McLaughlin Garden & Homestead
Garden Events
Thank you for choosing to visit the McLaughlin Garden! We are a non-profit garden open to the public.
We rely on your donations and support to help us organize and host a free or low-cost schedule of events each season. We hope that you find as much value in our programs as we do.
Please call 207-743-8820 if you have questions about anything in our schedule.. We can’t wait to see you at the garden this season!
November 2022
November 12
Handmade Wreath Sale begins- Buy a Christmas wreath made by McLaughlin Garden volunteers and staff, and Foothills Garden Club members. The boughs were collected, hauled back to the McLaughlin barn, “tipped” and formed into the freshest handmade local wreaths around. Each wreath is decorated with a hand- tied bow and pinecones. Two sizes available. The wreath sale runs 10:00am to 4:00pm Tuesday through Sunday from November 12th until we run out of wreaths.
November 25, 26 & 27- Friday 11/25- 4p-8p, Saturday 11/26- 9am to 7pm, Sunday 11/27- 9am to 2pm
Festival of Trees– Glittering lights, magical displays, fantastic sounds of the holidays… this is what you can expect at the Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce’s 11th annual Festival of Trees hosted again this year in the beautiful historic barn at the McLaughlin Garden & Homestead. Dozens of decorated trees will fill the barn. Add in holiday displays, hot cocoa, Christmas music and shopping and you will discover the most festive experience to start your holiday season. Admission is free and raffle tickets for chances to win the amazing trees on display will be for sale.
December 2022
December 1st through December 8th- 10:00am (Thursday the 1st) to 2:00pm (Thursday the 8th)
McLaughlin Garden Annual Online Auction– Visit www.mclaughlingarden.com and feel the excitement of bidding on a variety of items from the comfort of home. From a week-long stay in a Paris apartment to tickets to special events, you won’t find another auction catalog like it! This is one of our most important fundraising events of the year and we need your help meeting our fundraising goals! Bid high and bid often as all Auction proceeds go directly to supporting the development of our gardens and events & programming for all of us!
December 3 10:00am to 1:00pm- Mary DeLano is back for another textile craft for Christmas. Join us Saturday morning and learn how to create a table top Christmas tree using strips of wool. All materials plus a string of battery operated fairy lights are included in the price. There will be additional materials available to decorate your tree for a small add-on cost. RSVP by Wednesday, November 30th. Class fee of $50 due at time of registration
Member Christmas Party TBD
July 2022
McLaughlin Art Gallery exhibit welcomes July Artist of the Month Sophia Maamouri. Please join us for an Artist’s Reception on Friday, July 1st from 5:30p to 7:30p
Thursday, July 7- 6:00 pm-8:00 pm
Thursday Night in the Garden #4- “Planting a Moss Garden” with Becky Moening of Swallowtail Garden. Learn about different types of mosses, ideal planting sites and garden layout while Becky builds a moss garden right here at McLaughlin Garden.
Saturday, July 9- 1:00pm- 4:00 pm-
Musubi Stone Wrapping Level 2 with Cynthia Atkinson- For all of you who joined us for the beginner Musubi Stone Wrapping class here at McLaughlin Garden last fall and last month, now is your chance to build on your new craft. You’ve learned the basics of Musubi Stone Wrapping and now it’s time to learn some new and more intricate wrapping techniques. All materials will be supplied, including the leather cord, but please bring 2-3 of your own palm sized roundish stones. It’s so much fun to allow a river or beach stone to choose you for this project! $45 fee. RSVP by calling 207-743-8820 or email info@mclaughlingarden.org
Tuesday, July 12-9:30am-12:00pm
Power Propagators– Join Foothills Garden Club members and McLaughlin volunteers in the barn for propagating and potting up plants from the McLaughlin Garden to support our plant sale.
Thursday, July 14- 6:00 pm-8:00 pm
Thursday Night in the Garden #5- Botanical Cocktails with Mixologist Spencer Neuman. CANCELLED
Thursday, July 21- 6:00 pm-8:00 pm
Thursday Night in the Garden #6- Shibori (Japanese manual tie-dyeing technique) and Indigo Painting with Mary DeLano. Mary will guide you every step of the way as you try your hand at creating a uniquely patterned bandana. Class limited to 18 students.
Friday, July 22- 6:30 pm-7:30 pm
Sebago Long-Lake Music Festival Concert– We are so lucky! This season marks the 50th Anniversary for Sebago Long Lake Music Festival at Deertrees Theater and we are honored to be hosting their musicians in the McLaughlin Barn this season. The string quartet, consisting of 2 violinists, a violist and a cellist, will carry you away with their performance in the historical barn. Families could come at 5:30 or 6:00 to picnic and then into the barn at 6:30 for the performance. All are welcome. Donations will be gratefully accepted.
Sunday, July 31- 9:00 am-4:00 pm
Eco-Printing Workshop with Mary Delano– Record your visit to McLaughlin Garden by printing our plants on fabric! Maine fiber artist Mary DeLano will teach you the art and craft of Eco-printing; a process where plant materials are placed on specially treated fabric and then steamed to release the pigments in the plants, leaving realistic prints of the plants on the fabric. During this full day class, participants will learn about which plants print reliably and will have a chance to experiment with other plants. Students will take home one silk scarf and 1 ¾ yards of printed fabric, including silk, cotton and linen. RSVP required. Payment is due at time of registration. Non-members $135, members $125. Registration closes on July 14th. No refunds after that time unless the class is cancelled.
Thursday, July 28- 6:00 pm-8:00 pm
Thursday Night in the Garden #7– “Come Together” for Beatles Night: Live Music and Trivia with pianists Danielle Tran (currently playing with The Cobblestones, and you may also remember her from last year’s Thursday Night in the Garden series “A Night at the Movies” with her son Sam on violin) and Dawson Hill (currently playing with the Jason Spooner Band). Professional musicians Danielle and Dawson will play, not at the “Octopus’s Garden” but at the “McLaughlin Garden”, their favorite Beatle’s tunes and test your knowledge with Beatles related trivia questions. We could listen to Danielle and Dawson “Eight Days a Week”.
August 2022
McLaughlin Art Gallery exhibit- August Artist of the Month-Rebecca Hoskins
Thursday Night in the Garden #8– Heart-felt singer songwriter Kristin Short performs with her acoustic rock/contemporary folk band Sea Siren Trio. Kristin and her band will enchant you with a mix of original music and cover tunes. Sailors beware.
Tuesday, August 9- 9:30am-12:00pm
Power Propagators– Join Foothills Garden Club members and McLaughlin volunteers in the barn for propagating and potting up plants from the McLaughlin Garden to support our plant sale.
Thursday Night in the Garden #9 – Hula Hoop Jam
Friday, August 26- 7:00 pm-8:30 pm-
Flower Power Family Fun Night– Children’s Event- A super charged party for the family, geared especially for your kids. Dress your children up as a favorite super hero or in their favorite “save the day” attire and enjoy dancing, crafts, lawn games, a scavenger hunt and other fun set against the back drop of their own mini Garden Illuminated. Explore the paths in the Garden and maybe come across a super hero or two to shake hands with. Cool Treats for Charity ice cream cart will be on site serving up ice cream and popsicles. $5 per person.
Saturday, August 27 7:30pm to 10pm
Garden Illuminated – Please join us for this late summer evening experience that will dazzle your senses. Hundreds of candles light up the pathways through the Garden creating an intimate and “other-worldly” display. Connect with family and friends under the stars while walking through the Garden with a cold drink in hand, as the perfumed air of a warm summer evening in the garden dances with the live music flowing from the barn. Inside the historic barn, be captivated, and maybe even swooned, by this years feature band: The Jason Spooner Band. Light refreshments and a cash bar featuring the best beers in Maine from Geary Brewing Co. will be available. This is one of McLaughlin’s signature fundraising events and will be an evening that you won’t forget. $20 per ticket or 2 for $30. Purchase Tickets HERE
September 2022
McLaughlin Art Gallery exhibit–September Artist of the Month- hooked rugs by various local artists
Saturday, September 10-10:00 am-4:00 pm-
Art in the Garden-Enjoy the end of the summer by visiting the McLaughlin Garden and watch artists capture the season in paint. Plein Air painting, art for sale, art demonstrations, live music, and an art auction are all experiences you can expect.. Plein air painters will be painting throughout the garden all day. Shop for art in artist’s tents outside or visit art shows hanging in the barn, on the enclosed porch, and in the McLaughlin Garden Art Gallery. Stop by the all day eco-printing demonstration or watch rug hookers working on their crafts. Attend the stained glass demonstration at 10:30a and then join the geli-printing demonstration at 11:30a or 2p. End the day by bidding on a piece of art created by participating plein air artists. The auction will start at 2p.m. See the latest rug hooking creations made by our local rug hookers group hanging in the McLaughlin Art Gallery. The Gift shop will be open where you will find additional handmade items and cards. Art in the Garden is a free event and all are welcome.
Tuesday, September 13- 9:30am- 12:00pm
Power Propagators- Join Foothills Garden Club members and McLaughlin volunteers in the barn for propagating and potting up plants from the McLaughlin Garden to support our plant sale.
Saturday, September 17-9:00 am-3:00 pm-
Printmaking with Geli plates- Geli “plates” are soft printmaking surfaces in which many different textures and stencils can be used to create a variety of beautiful layers and patterns. Join artist Sarah Shepley in the historic McLaughlin barn and learn the process of Geli Printmaking. In this class participants will spend the day exploring the varied use of different textures ( textured papers, fabric, wooden stamps, lace, flora, string etc.) and will learn how to create surface designs as well as narrative pieces. After introducing the basics, Sarah offers demonstrations on the hour using stencils, mat mediums, rainbow rolls as well as other techniques. All materials provided, no experience necessary. Class runs from 9:30-4:00. $160.00. Please RSVP by calling the McLaughlin Garden at 207-743-8820 or by email to info@mclaughlingarden.org
October 2022
McLaughlin Art Gallery exhibit-October Artist of the Month- Lynn Driscoll
October 12-13 Wednesday 10a-7p & Thursday 10a-4p-
Pumpkin Carving Room– Try your hand at carving pumpkins to be displayed in our annual Jack O’Lantern Spectacular event. We will provide the gutted pumpkins, the tools, templates of carving ideas, inspiration and camaraderie- plus we clean up the mess. All pumpkins will be displayed in our Jack O’Lantern Spectacular event on Friday and Saturday night (14th & 15th). Carvers may pick up their pumpkins on Sunday the 16th to take home. No fee. Please call 743-8820 for additional information or to notify us if you will be attending with a large group.
October 14-15 (Friday-Saturday) 6p-9p-
Jack-o’-lantern Spectacular–
November 2022
November 12
Handmade Wreath Sale begins- Buy a Christmas wreath made by McLaughlin Garden volunteers and staff, and Foothills Garden Club members. The boughs were collected, hauled back to the McLaughlin barn, “tipped” and formed into the freshest handmade local wreaths around. Each wreath is decorated with a hand- tied bow and pinecones. Two sizes available. The wreath sale runs 10:00am to 4:00pm Tuesday through Sunday from November 12th until we run out of wreaths.
November 25, 26 & 27- Friday 11/25- 4p-8p, Saturday 11/26- 9am to 7pm, Sunday 11/27- 9am to 2pm
Festival of Trees– Glittering lights, magical displays, fantastic sounds of the holidays… this is what you can expect at the Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce’s 11th annual Festival of Trees hosted again this year in the beautiful historic barn at the McLaughlin Garden & Homestead. Dozens of decorated trees will fill the barn. Add in holiday displays, hot cocoa, Christmas music and shopping and you will discover the most festive experience to start your holiday season. Admission is free and raffle tickets for chances to win the amazing trees on display will be for sale.
December 2022
December 1st through December 8th- 10:00am (Thursday the 1st) to 2:00pm (Thursday the 8th)
McLaughlin Garden Annual Online Auction– Visit www.mclaughlingarden.com and feel the excitement of bidding on a variety of items from the comfort of home. From a week-long stay in a Paris apartment to tickets to special events, you won’t find another auction catalog like it! This is one of our most important fundraising events of the year and we need your help meeting our fundraising goals! Bid high and bid often as all Auction proceeds go directly to supporting the development of our gardens and events & programming for all of us!
December 3 10:00am to 1:00pm- Mary DeLano is back for another textile craft for Christmas. Join us Saturday morning and learn how to create a table top Christmas tree using strips of wool. All materials plus a string of battery operated fairy lights are included in the price. There will be additional materials available to decorate your tree for a small add-on cost. RSVP by Wednesday, November 30th. Class fee of $50 due at time of registration
Member Christmas Party TBD