Join the ZOOM Happy Hour at 5:30 here!!

Spring is here, and everyone is enjoying the sunshine, warm temperatures, and beautiful flowers. Though we cannot come together in person, please join honorary hosts Bill and Crissy Haslam and other supporters of the UT Gardens, Knoxville, for our 2021 Virtual Gardens Gala Friday, April 30, at 6 p.m. EDT

We will celebrate director emerita Sue Hamilton for her decades-long career with UT with our theme, "Grow Big Orange." Help us honor her legacy of cultivating UT students and implementing the vision that created and sustains the State Botanical Garden of Tennessee.

Event registration is free this year. Guests may support the UT Gardens, Knoxville, by making a donation in lieu of a ticket, purchasing items at our silent auction beginning April 21, or giving during the live program on April 30. All proceeds from the event benefit the UT Gardens, Knoxville, and directly support its mission of teaching, research, and outreach.

Registration is required through the event platform, Handbid. This platform will host the free livestreamed event on Friday, April 30, and will also facilitate bidding during the silent auction and other donations to the Gardens. Event registration requires a credit card, but no charge will be made until an auction bid is won or a donation is made. The silent auction and all bidding will close one hour after the live program concludes.

Find a relaxing location, enjoy your favorite food and beverage, and join us. We look forward to seeing you there.

• Happy Half-hour begins at 5:30 p.m. (EDT), Friday, April 30. An opportunity to mix and mingle with other virtual guests before the program.

• Livestream event starts at 6:00 p.m. (EDT), Friday, April 30.

• Silent Auction opens April 21 and closes the evening of Friday, April 30.

The UT Gardens Gala is presented in part thanks to the generosity of the following sponsors:

Premier Event Sponsors

Steve & Ann Bailey

Patricia Bible & KaTom Restaurant Supply

Kati Blalock

Natalie Haslam

Sharon Miller Pryse & Trust Company

Event Sponsors

Mary Ellen Brewington

Tom Boyd & Sandra Burdick

Mary Costa

Kenneth & Jane Creed

Sherri Lee

Caesar & Dorothy Stair

Sarah Stowers

Pinnacle Financial Partners

Special Recognition to Jenny Boyd whose gift made possible new outdoor furniture for the McIlwaine Pavilion.

Very Special In-kind Sponsor: Vivien Abney – East Fork Nursery

Community Partners

Ellenburg Landscaping

Garden Guru Services

Meadow View Greenhouses

Pope's Plant Farm

Willow Ridge Garden Center

*Note: A credit card is required for registration, but no charge will be made unless a donation is made or an auction bid is won. Auction items may also be purchased with alternative forms of payment. You will be contacted at the conclusion of the silent auction if your bid wins. At that time, you can indicate your preferred method of payment.

If you have any questions, please contact lford@utfi.org

$2,000 Endowment Gift

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