Press

ALBANY, NY – An international café, with a Parisian flair, will be among the many attractions February 23-25 at the New York State Museum’s “New York in Bloom” event, the Museum’s 16th annual celebration of flowers and fund-raiser for its award-winning after-school programs.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Museum’s after-school activities, which began with the Museum Club, serving Albany youth aged 8-13, and now also include the Discovery Squad, for teens aged 13-18. The special fund-raising weekend marks the only time that the Museum charges admission.

More than 125 thematic floral displays will be positioned throughout the Museum for the annual event, which will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Garden club members, professional designers and floral enthusiasts from across the state will create inventive floral arrangements that complement and interpret the museum’s permanent and temporary exhibitions. Students in the Museum’s after-school programs will also create a floral exhibit. Fifteen table settings will also be on display. Demonstrations and children’s activities will be featured all three days.

Chris Grigas of My Favorite Things Florist will decorate the Museum lobby again this year. Surroundings Floral Studio will create a display with flowers, supplied by Seagroatt Riccardi, LTD, centered around a bright red 1934 Ford Tudor Sedan. There also will be a fresh flower market, while supplies last, with flowers donated by Seagroatt Floral Co. Inc. and Dan Engwer Wholesale.

The admission fee for “New York in Bloom” is $4 for adults on Friday. On Saturday and Sunday the fee will be $6, which also includes admission to the “14th annual James Campbell Memorial Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show and Sale.” Admission is free for children 12 and under, accompanied by an adult. Tickets may be purchased at the door.

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Le Petite Jardin, an international tea garden in Exhibition Hall, will serve a variety of teas, coffee, desserts, and light luncheon fare, provided by Classe´ Catering, on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Parisian-style café will be designed and decorated by Karen McGowan of Faddegon’s Nursery and Ben Legacy of Classe´ Catering. Subway, on the Museum’s fourth floor Terrace Gallery, will also offer food all day Friday through Sunday. Big Don’s Hot Dogs & More and Losee’s Deli will serve food in the Museum’s first floor Student Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Demonstrations will be provided all three days with materials for floral demonstrations provided by Seagroatt Floral Co. Inc.. The schedule includes: (Friday morning) “Experiencing the Rose Parade” slide show and presentation by Floral Designs by Meg Bugler; (Friday afternoon) “Flowers With a Theme” by Dee Foley of the Bethlehem Garden Club; “Hand-Tied Bouquets” by Joan Reilly of Henry F. Clas Florist; (Saturday morning) “Spring Bloomers that Add Zing to Your Landscape” by Kerry Mendez of Perennially Yours; “Removing the Fear of Bonsai” by Pauline Muth; (Saturday afternoon) “Our Flowers Bloom All Year,” by NY Chapter of the Embroiderers’ Guild of America, Inc.; “Quick and Easy Flower Arrangements,” by Verena Takekoshi of Takekoshi Gardem Art; “Hand-Tied Bouquets” by Joan Reilly of Henry F. Clas Florist; “Silk Creations for Your Home” by Kathy Zanchelli of Michael’s Arts and Crafts; “Pressed Botanical Designs” by Jo-Ann Gannett of Garden Treasures; (Sunday morning) “Outside the Ordinary: A Fresh Approach to Floral Design at Home,” by Chris Grigas of My Favorite Things Florist; “Flowers Made of Frosting by Kelly Sloan of Michael’s Arts and Crafts; (Sunday afternoon) “Our Flowers Bloom All Year” by Embroiders’ Guild; “Ikebana Designs” by Mary Bohnet of Sogetsu/Ikebana Study Group; “Michele’s Flower Hour” by Michele Peters of Ambiance Florals and Events and “Creating Fossil and Garden Stones” by Terry Mullady of Stony Point Glass and Garden.

Children’s activities will be held all three days. Scheduled are: (Friday morning) “Grapevine Wreaths,” (Friday afternoon) “Soft Sculpture Flowers,” (Saturday afternoon) “Tissue Paper Flowers” and (Saturday and Sunday afternoons) “Face Painting.”

Table settings will be provided by Designer Interiors, Henry F. Clas Florist, Pearl Grant Richman, Moose Creek LTD, Certified Framing and Gallery, the Crooked Lake House, Stickley Furniture, Classe´ Catering, Experience and Creative Design, Michael Devine Home, Provisions Design, The Dezigning Woman and Amaryllis Florist & Total Events.

“New York in Bloom” is a primary funding source for the Museum Club, a nationally recognized, educational after-school program. Since 1987 the Club has provided tutoring and educational enrichment opportunities for youths from Albany’s underserved neighborhoods. Children receive homework help and reading support and participate in interactive projects involving Museum exhibits. The Discovery Squad is the teen extension of the Museum Club. Teens work with younger Museum Club children while

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developing professional skills with the assistance of adult mentors. Students receive essential job training,

academic and personal support, explore higher education opportunities and gain confidence as they serve the Museum in a variety of work-based capacities.

Volunteers are needed for the New York in Bloom event. Anyone interested may contact Brian Malloy at (518) 402-5869

Support for “New York in Bloom” was provided by IBM, Albany International, KeyBank, SEFCU, National Grid, Times Union, Time Warner Cable/Capital News 9, Quality Retail Systems, My Favorite Things Florist, Faddegon’s Nursery Inc., Seagroatt Floral Co. Inc. and Dan Engwer Wholesale.

The New York State Museum is a cultural program of the New York State Department of Education. It is located on Madison Avenue in Albany. The museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Further information can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the museum website at www.nysm.nysed.gov.

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