24-02-2025
2025 Home and Garden Festival wraps up amid spring-like conditions
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Another Home and Garden Festival came to a close at the MPEC on Sunday.
After a sudden warming trend following record-low temperatures through the week, all festival goers had spring on their brain. CEO of the Arts Council of Wichita Falls, Kristen Shiplet, noticed the trend immediately.
'It was cold and kind of gloomy earlier in the week, and now it's beautiful,' Shiplet said. 'The sun is shining, so that has helped I think, pull people out of their houses. They're tired of being trapped. They're really thinking about spring now.'
Among the rows of booths were local favorites like Smith's Gardentown and Wichita Valley Landscape. Shiplet and the Arts Council brought several local non-profits to the festival too.
'We want them to have the opportunity to get in front of the guests who are here so people know what is available to them, should they need those organizations. They're here to serve a purpose,' Shiplet said.
One of the non-profits in attendance was Seymour Helping Hands. The four-year-old non-profit is continuing to grow its presence in Seymour and the group's founder, Kimberly Stevenson relished the opportunity to show more Texomans what the group is all about.
'This shows where Seymour Helping Hands has come from. From a Facebook page to today, we're at the MPEC Center,' Stevenson said. So, it's really great. It helps our community, it gets the word out there, and it lets people know about not only our car show but the other things that we're trying to do to support our community.'
While the majority of the Home and Garden Festival is about gardening and home renovations, Katrena Mitchell and the Wichita County 4-H brought animals and more along to demonstrate how agriculture can shape a community from the ground up.
'We're celebrating our community and so, you can't have our community without agriculture,' Mitchell said. 'We're just here to educate and help people realize the importance of agriculture that goes on in our community and everyday parts of our lives.'
All eyes are now pointed toward spring.
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