Yukon Plant Festival 2026
Saturday & Sunday, July 18 & 19, 2026
We are so thrilled to announce the second edition of the Yukon Plant Festival!
Taking place in the beautiful surroundings of Mount Lorne, the weekend will consist of workshops, demonstrations, presentations, and plant walks.
Whether you are just curious about plants or they are your life’s passion, come on out and join us!
Through the Yukon Plant Festival we wish to create community around plants by bringing everyone from the curious to the experts together to share their knowledge and passion for the plant world.
This festival is a gathering of diverse plant enthusiasts and plant curious and our activity topics range from gardening to plant art to herbalism… and so much more!
You will also find a range of beautiful locally made products that focus entirely on the natural world at the Plant Fair.
Come Together Around Plants
2026 Yukon Plant Festival Schedule
The 2nd annual Yukon Plant Festival is happening on Saturday, July 18 and Sunday July 19, 2026 at the Mount Lorne Community Centre.
The 2026 festival features over 20 plant walks, expert talks, demonstrations and hands-on workshops on topics from gardening to creating plant art to discovering herbalism and so much more!
General admission tickets include:
you can participate in 5 sessions over the two-day festival;
lunch on both days;
a keynote presentation;
market socials featuring local vendors and their nature-based products;
an evening social with music on Saturday night;
free overnight camping on Saturday night; and
a yoga session on Sunday morning.
* FYI: you will sign up for your 5 sessions on site on the day of the festival.
New to the festival!
This year we are offering extras such as:
kids programming with partners Rivers to Ridges on both days; and
a fundraiser dinner on Saturday night.
Both these additional events require the purchase a separate ticket in addition to the general admission ticket.
Scroll down to get more details about the festival activities and programming, meet the presenters and view a detailed schedule.
Buy your tickets now!
Buy your tickets through Eventbrite (follow the link below):
Adult General Admission - $170
Kids Programming with Rivers to Ridges Ticket for children aged 4 to 12 - $80
Fundraiser Dinner Ticket - $44
Note that Eventbrite charges additional processing fees - just so you’re not taken by surprise!
Quick links
Click on the buttons to navigate the different sections on this page.
Keynote Speaker
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Bruce Bennett
Meet the Presenters
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Anna Schmidt
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Beverley Gray
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Brittany Pais
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Dani Bourgault
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Helen O'Connor
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Helen Stappers
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Jacqueline Clancy
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Jalfred Deichsel
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Jill Johnstone
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Katy Delau
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Kawina Robichaud
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Randy Lamb
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Raven Padmos
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Sylvie Binette
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The Garden Witch
Kids Programming
New to the Yukon Plant Festival!
We are thrilled to be partnering with Rivers to Ridges who are offering kids programming at this year’s festival!
Rivers to Ridges is rooted in land-based learning, fostering curiosity and building empathy.
Prepare for a whimsical weekend outside playing with plant friends and make new friends too!
Over the course of two days, kids will participate in hands-on, play-based, and sensory activities all about plants, including:
🍀potion-making, 🍁story-telling, 🌳plant-hunting,
🌼wild-crafting, 🌻art-making, 🌸 and more!
This is for kids aged 4 to 12. These activities will take place on both days - Saturday and Sunday of the festival - during the regular sessions scheduled for adults, so that parents can fully focus on and enjoy their activities.
Parents and guardians attending the plant festival can register their child for this awesome offering!
Note that:
you must purchase a separate kids ticket for the kids programming: 1 ticket per child;
a parent or guardian must attend the festival at the same time; and
parents or guardians must supervise their children when not in session (example: lunch or Market Social, etc.).
Together, let’s adventure into the world of plant magic!
Photos courtesy of Rivers to Ridges
Schedule 2026
Leading to the festival, make sure to choose the activity you would like to attend for each time slot on the schedule. When you arrive on site, you will be directed to the Yukon Plant Guild tent to register to the activities you’ve chosen.
Make sure to click on the activity titles in the schedule to read a full description and the presenters’ bio.
Draft schedule - Subject to change
Saturday July 18
9:00 am - 10:00 am: Arrivals & Market Social
10:15 am - 11:00 am: Orientation by YPG & Opening Circle with Beverley Gray
11:15 am - 12:45 pm: Session 1
Boreal Foray: Edible and Medicinal Plants
Bruce Bennett - Plant Walk
Flower Essence Making
Dani Bourgault - Expert Talk
Processing Plants for Food
Sylvie Binette - Demonstration
Flower Pounding
The Garden Witch - Workshop
12:45 pm - 1:45 pm: Lunch by Chickadee Wagon & Farm (included) & Market Social
1:45 pm - 3:15 pm: Session #2
Dreaming Your Garden
Jacqueline Clancy - Plant Walk
Medicine in a Bottle: Tinctures, Oxymels & Building Your Home Apothecary
Beverley Gray - Expert Talk
Everyday Herbal Teas: Bringing Herbal Medicine Into the Kitchen
Brittany Pais - Demonstration
Discovering Willows as Allies: From Riverbanks to Basketry
Kawina Robichaud - Workshop
3:30 pm - 5:00 pm: Keynote - Botanical Journeys: A History of Plant Exploration in Yukon with Bruce Bennett
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm: Market Social
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm: Fundraiser Dinner by Yukon Bunsik (with additional meal ticket you can buy when purchasing admission ticket)
7:30 pm - 9:30 pm: Evening social with music by the Beyond Hope Band
May include additional fundraising activities (to be confirmed)
Overnight tent camping available on site. Free but you must register when purchasing admission ticket.
Sunday July 19
7:30 am - 8:30 am: Yoga with Amber Berard-Althouse
8:30 am - 9:00 am: Market Social
9:00 am - 9:15 am: Morning Welcome by YPG
9:30 am - 11:00 pm: Session 3
Boreal Ecology Walk
Jill Johnstone - Plant Walk
Herbs for Children: Troubleshooting Coughs and Colds
Anna Schmidt - Expert Talk
Wild Sodas
Jalfred Deichsel - Demonstration
Botanical Printing
Katy Delau - Workshop
11:15 am - 12:45 pm: Session 4
Walking with the Plants
Beverley Gray - Plant Walk
Growing Yukon-hardy Berries and Small Fruit
Randy Lamb - Expert Talk
Nourishment Through Herbal Broths
Helen Stappers - Demonstration
Menstruum Madness
Jacqueline Clancy - Workshop
12:45 pm - 2:15 pm: Lunch by Chickadee Wagon & Farm (included) & Market Social
2:15 pm - 3:45 pm: Session 5
Foraging for Food: A Wild Edible Plant Walk
Sylvie Binette - Plant Walk
Nature’s Recyclers: Can Fungi Help Clean Contaminants?
Kawina Robichaud - Expert Talk
Green Healing Salve Making Demonstration
Raven Padmos - Demonstration
Japanese Papermaking
Helen O’Connor - Workshop
4:00 pm - 4:45 pm: Closing Circle by Beverley Gray & Closing Remarks by YPG
4:45 pm - 5:30 pm: Departure
Venue
The festival will be held at the Mount Lorne Community Centre, located 30 minutes south of Whitehorse in Mount Lorne, on the Annie Lake Road (see below for directions or click here for a map). Plan to arrive between 9 am and 10 am on Saturday to have time to register and browse the booths at the Market!
We strongly encourage car pooling to limit the amount of vehicles making the journey and the CO2 emissions that come with them. Please visit the Yukon Plant Festival Facebook page and comment on the carpooling post to offer or ask for a ride.
Parking will be by the Community Centre in the parking lot.
Directions from Whitehorse:
1. From Whitehorse, travel south on the Alaska Highway.
2. Turn on the South Klondike Highway and travel towards Carcross for 15 km.
3. Turn right onto the Annie Lake Rd and travel 900m.
4. Turn right into the Lorne Mountain Community Centre parking lot. A festival volunteer will help you park.
Lorne Mountain Community Centre
KM 1 Annie Lake Road
Mount Lorne, YT
Come Prepared!
All of the activities will be held outdoors, on and around the Community Centre.
What to bring:
dress appropriately in lots of layers and bring adequate clothing for changing weather
cash for local products sold by the vendors and for additional fundraising activities.
your own travel mugs and cutlery to help reduce waste.
good foot wear for the plant walks/ water resistant shoes for the day.
a yoga mat if you are interested in the yoga session on Sunday morning.
note book and pen, mosquito repellent and sunscreen, cell phone or camera.
Dogs are not allowed at the festival, so make sure to leave your animal friend at home.
Food and refreshments:
Herbal refreshments and coffee available throughout the day.
lunch on both days included with festival ticket, provided by Chickadee Wagon Farm Food Truck.
A fundraiser dinner is happening on Saturday night catered by Yukon Bunsik. You must purchase separate tickets for the dinner in advance. Dinner will only be open to ticket holders.
For overnight campers, there will be a cooking area for those wishing to prepare their own dinner on Saturday evening and breakfast on Sunday morning.
Camping on-site:
Camping is available on site at the Mount Lorne Community Centre on Saturday, July 18.
Camping is free but you must register when purchasing your festival ticket as spots are limited.
Camping spots available are for tent camping only.
People camping on site will have access to the Community Centre’s washrooms.
Campfires are not allowed in the general camping area. We may have one campfire in the designated firepit which is also the designated cooking area.
Cookstoves are to be used in the designated cooking area only.
Market Social
Featured Local Vendors for 2026
Market socials offer an opportunity to discover local products that are made from plants or plant adjacent created by local vendors and makers.
Bring extra cash for purchasing local products from vendors during the Market Socials.
Market Socials are happening daily during the festival.
Along the Forest Path Creations
Atlin Herbiary
Rockpile Remedies
The North Within
Wildwood Spirit
Rumble Ridge Handmade
Nomadic Harvests
The Yukon Plant Guild needs your help!
Consider volunteering for the Yukon Plant Festival.
FAQs
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All of the activities will be held outdoors, on and around the Community Centre.
Dress appropriately with layers and adequate clothing for changing weather;
good foot wear for the plant walks / water-resistant walking shoes for the day;
cash for local products sold by the vendors and for additional fundraising activities;
mosquito repellent and sunscreen;
bring travel mugs and cutlery to cut down on waste;
a notebook and pen;
cell phone or camera;
a yoga mat if you are interested in the yoga session on Sunday morning.
If camping overnight, make sure to bring all the equipment you will be needing for one night of tent camping. There are washrooms in the community centre.
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Review the schedule and decide on which the activity you would like to attend for each session in the schedule.
The activity options per session are:
plant walks
demonstrations
expert talks
hands-on workshops
You will register for an activity per session on Saturday morning.
When you arrive on site, you will be directed to the Yukon Plant Guild tent to register to the activities you’ve chosen.
Be sure to have a few backups should your first picks be full.
The plant walks and the hands-on workshops have a maximum number of participants.
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Yes!
Included with your admissions ticket:
Herbal refreshments and coffee offered throughout the day; and
lunch on Saturday and Sunday catered by Chickadee Wagon Farm Food Truck
Bring your own travel mug and cutlery to help reduce waste.
We are hosting a fundraising dinner on Saturday night catered by Yukon Bunsik.
You must purchase a separate ticket for the Saturday night dinner in advance.
For those camping overnight, there will be a designated cooking area to prepare their dinner on Saturday evening and breakfast on Sunday morning.
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Rivers to Ridges is offering Kids Programming for children ages 4 to 12.
You must purchase a separate kids programming ticket (1 per child). These tickets are required to participate in this programming.
Parents or guardians are required to attend the festival and to supervise their children when not in session.
Unfortunately, toddlers cannot be accommodated at the festival.
Children who are 13 and older can participate in the adult programming.
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We suggest you bring extra cash for purchasing:
local products from vendors at the Market Social;
raffle tickets for the fundraiser; and
other fundraising activities to be announced.
You need to pre-purchase your tickets for:
general admission to the festival;
kids programming: 1 ticket per child; and
fundraising dinner on Saturday night.
While overnight tent camping is free, please register for a camp site when purchasing your tickets.
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No, please leave your furry friends at home.
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The Mount Lorne Community Centre is located 30 minutes south of Whitehorse in Mount Lorne, on the Annie Lake Road.
If coming from Whitehorse, turn right on Annie Lake Road and you will see the signs and the community centre on your right.
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No, consuming alcohol at the Yukon’s Plant Festival is not allowed and we appreciate you respecting that rule.
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No, we do not mail physical tickets.
Purchase all the tickets through Eventbrite who will send you a confirmation.
Once you purchased your ticket(s) through Eventbrite, you are registered and your name will be on the list of festival attendees including if you bought tickets for the kids programming and fundraiser dinner.
We will use the lists to sign you in on the day of the festival.