Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of what is now known as Laurelwood Arboretum at the annual Festival of Friends on Saturday, September 14, from 5 pm to 7:30 p.m. The celebration will take place at the Knippenberg Center for Education at Laurelwood Arboretum, 725 Pines Lake Drive West, Wayne. Tickets are $50 per person for members of Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum, $60 per person for nonmembers, and $75 per person at the door. Tickets can be ordered online at www.laurelwoodarboretum.org or by calling 973-831-5675. All proceeds of the Festival will benefit Laurelwood Arboretum.
A highlight of the event is a raffle that features some very special raffle prizes, including two tickets for the hit Broadway show Hamilton, a Trek bicycle, and a gift certificate for an enchanted evening at Novelli Resturant along with two bottles of premier wine. Raffle tickets are now on sale at the Knippenberg Center for Education, which is open Tuesdays through Sundays, noon to 4 pm. Purchasers need not be present at the Festival to claim their prize.
The Festival will include an exhibit of paintings and photographs by local artists and photographers. For refreshments, there will be hors d’oeuvres by Party Connections accompanied by wine, nonalcoholic beverages, and a specially created signature drink, Laurelwood Sunset. Pianist Richard Santoro will entertain on the piano.
Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum is a volunteer non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve, promote and enhance the arboretum in partnership with Wayne Township. Membership has grown to more than 450, with 200-plus volunteers working to support the organization. Friends of Laurelwood Arboretum is funded by membership dues, grants, fundraisers, and donations from individuals and businesses.