Weaver Creek Park Community Food Forest

This year marked one of our most vibrant and community-centered seasons yet. Thanks to the incredible support of our volunteers, schools, and local partners, we expanded our educational programs, strengthened sustainable food systems, and deepened community engagement across all our initiatives.

We hosted more than 30 educational workshops and numerous community events that brought people of all ages together to learn, grow, and celebrate. 

When late snows arrived around Easter, we combined our Earth Day and Easter festivities into one joyful gathering that united families and students in hands-on orchard care and environmental learning. Over 100 families joined us to explore the park, craft native flower seed bombs, and create worm bins to educate our community about ecological stewardship.

Throughout the summer, Jovial hosted weekly hands-on workshops focused on soil health, pest management, pruning, and water conservation. We also celebrated a major infrastructure milestone: the full rebuild of our vineyard using the Geneva Double Curtain system. This investment paid off with an incredible 800-pound grape harvest, our largest to date! Community spirit flourished through events like our Plant Sale, Ice Cream Social, wildlife and pollinator programs, and family movie nights all designed to create an inclusive space for connection, learning, and joy.

We piloted a new type of community event in the orchard this year: Movie Nights Under the Stars! Our events brought together over 200 community members for an evening of fun and connection. With the help of volunteers and the Jovial team, we transformed the orchard into an outdoor theater. Partnering with Kendallvue Elementary School, which hosted concessions as a fundraiser, we enjoyed a beautiful, calm evening under mild skies. It was a heartwarming reminder of how simple shared moments can strengthen the roots of our community.

The year concluded with a series of fall workshops and celebrations that reflected the power of collective stewardship. Our Fall Festival welcomed more than 1,700 attendees, featuring local live music, refreshments, hayrides, and family activities. Volunteers and Master Gardeners led engaging sessions on seed saving, orchard pruning, and preparing the garden for winter, ensuring that our shared spaces continue to thrive for seasons to come while building community and connection.

Looking ahead, we are eager to build on this momentum by expanding youth programming, advancing orchard restoration, and increasing our capacity to distribute fresh food to families in need. With continued community and your support, Jovial Gardens and Orchard will keep cultivating knowledge, sustainability, and resilience across our region.

None of this would be possible without your continued support.
With gratitude, the Jovial team