Let’s Celebrate with a Garden Party!

BY: RACHEL WUMKES

While we’ve been celebrating all the summer fun at the Lake for almost a full month now, today it becomes official.  It’s the summer solstice – the astronomical first day of summer for the Northern Hemisphere.

So, what exactly IS the solstice?

For us, it means the sun will be in the northernmost part of the sky.  As the Earth orbits the sun, it will arrive at the point where the North Pole reaches its maximum tilt toward the sun.  The result of this phenomenon gives us the longest day and shortest night of the calendar year.

If I’m being honest, the “longest day” portion sounds amazing.  It’s the whole “shortest night” part that doesn’t thrill me.

Regardless, at 9:57am today, we officially kick off the beginning of summer.

If you haven’t begun your celebration already, now would be the time to start doing all the summer things.  Spend a day at the beach, enjoy an afternoon hiking through McIntosh Woods State Park, watch a sunset from the seawall.  Summer is all about having fun and making memories at the lake.  It means bonfires, grilling, and late nights under the stars.

Summer is the best, so be sure to soak it all in.

Because after today, the Sun will seem to pause for a moment in the sky before reversing direction for the next six months.  This is because of the Earths tilt as it orbits the sun in an elliptical pattern.  The solstice signals a turning point as we now head toward shorter days and longer nights over the coming months.

Boo.

But never fear, as the sunset is only a minute or two shorter each day.

We still have a lot of long days ahead of us before we turn the clocks back and wait for the winter solstice to flip us back the other direction.

One of those amazing summer days that is fast approaching is the Central Gardens annual Garden Party.

Central Gardens of North Iowa is a 3-acre home of serenity and beauty located smack-dab in the middle of Clear Lake.  It is a magnificent place to escape for peace and quiet, meet friends for lunch, celebrate the wonders of nature, host a wedding or other event, and enjoy their vibrant programming.

The Garden Party, which is held from 12-3pm on June 25th, is their largest fundraising event each summer.  As they are solely run by volunteers, your monetary support helps with upkeep to ensure people are able to “stop and smell the roses” year after year.

This year’s Garden Party theme is “I went to a Garden party to reminisce with my old friends.”  There will be live music by Mr. Jeff Music and an abundance of food including BBQ pork, salad, beans, fruit kabobs, desserts and beverages.

There will also be a live auction to support the daily operations of the Gardens.

Central Gardens exists thanks to the generosity and support of community members and donors.  As stated earlier, the Garden Party is their biggest fundraiser.  Tickets are $40 in advance and can be purchased online at https://www.centralgardensnorthiowa.com/event/central-gardens-summer-garden-party-and-auction/ or you can reserve a table for 8 for $250.

Tickets are also available for $45 at the gates the day of the event.

Summer at the Lake is a special time, one filled with events and activities for all ages.  Central Gardens is one component to what makes Clear Lake such an amazing place to live, work, and play.  They bring a bit of serenity and peace to our sometimes-chaotic lives.  A chance to slow down and appreciate the vibrant colors and enticing smells.

And the simplicity of pretty flowers.

See you at the Gardens!