shoreupdate.com

By Sandra Zunino

Fireflies won’t be the only ones dancing in the moonlight on Saturday, September 18th. From 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Adkins Arboretum, there will be Magic in the Meadow, a Twilight Cabaret to raised funds for the 400-acre native garden and preserve in Ridgely.

This is the third year for the Arboretum’s signature fundraiser and already event coordinators are expecting record attendance, according to Director of Advancement and Planning Kate Rattie. “This is our top fundraising event,” she says. “We are expecting over 200 guests to attend this year.”

Kate attributes some of the event’s popularity to the scheduled performance of
pianist Stefano “Stef” Scaggiari and vocalist Dan Saunders. “This is the first time we will have live music and dancing at the event,” says Kate. “We think it will be a fun party.”

Truly a moment of magic in a meadow, upon arrival, guests will be escorted through Adkins Arboretum’s Visitors’ Center, down a garden path lined by native plants and twinkling lights to a meadow where the festivities will take place under an enormous tent.  Once there, guests will be treated to cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and tapas small plates. Both silent and live auctions will also take place with an assortment of interesting wines as just some of the wonderful auction items.

Proceeds from the fundraiser, which is sponsored by Centreville National Bank and PNC Bank this year, benefit Adkins Arboretum’s many conservation programs. The only arboretum or public garden to focus solely on plants native to the mid-Atlantic coastal plain, Adkins is a model for land stewardship, playing an important roll in protecting the health of the Chesapeake Bay. Programs and classes help adults and children understand how they can make personal choices in their own homes and backyards, such as installing rain gardens and planting native flowers in their landscapes, to help preserve the bay for future generations.

Adkins also raises money through two annual plant sale events as well as from daily plant sales from its nursery, which remains open throughout the growing season. “Purchasing plants at the arboretum also helps us raise money toward our outreach efforts,” says Kate.

There is still time to reserve tickets for Magic in the Meadow. Tickets cost $125 per person, with tables for eight available for reservation. For more information or to reserve tickets, visit Adkins Arboretum in Ridgely from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily, call 410-634-2847, ext. 0 or e-mail jbarnett@adkinsarboretum.org. For additional information about the arboretum’s programs, visit www.adkinsarboretum.org or call 410-634-2847, ext. 0.