Red, White + Blooms

Celebrate Independence Day at the Gardens with a full morning of patriotic family activities! Start early with a neighborhood parade at 9:30 a.m. where kids can decorate wagons, strollers, scooters, and bikes to march around the Big Pond Loop (meet at 9 a.m.). Car lovers can arrive even earlier for Cars + Coffee from 8:30–10 a.m. to see classic automobiles. Down in the Gardens, the festivities continue until 2 p.m. with lawn games, carnival games with prizes, face painting, fresh popcorn, and lemonade. Kids can create a free Fourth of July craft with a Stowe educator while supplies last, and the Little Blue Choo trackless train offers rides for $3 per person (11 a.m.–1 p.m., tickets sold onsite). Live banjo music from Michael York fills the Four Seasons Lawn from 11 a.m.–1 p.m., while food trucks and Big Leaf Café provide lunch and refreshments. Families can also enjoy the garden's self-guided adventures, including a holiday flower scavenger hunt, the Adventure Trail, and the Prairie Castle playground. Admission requires either a garden pass or membership. Active and veteran military members receive free admission with ID. Bring red, white, and blue outfits and sun protection for a day of summer fun surrounded by beautiful gardens.