SEAC and the Tool Shed announces family-friendly community festival at local community garden!
Rochester, N.Y. — Featuring an array of area women-owned businesses, the South East Area Coalition’s (SEAC) second annual Growing with SEAC at Wide Water Gardens has blossomed into a fun-filled family festival, now dubbed SEAC’s Ladybugs Festival. Running today from 4-8 P.M at 345 Rosedale St., SEAC is thrilled to showcase their community partner, Wide Water Gardens, which has recently been granted its permit by the City of Rochester.
Nestled behind the Culver Rd. Armory and a stone’s throw from Jeremiah’s Tavern, Wide Water Community Garden is graciously hosting this free community cultivation event again this year. Celebrating women owned and led businesses and vendors, the Ladybugs Festival begins on Friday, July 15th from 4-8 P.M. All residents of the Greater Rochester Area are welcome to this mini festival! Enjoy refreshments, music, fun and games- all sourced from the southeast part of the city and just beyond!
“Kids love to grow things, especially things they can eat,” said Kiki Smith, SEAC’s Outreach and Fundraising Coordinator. “We’ve got all kinds of activities to get their hands off their devices and into their environment. I mean, who can resist baby goat yoga, face painting, and hunting for over 1500 live ladybugs?” There’s plenty to engage kids of all ages- from chair massage to henna stains, Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Master Gardeners to soul readings, live music and painting among the flower beds, vintage jewelry, an octogenarian Greek bee keeper (and his honey), Sticky Soul and BBQ, candied nuts, cookies, and cupcakes!
“We believe in empowering our community from the inside out. That’s why we opened a comprehensive tool lending library for anyone in the Greater Rochester Area to borrow items to fix, create, maintain, and work. With educational programming on the horizon, we look forward to building strong partnerships with places like Veterans Outreach, Center for Youth, St. Michael’s Wood Shop and Youth Build,” said Mike Evans, SEAC’s Executive Director.
Meanwhile, SEAC continues to support small neighborhood projects and other nonprofits and community partners like Wide Water Gardens with their Community Engagement Funds, events, and programming.
A “grassroots” initiative, the littered and vacant swath of land abutting 490 and the armory is now a thriving bed of botanical gems as well as a hub for merchant and trade recommendations, and friendly residential conversation. The 60 gardeners at WWG sew more than flowers and veggies; they grow our community.
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Founded in 1968, The South East Area Coalition’s mission is to promote quality of life within Rochester’s south east area by connecting individuals and community partners to essential resources. Learn more at seacrochester.org
South East Area Coalition 