Each June, as the prairie stretches toward summer and the gardens awaken with new life, Prairiewoods welcomes friends and supporters to our annual Garden Party celebration. It is a beautiful time of year on the land, with prairie grasses reaching toward the sun, birdsong filling the woods, and the gardens beginning to produce the first vegetables of the season.
Garden Party is an opportunity to gather in support of Prairiewoods’ mission of caring for Earth, nurturing the human spirit, and building meaningful connections among people. Throughout the year, Prairiewoods offers retreats, educational programs, ecological stewardship of our 67 acres, and spaces where individuals and groups can step away from daily busyness to reconnect with nature, with one another, and with what matters most.
Our Green Prairie Garden also plays an important role in supporting the wider community. Each year, volunteers help grow fresh produce that is donated to local food pantries, including Metro Catholic Outreach and the Hiawatha Public Library food pantry, helping ensure that healthy food reaches families who need it.
This year’s celebration will feature tapas-style food, wine, beer, non-alcoholic beverages, live music by JAB Jive, a short curated live auction with Miss Shannan Paul, land tours, and opportunities to experience the beauty and hospitality of the Prairiewoods campus with friends old and new.
The evening will also include a special shared program featuring reflections from Prairiewoods foundress Sr. Nancy, mission updates and vision from Executive Director Leslie Wright, and the introduction of the new Giving Circle initiative.
Evening Schedule
5:00 PM – Doors Open, Tapas & Refreshments Served, Land Tours Available
6:15 PM – Welcome & Curated Live Auction with Miss Shannan Paul
6:30 PM – Reflections from Sr. Nancy, Mission Update from Leslie Wright, Giving Circle Introduction
7:15 PM – Dessert, Celebration, Live Music & Land Tours
8:00 PM – Event Concludes
Garden Party is also an opportunity to look toward the future. This year we are excited to introduce the Giving Circle, a new annual giving community created to help sustain and grow the mission of Prairiewoods into the future.
Thanks to the generosity of Carol Sudmeier, all Giving Circle gifts and pledges made through this year’s Garden Party will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $50,000.
Tickets are $60 per person.
Whether you are visiting Prairiewoods for the first time or returning as a longtime friend, we would be honored to welcome you.
Click the links below to register, donate, or learn more about supporting Prairiewoods through the Garden Party and Giving Circle initiatives:
