portland News, after the fair was over.
The day’s activities included a springtime scavenger hunt, spring storytimes,a poetry station, tables with community partners, garden tool sharpening, a nature exploration station, face painting, arborist walks, and free tea and coffee.
In the upper meadow, guests participate in the ‘Nature Craft Buffet’.
It’s Renee Golladay and Harper making crafts at the ‘Buffet’.
“We also had a ‘Nature Craft Buffet’ where people created their own woven ivy baskets, windsock, wooden doll fairies, crowns, and wands,” LeBaron pointed out, adding:
“We are grateful for all the volunteers and staff that made this event run smoothly, and to our community partners – including the World Salmon Council, Bartlett Tree Experts, Zenger Farm, OSU Master Gardeners, Waste-Free Advocates, Start Making A Reader Today, Sharpening4U, Traveling Typist, and Coava Coffee (our 2025 coffee sponsor). Special thanks to Ty & Chey media for photographing the celebration today.”
In front of the Leach Manor House, Leach Garden Friends Docent Janet Rasher talks about plants found in the Garden with the Petchell family, visiting from Damascus.
On this first beautiful spring day of the year, most visits included a stroll on the unique Aerial Tree Walk.
LeBaron reminded that the Leach Botanical Garden events season is now underway, and suggested learning more about what’s being offered, such as:
- Garden tours (including ASL tours)
- Horticulture workshops
- Forest bathing
- Art classes
- Honeybee Hikes for littles
- A bilingual soil party
- Bioblitz in the Leach ‘Back 5’
Most of these events are already listed in our East Portland News Community Calendar: CLICK HERE to see those, and dozens of other events in our area.
And, to learn more about Leach Botanical Garden, see their official website: CLICK HERE.
© 2025 ~ David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™
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