Wildflower festival returns to Riverbend Park
The Feather River Recreation and Park District’s Wildflower & Nature Festival is returning to Riverbend Park on April 2.
The 14the annual festival, which is free to the public, is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and “spot lights the natural beauty of Butte County,” said Victoria Anton, FRRPD executive administrator.
“The wildflower and nature festival is a perfect opportunity to get the whole family outside and check out what Oroville has to offer,” said Anton.
More than 60 “unique vendors” will be on-hand offering everything from food to hand-crafted jewelry. Food vendors will offer such treats as organic cotton candy, shaved ice and kettle corn. There will also be Mexican food, hot dogs, hamburgers and tritip sandwiches.
New to the event this year is the Forbestown Advisory Council which will be hosting a beer garden in partnership with Feather Falls Brewing Company.
In addition to the food and products vendors, there will be games, activities and crafts for children and families as well as education and information booths about local services and recreation.
Among the vendors slated for this year are the Artists of River Town, UC Master Gardeners of Oroville, Oroville Botanical Garden & Education Center, Lake Oroville Area Garden Club, Feather River Nature Center, African American Family & Cultural Center and Ampla Health.
“We have several returning favorites including Feather River Lapidary Society. They have an interactive booth where you can choose your own geode and crack it open. It’s super fun for all ages and a popular event,” said Anton.
The festival will also feature live music from two local bands: Strung Nugget Gang and Stringtown Road. Strung Nugget Gang starts performing at 10 a.m. and Stringtown Road starts at 1 p.m. with their performance.
The Forebay Aquatic Center will be offering kayak tours of the Feather River again this year. Buses will shuttle folks from Riverbend Park to the Feather River Fish Hatchery where the tours are started.
“The kayak tours are also a returning favorite and offer a unique opportunity for festival attendees to view nature up close and personal along the river,” said Anton.
Tours are only available through advanced reservations via the aquatic center’s website site at https:// www.forebayaquaticcenter. com.
The 2021 Wildflower & Nature Festival was attended by 4,000 people, according to Anton.
“It was very busy. It was awesome. We’re expecting even more people this year because we got a lot of great feedback. Honestly, we’re expecting this year’s festival to be the most successful one yet. We’re very excited,” said Anton.