Fête des Fleurs: 40 Years and Flourishing

Photo: Courtesy of Denver Botanic Gardens

Denver Botanic Gardens is a spectacular site year-round, but one evening stands out with even more blooms and beauty. Fête des Fleurs, the cultural institution’s biggest party of the year, brings more than 650 distinguished community members together for the annual fundraiser. This year marks the event’s 40th anniversary.

Attendees will enjoy an elegant evening with ruby tones fittingly incorporated into the décor to celebrate 40 years, along with ruby-throated hummingbird motifs. The soiree opens with a cocktail reception highlighting a series of captivating gardens. Along the way, they’ll experience Spirit Guides: Fantastical Creatures from the Workshop of Jacobo and María Ángeles, the Gardens’ first outdoor art exhibition since 2019. During this time, guests can mingle and enjoy hors d’oeuvres while delighting in gardens bursting with peak summer color. 

Photo: Courtesy of Denver Botanic Gardens

Formal dinner is held across the Gardens in different locations. Each offers unique ambiance and an exceptional culinary experience. Whether in the elevated sophistication of the Romantic Gardens, the lively and vibrant energy under the UMB Bank Amphitheater Tent, the fragrant allure of the Orangery or the breathtaking views of waterlilies from the Hive Deck, every dining setting promises an extraordinary and memorable experience. Following dinner, guests dance the night away to live music in the Schlessman Family Atrium of the Freyer – Newman Center. 

The Fête des Fleurs is an important fundraiser for the Gardens, contributing over $500,000 annually to support core programs such as children’s education, public outreach, horticulture, research and conservation. 

Mareill Kiernan and Lauren Perlmutter are the co-chairs of the 40th Fête des Fleurs. G.H. Phipps is the Presenting Sponsor and Andrisen Morton and Polestar Denver are Supporting Sponsors. Fête des Fleurs takes place Friday, August 23, from 5:30-11 p.m. at Denver Botanic Gardens. To attend the gala’s 40th anniversary, purchase tickets at botanicgardens.org.

Photo: Courtesy of Denver Botanic Gardens

About Denver Botanic Gardens

Denver Botanic Gardens is one of the top botanic gardens in the nation and a pioneer in water conservation. A wide range of gardens and collections that illustrate the connection between plants and people are showcased at the York Street location’s campus. Horticulturists maintain more than 10,000 species of plants from more than 90 countries, as well as the world-renowned Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory. The Gardens has three unique locations: York Street; Denver Botanic Gardens Chatfield Farms, a 700 native plant refuge and working farm in Jefferson County; and Mount Goliath, a high-altitude trail and interpretive site on the Mount Evans Scenic Byway. The Gardens also collaborates with the City of Aurora to manage educational programming at the Plains Conservation Center, featuring a variety of hands-on activities and guided explorations.

In 2018, Denver Botanic Gardens received the American Public Gardens Association (APGA) Award for Garden Excellence. The annual award is given to a public garden that exemplifies the highest standards of horticultural practices. The Gardens is honored to have been selected from among approximately 500 APGA member institutions located in the U.S., Canada and 14 other countries.

Photo: Courtesy of Denver Botanic Gardens