Sierra Nevada Lavender & Honey Festival is the Sweetest Welcome to Summer.

If summer had a scent, it would surely be a swirl of lavender and honey dancing on a warm breeze. Mark your calendars and pack your picnic blankets: The 2025 Sierra Nevada Lavender & Honey Festival is landing in Reno’s Idlewild Park on Sunday, July 13, and it’s going to bee spectacular.

But this isn’t just another craft fair or farmers’ market — it’s a one-day-only bouquet of sensory delights, buzzing with community spirit, delicious flavors, and, of course, pollinators hard at work. Whether you’re a lavender lover, honey connoisseur, backyard gardener, curious kiddo, or festival foodie, there’s something here to make your summer sweeter.

A Festival with Heart (and Buzz)
The Sierra Nevada Lavender & Honey Festival may be fragrant and fun, but it also is rooted in a purposeful mission. Beginning as farmer training workshops at Western Nevada College Specialty Crop Institute, the festival first bloomed in 2017. It has since expanded into a full-fledged 501(c)(3) nonprofit designed to educate the public and promote local agriculture and independent businesses, all with lavender and honey at its core.

This year’s event, managed by Great American Craft Fairs, is shaping up to be the biggest yet. Brighton Denison, the festival organizer from GACF, shares the buzz.

“With over 150 vendors (and counting), we’re adding a second stage for local musicians — it’s going to be a dynamic, fun-filled day for the whole community,” he says.

What’s All the Buzz About?
Let’s get the sticky-sweet stuff out of the way: the honey. Whether you’re into comb, creamed, wildflower, or raw varieties, there’s no shortage of golden nectar to sample and purchase. Thanks to the Northern Nevada Beekeepers Association (NNBA), you’ll get to explore the nuanced flavors of local honey — yes, there’s terroir in honey, too! Depending on where those busy bees have been foraging, you might even pick up hints of citrus, sage, or pine in your spoonful.

NNBA focuses on “educating and promoting healthy bees for the backyard beekeeper.” Its membership is primarily beekeepers who enjoy harvesting their backyard gold. Not only will there be a honey-tasting booth, but you can chat with backyard beekeepers and learn how to keep your own hive. Imagine harvesting your own liquid gold next year!

And, of course, lavender takes center stage, too. With the massive success of 2024, the Great Basin Lavender Association returns with the popular Lavender Advice Booth, where experts will share tips for growing lavender in Northern Nevada’s high-desert climate. Local growers will be selling starter plants so you can take your learnings home — literally.

Bring the Hive: Family Fun & Entertainment
This family-friendly event is as fun for children as it is for grown-ups. The Busy Bee Family Zone, hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Downtown Sparks, is packed with activities and exhibits. Little ones can learn about pollinators, explore hands-on demos, and get creative on the chalk walk.

Back by popular demand: the delightfully silly Lavender Bonnet & Honey Hat Contest. Wear your best lavender or bee-themed bling for plenty of photo ops and laughs.

Entertainment kicks off at 10:15 a.m. with performances by Reno’s award-winning Brüka Theatre, hosted inside the California Building by none other than theLav´ender Lounge Fairy herself, Mary Bennett. A second stage will keep the music flowing all afternoon with performances from local bands.

Denison says, “[Great American Craft Fairs is] excited to be a part of the event and look forward to showcasing a vendor marketplace with local artisans, ensuring a great family-friendly community event to sweeten your summer.”

Plan Your Day (and Your Parking)
Located along the Truckee River, Idlewild Park is one of Reno’s most scenic community spots — perfect for a day out in the sun. Attendees are encouraged to bike in and park at the Bike Valet, hosted by the Downtown Sparks Kiwanis. Full details about public transportation, accessibility, and parking are available on the festival website.

The Sierra Nevada Lavender & Honey Festival is more than an event — it celebrates local agriculture, sustainable living, and the power of community. Whether you’re looking to shop, snack, learn, or just bask in the scent of lavender, this one-day festival will leave you smiling … and maybe just a little sticky.

So grab your sun hat, appetite, reusable shopping bags, and bee there. Your senses (and your pantry) will thank you.

Event Details:
Lavender & Honey Festival
10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sun., July 13, 2025
Idlewild Park
2055 Idlewild Drive, Reno
Admission is free. For details, visit Sierra Nevada Lavender & Honey or Find Sierra Nevada Lavender & Honey Festival on Facebook.
In the interest of attendee safety and comfort, only service dogs welcome.