Get into the holiday spirit and support local science at the Wonderful Winter Wreathing Weekend hosted by Chico State’s Gateway Science Museum and Ahart Herbarium. Enjoy crafting festive wreaths and learning about native plants while contributing to science education and community engagement.
CHICO, Calif. – This December, Chico State’s Gateway Science Museum and Ahart Herbarium are teaming up to host the Wonderful Winter Wreathing Weekend. The event is designed to support science education and community engagement through festive fundraisers.
The weekend offers two unique holiday wreath-making experiences. The first event, the Wonderful Winter Wreathing Party, will take place on Saturday, December 6, 2025, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Gateway Science Museum located at 625 Esplanade in Chico. Attendees can enjoy seasonal hors d’oeuvres, drinks from Cordi Winery and Sierra Nevada Brewery, and music by Chico State student musicians. There will also be a silent auction.
Jennifer Jewell, a national radio host and author, and Dr. Adrienne Edwards, director of the Ahart Herbarium, will lead the wreath-making activities. Jewell said, “Wreath and sprig making – using native plants – are led by national radio host and author Jennifer Jewell and Ahart Herbarium director/educator/author Dr. Adrienne Edwards.” Ticket options include a $80 tier for a festive sprig and a $120 tier for a full-size native plant wreath, with all materials provided.
On Sunday, December 7, 2025, from 1 to 4 p.m., the Wonderful Winter Wreathing Workshop will be held at the Ahart Herbarium in Holt Hall, Chico State. This workshop offers a relaxed atmosphere for participants to learn about regional native plants while crafting a wreath. Jewell said, “This long-standing tradition brings the holiday spirit together with a little ecological knowledge in a cozy, social setting.”
Tickets for the workshop are $70 for Friends of the Herbarium members, $85 for the general public, and $50 for students and those with financial need. Space is limited, so early registration is encouraged.
All proceeds from the events will go to support the Gateway Science Museum and the Ahart Herbarium. The Ahart Herbarium is home to over 130,000 plant specimens, and the Gateway Science Museum offers interactive exhibits and public programming to inspire STEM learning.
https://www.csuchico.edu/gateway/events/wreathing-weekend-2025.shtml
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