Descanso Gardens Announces Camellia & Tea Festival

Camellia japonica ‘Covina’

The Camellia Festival, a Descanso Gardens winter tradition, gets a new name this year. Now called the Camellia & Tea Festival, this two-day celebration will be Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 28 and March 1. Camellias are beloved by California gardeners because of their colorful blossoms that brighten winter gardens. The new name recognizes another role the camellia plays as the source of tea, one of the world’s most popular beverages.
The Camellia & Tea Festival will include lectures, tea tasting, dance performances by Invertigo Dance Theatre, and walks through the Gardens, which was designated an International Camellia Garden of Excellence by the International Camellia Society. The festival will also feature traditional Japanese tea ceremonies (advance ticket purchase required). Activities free with admission to Descanso Gardens unless noted.

Activities include:

Camellia walk & talk, both days, 10am & 12:30pm: Take a guided walk of the Descanso camellia collection.

Chado tea tasting, both days, 10am – 2pm: Sample a variety of teas and learn about tea (Camellia sinensis) from the experts of Chado Tea of Pasadena.

Camellia crafts, both days, 10am – 1pm: Bring the youngsters for hands-on creative art activities.

Invertigo Dance Theatre performance, both days, 10:30am & 1pm: Enter a magical world of motion with Invertigo Dance Theatre. Enjoy a lively performance of dance and live music, followed by an interactive workshop.

Japanese tea ceremony, both days, 11am & 2pm: Witness a traditional Japanese tea ceremony in the Minka. Seating is limited. Tickets are on sale at brownpapertickets.com. $15; advance ticket required.

Camellia Lounge, both days, 11am – 3pm: Purchase special selections prepared by Patina, including grilled sweet corn and succulent citrus chicken.

Camellia talks, Saturday, 1:30pm; Sunday, 1:30 & 3pm: Learn more about camellias and their care. The Saturday talk focuses on pruning camellias. On Sunday, the 1:30pm talk focuses on using camellias in floral arrangements. Brad King of the Southern California Camellia Society talks about camellia care at 3pm.

Descanso Gardens is located at 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge. Admission is $9 for adults; $6 for seniors and students with a school I.D.; $4 for children 5 to 12, and free for members and children 4 and younger. For information, call (818) 949-4200 or visit www.descansogardens.org. Descanso Gardens is accredited by the American Association of Museums.