ALLENTOWN, Pa. — As the dreary weather continued on Saturday, the Agri Plex of the Allentown Fairgrounds offered an oasis of spring cheer.
The 2024 Lehigh Valley Flower and Garden Show returned this weekend, with vendors, flower displays, educational speakers, baby goat snuggling and, for the first time, a butterfly exhibit from Folk’s Butterfly Farm.
“I mean, how cool is that, to walk into a room and have butterflies cover you?” show promoter Laurie Wuchter said.
The three-day event will continue on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $7 per person, but kids under 12 get in for free.
UntitledWuchter said Friday saw record-breaking attendance, and Saturday seemed to be trending toward that as well.
“I'm so proud of the show. I'm so proud of the colors, I'm so proud of the flowers,” Wuchter said. “Everybody always wants more and more and more flowers, but it's gorgeous.”
Wuchter said some people expect the show to be like the Philadelphia Flower Show, but that event works differently because it is part of a nonprofit organization.
Butterflies fluttering, baby goat snuggling
Aside from the flower displays, the event had many animals and critters: MountainView Horse Rescue brought miniature ponies, Steinmetz Family Farm brought baby goats for people to snuggle and Folk’s Butterfly Farm brought butterflies.
Folk’s Butterfly Farm, located in Columbia County, released some of its butterflies into a large enclosure for people to walk around in. They provided Gatorade-soaked Q-tips for people to feed to the butterflies.
Not all the butterflies were keen on staying in the enclosure, though. Some escaped, and employees had to run around the complex with a big net to catch them.
The owner of the farm David Folk gave an educational talk about butterflies during the event. He encouraged audience members to grow host plants for butterflies, such as milkweed, dill and parsley.
“I have a lot of people say, ‘Well, I don't have any acreage.’ You don't need acreage,” Folk said.
“Take a planter, put it on your deck, put some host plants in it … and you've just created a small piece of habitat on your balcony.”
Topics of the educational talks on Sunday will include bees, trees, flower arrangements and how to grow blueberries.
"It's therapy when they get that baby goat in their lap. It is so therapeutic.”
Lauren Steinmetz of Steinmetz Family Farm
Lauren Steinmetz of Steinmetz Family Farm said she has brought her baby goats to the Lehigh Valley Flower and Garden Show for a few years. She charges $5 for people to sit and snuggle them.
“Many people say, ‘That was the best $5 I've ever spent. It was well worth it. I never want to leave; it was like heaven,’” Steinmetz said.
“And they can stay as long as they want. So we don't make anyone leave, we don't force them out. And it's therapy when they get that baby goat in their lap. It is so therapeutic.”
Steinmetz Family Farm is located in Berks County. It offers events and scheduled tours.