20th ANNUAL WATERLILY CELEBRATION

20th ANNUAL WATERLILY CELEBRATION

Mark your calendars for a blooming extravaganza as McKee Botanical Garden prepares to host its much-anticipated 20th Annual Waterlily Festival on Saturday, June 14, from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. This celebrated event promises a captivating display of over 80 varieties of waterlilies, making it one of the state’s largest collections.

This annual celebration attracts a diverse audience including McKee members, horticultural enthusiasts, photographers, artists, and visitors from across the state. Guests will be treated to a day filled with immersive experiences, including waterlily repotting demonstrations, vendors selling a variety of items including plants, wire art and wood crafts, and handmade baskets from Africa. In addition, several plein air artists will be creating original works of art adding an artistic flair to the event.

In a special treat for early birds, the Garden will open its gates at 8:30 am, granting visitors a rare opportunity to witness the enchanting beauty of night-blooming waterlilies alongside their day-blooming counterparts. Additionally, attendees will have the chance to delve into the vital role these aquatic plants play in preserving our ecosystem.

One of the highlights of the festival is the Annual Waterlily Photo Contest, inviting both McKee members and the public to showcase their photography skills. Entries must feature waterlilies and lotus captured at McKee Botanical Garden in 2024 or 2025 using either film or digital cameras. Participants may submit one photo in each of three style categories: Color, Black and White, and Manipulated. For budding photographers aged 17 and under, a dedicated Youth category awaits. Links to the full contest rules and entry forms can be found at the bottom of this page. Entries may be submitted from June 4 to June 13 at McKee’s Administrative Office.

Photographer’s submissions will be considered by a panel of judges on Friday, June 13. All entries, to include the winning entries in each category, will be displayed in the historic Hall of Giants during the festival on June 14. The winners will be announced during the event, with accolades presented for first, second, and third place in the adult categories, alongside an honorable mention recipient. While the youth division will not be judged in individual categories, overall winners for first, second, and third place will be recognized, encouraging and celebrating the creativity of young photographers. McKee members and visitors will have an opportunity to vote for the “People’s Choice” award during the festival.

This year, McKee is delighted to announce that internationally renowned landscape photographer Ngoc Minh Ngo will select this year’s “Best in Show” photograph from the 1st Place Winners in each category. The winning image will be announced on July 1st and will be featured on McKee’s website.  

Ngoc is a New York-based photographer whose images have been published in such publications as The World of Interiors, Vogue, T Magazine, Architectural Digest, Cabana, and House & Garden UK. She is the author of several books, Bringing Nature Home: Floral Arrangements Inspired by Nature; In Bloom: Creating and Living with Flowers, Eden Revisited: A Garden in Northern Morocco, and her most recent publication New York Green: Discovering the City’s Most Treasured Parks and Gardens.

Ngoc photographed McKee Botanical Garden in 2024 and will return in 2025 for an upcoming book. McKee is the first Florida garden Ngoc has photographed.

Admission: $15 Adults, $13 Seniors (65+)/Youth (13-17), and $10 Children (2-12). McKee members and children under 2 are free. For additional information, please contact McKee Botanical Garden at 772-794-0601.