Idyllwild Nature Center to Host Fundraiser Tea for Lemon Lily Festival

March 28, 2014 - PRLog -- Saturday and Sunday, April 5 & 6 marks the dates for the Lemon Lily Tea Fundraiser to benefit the Fifth Annual Lemon Lily Festival in Idyllwild.  Scott Fisher, organizer of the Tea, will be serving up tea, scones, lemon curd and clotted cream along with finger sandwiches to attendees amidst the tall pines and manzanita at the beautiful Idyllwild Nature Center.  Fisher commented, “We are very excited to be offering such a delightful way to support the Lemon Lily Festival this year.  We expect that our guests will be arriving wearing traditional tea couture.  Of course, it’s ok if they don’t, but people tend to have fun with events that allow them to dress up for a treat that is out of the ordinary.”

While at the Nature Center, visitors can find out more about the many educational programs that the center offers, buy educational and fun merchandise that all relates to the wildlife and flora and fauna in the San Jacinto Mountains. One such program that is supported by the Nature Center and the FRIENDS of the San Jacinto Mountains is the annual Lemon Lily Festival which was created in 2010 to help with restoring the Lemon Lily population to its once-abundant status.  Shelley Kibbey, chair of the Lemon Lily Committee explained, “The Lemon Lily (Lilium parryi) once covered the hillsides and creeks surrounding Idyllwild, and due to over-harvesting, the population has dwindled sharply. Our goal is to help reestablish and restore the Lemon Lily population to the local habitat.”

The Festival, which takes place this coming July 12 & 13 will offer visitors the opportunity to Adopt-A-Lemon Lily, see juvenile Lemon Lilies grow in the nursery, and participate in the many activities offered at the Nature Center and around downtown Idyllwild. Kibbey continued, “We’ll have a Pioneer Town complete with pony rides, a blacksmith, arts and crafts, Bluegrass music, educational hikes and talks, and local vendors.  There will be something for everyone and most activities are free.”  The cost to enter the Nature Center is $3 for adults, $2 for kids, and $1 for dogs, which must be leashed at all times.

The Tea will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 5 and Sunday, April 6^th at the Idyllwild Nature Center, 54000 County Park Rd, Idyllwild, CA 92549. Tickets are $15 per person. To make a reservation, or a donation, call the Nature Center at 951-659-3850.  For more information about the Festival, visit the website at www.lemonlilyfestival.com.  The Idyllwild Lemon Lily Festival is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization.