Time might fly, but hot air balloons will glow again outside Richmond Rose Garden on a June night while staying in place.
Richmond Rose Garden volunteers are organizing the 10th 1stBLOOM&GLOW on Wednesday, June 5. The event celebrates the first blooms on the garden’s hundreds of rose bushes and raises money to maintain them.
Tickets are now on sale for the garden gala from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Those who purchase a $40 food ticket can enter the garden and receive beverages and food from seven local caterers: Downtown Deli and Catering Company, The Red Front, Radford’s Meat Market & Deli, Corner Cafe at the Leland, Sweet Blessings, Cater Box and Ullery’s Homemade Ice Cream.
A limited number of tickets are on sale at Wayne County Foundation, 33 S. Seventh St., and Old National Road Welcome Center, 5501 National Road E., Richmond.
The public is invited to bring seating and a picnic and gather at no charge on the adjacent lawn at Glen Miller Park’s golf course and walking trails in the 2500 block of East Main Street throughout the evening.
Several hot air balloons, including a special shaped balloon, will inflate during the fundraiser and later glow for a few minutes around 9 p.m.
A few years ago, the balloons took off for trips around Richmond during the event. However, that was discontinued because of the long time it took for the balloons to be deflated, packed into trucks, driven to the park, unpacked and reinflated.
A rain date is set for the following day.
The wheelchair-accessible rose garden is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. all year long at no charge. The 30-year-old garden highlights more than 100 varieties of All American Rose Selections (AARS) amidst annuals, perennials and ornamental trees.
Volunteers maintain the AARS and Friendship gardens. Richmond Parks and Recreation Department maintains the E.G. Hill Garden and fountain.
Adults and teens can submit as many as three pictures of roses for the garden’s photo contest through June 30. Pictures must have been taken in 2024. Prizes of $100 and $50 will be awarded for both age groups. Entry details are available at richmondrosegarden.com.
Donations for garden maintenance can be sent to Wayne County Foundation Rose Garden Fund, 33 S. Seventh St., Richmond, IN 47374, or via the website.
A version of this article appeared in the May 29 2024 print edition of the Western Wayne News.