ST. LOUIS, Feb. 6, 2023 – After two years behind a screen, Art in Bloom, the annual festival of fine art and fresh flowers, returns in person to the Saint Louis Art Museum on Friday, March 3 through Sunday, March 5.
Thirty floral designers from across the region will create imaginative displays inspired by specific works of art during one of the museum’s most popular programs. The festival has been presented virtually for the last two years.
Art in Bloom is open to the public starting at 10 am every day of the festival; museum members can come as early 8 am. It’s free to tour the galleries, but tickets for special Art in Bloom programs go on sale Tuesday (Feb. 7) at the museum or via MetroTix.
Gabriela Salazar will give the weekend’s featured lecture, “The Garden and the Artistry of Floral Design,” at 7 pm on Friday, March 3 in SLAM’s Farrell Auditorium. Visiting from her floristry school and garden in Valle de Bravo, Mexico, Salazar will talk about how growing her own flowers changed her approach to floral design, and she’ll demonstrate her soft, romantic floral-arranging style. Tickets are $25; members pay $15.
On Saturday, March 4, the new Flowers After Hours program will offer a limited-capacity experience to view the displays free from the daytime crowds. The event is for visitors 21 and older and begins at 6 pm featuring live music, a photobooth and cocktails. Tickets are $45, or $35 for members. One drink is included in the ticket price; additional drinks are available for purchase.
Bring the family Sunday, March 5 for floral-inspired activities and a scavenger hunt through the galleries. Family Florals will run noon to 4 pm.
The festival kicks off with a preview party from 6 pm to 9 pm on Thursday, March 2. The evening will feature fine food, live music and an introduction to Salazar, the festival’s featured presenter. For tickets, which are $175 per person, visit slam.org/bloom.
Due to high attendance, parking near the museum is limited. A free shuttle will be available every 20 minutes during the festival between the museum and the free lots near Forest Park’s Dennis & Judith Jones Visitor and Education Center.
The museum’s Panorama restaurant will offer lunch and dinner buffets each day from 10 am to 3 pm and 4 pm to 7 pm. Reservations are recommended at 314-655-5490. Lunch is $25 ($21 for members), and dinner is $36 ($32 for members). A Flowers After Hours ticket is required for the Saturday dinner buffet. Lighter fare is available during museum hours at the café.
For a complete list of floral designers and the works of art they’ll be interpreting, visit slam.org/bloom.
