Fiesta Botanica
The festival kicks off at 10 a.m. with the Fiesta Botanica Floral Wagon Parade along El Prado, which continues until 3 p.m. This year’s floral extravaganza includes open-air sketching stations provided by the Spanish Village Art Center, plant sales in the Casa del Prado patio, and four butterfly releases in Zoro Garden. Lectures by horticultural experts will address topics such as drought-tolerant and native-California plant varieties, organic gardening, and how to grow edible plants. Park rangers will lead tours of Balboa Park’s many gardens. Community organizations will host two dozen activity and information booths along El Prado — highlights include a kodama fairy garden-making activity by the Japanese Friendship Garden and a lei-making demonstration at the Southern California Plumeria Society booth.