NASHVILLE, Tenn. – For the first time, Cheekwood’s celebrated annual springtime festival Cheekwood in Bloom will open March 6 – April 11 with a new theme: Holland. Guests are invited to escape to the Netherlands country without ever leaving Nashville through references to Holland’s iconic images of fields of colorful bands of tulips, including dramatic floral displays featuring more than 150,000 blooms (including 100,000 tulips), giant interactive windmills, wellness activities, spring happenings and more.
“Cheekwood in Bloom is one of the most exciting times of the year when the thousands of bulbs planted by our team of gardeners and volunteers in the fall suddenly come to life in a magnificent burst of color,” says Peter Grimaldi, vice president of gardens and facilities at Cheekwood. “We’re especially excited to showcase our creative interpretation of Holland’s famous floral displays and other new happenings during this year’s festival.”
Cheekwood in Bloom returns with popular programming to celebrate the change of seasons. Interactive, socially distanced wellness opportunities, part of Cheekwood’s new Wellness 360 initiative, will encourage relaxation and reconnection with nature and include classes led by local instructors such as yoga, meditation and forest bathing. As an additional part of Wellness 360, Cheekwood will open an extra hour early on Wednesday mornings so visitors can enjoy mindfulness walks on the Ann & Monroe Carell Jr. Family Sculpture Trail.
Family-friendly offerings this spring will include two interactive ‘kidmills’ featuring telescopic, prismatic, bug-eye viewing tubes, the Bracken Foundation Children’s Garden, Trains in the Turner Seasons Garden, dog events, native plant sale and more. Cheekwood is excited to also introduce the Great Spring Art Hunt on April 2 and 3 and announce a call to artists to be featured during the event. Guests are invited to hop throughout the gardens looking for nine large-scale bunny sculptures decorated by local artists. Cheekwood is currently accepting applications from Nashville artists interested in participating; design entries can be submitted to cheekwood.org/call-for-art by Feb. 21.
Cheekwood in Bloom is presented by HCA Healthcare, and the Great Spring Art Hunt is presented by PNC Bank. Typically closed on Mondays, Cheekwood will be open seven days a week from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. throughout the festival. Advanced reservations are required for all happenings, including workshops, classes and general admission. To purchase tickets and learn more about Cheekwood in Bloom, visit cheekwood.org.
About Cheekwood
Cheekwood is considered one of the finest American Country Place Era estates in the nation. Formerly the family home of Mabel and Leslie Cheek, the extraordinary 1930s estate, with its 3,500 square foot Mansion and 55 acres of cultivated gardens and expansive vistas, today serves the public as a botanical garden, arboretum, and museum with period rooms and art galleries, showcasing works from its permanent collection as well as traveling exhibitions. The property includes 12 distinct gardens and a mile-long woodland trail featuring modern and contemporary outdoor sculpture. Cheekwood is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, and is a USA Today Top 10 Botanical Garden. In 2020, the grounds were awarded a Level II National Arboretum Accreditation by The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum. Cheekwood is located just 8 miles southwest of downtown Nashville at 1200 Forrest Park Drive. Daily hours of operation: Tuesday through Sunday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. For further information, call 615-356-8000 or visit cheekwood.org.
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