Spring Affair 2025
April 24-26
Sandhills Global Event Center
4100 N. 84th St., Lincoln
The sale will be held in Currency Pavilion.
Spring Affair is a busy three days! To get the first pick of plants and enjoy a fun evening with fellow plant people, consider registering for the Preview Party and Preview Sale. Spring Affair is the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum's biggest fundraiser of the year; all ticket sales support our tree planting, garden making and environmental education work -- so thank you!
Preview Party & Preview Sale
Thursday, April 24
5-9 p.m.
Enjoy cocktails (cash bar) at 5 p.m. followed by a buffet dinner from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., then plant shopping at the Preview Sale from 6:30-9 p.m. New this year: Preview Party ticket holders start plant shopping at 6:30 p.m.; Preview Sale shoppers admitted at 7 p.m. Tickets are $45 for NSA members (which includes one complimentary drink ticket) and $55 for non-members. Kids age 2 and under free.
Preview Sale Only
Thursday, April 24
7-9 p.m.
Get the first pick of the best plants at the Preview Sale (doors open at 7 p.m.)
Tickets are $20 for NSA members and $25 for non-members. Enjoy a cocktail from the cash bar while you shop. Note: Advance ticket purchases prioritized; limited number of tickets will be sold at the door beginning at 7:30 p.m. Kids age 12 and under free.
General Admission to Spring Affair -- FREE
Friday, April 25
2-6 p.m.
Saturday, April 26
9 a.m. - 12 noon
Not an NSA member? Click here to become one today (and get a 10% discount off all your Spring Affair plant purchases!).
Tips for a Successful Spring Affair Shopping Experience
Bring a wagon or cart to make carrying your plants easier!
Spring Affair can be a bit of a whirlwind. Here are some tips and tricks to make your shopping easy-breezy!
- Plan ahead and make a list of the plants you might like to purchase. Have some substitutes in mind in case your first choices are sold out.
- If you plan to purchase more than one flat of plants, bring a wagon or cart to make carrying your plants easier. We will also have a very limited number of wagons available for rental.
- Plants are organized alphabetically by scientific (Latin) name, in the following sections: sun, shade, trees/shrubs, grasses, herbs and annuals.
- Wear comfortable shoes and dress for temperamental spring weather (it could be anywhere from 45 to 85 degrees).
- Keep an eye out for our volunteers wearing Spring Affair t-shirts. They can answer questions and help out (NSA staff wear turquoise shirts; you can ask us questions, too!).
- Be patient. The sale gets crowded, but there are plenty of plants for everyone! The check-out lines can be long, but they tend to move quickly.
- Stop at the plant sitter racks to leave your to-be-purchased plants while you shop for more.
- Stop at the plant sorting tables BEFORE getting in the check-out line to arrange your plants by pot size. This will make the check-out process easier and faster.
- Don't forget to visit the vendors selling unique gardening and garden-related items.
- Become a member of the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum, and you'll get a 10% discount on your Spring Affair plant purchases.
Spring Affair Sponsorship Opportunities
With nearly 4,000 attendees each year, Spring Affair is a great place to get your business or organization's name in front of lots of people! Plus, if you complete your sponsorship registration by January 31, 2025, your business or organization will be listed in Spring Affair News, which is mailed to more than 15,000 recipients in March.
We have Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze sponsorship levels available. Click the button below to learn more about the benefits for each level. When you're ready to sign up for a sponsorship, email Hanna Pinneo at hpinneo2@unl.edu or call 402-472-2945.
Spring Affair Vendor Opportunities
Spring Affair is a great place to sell your gardening or garden-adjacent wares! If you are interested in registering to be a vendor at the 2025 Spring Affair, which will be held April 24-26 at the Sandhills Global Event Center in Lincoln, click the button below for a PDF of the vendor form, the contract and pricing details.
Registration forms and contracts are due March 21, 2025.
To be listed in Spring Affair News, which is mailed to 18,000 households in March, please register by February 22, 2025.
Questions? Contact Toby Burnham, NSA Member and Affiliate Coordinator, at toby.burnham@unl.edu, 402-472-2971.
Volunteer at Spring Affair
It takes a village to put on an event like Spring Affair, and we certainly couldn't do it without our many volunteers. We have lots of roles to fill, from plant "babysitters," waterers and restockers to cashiers, customer service helpers, plant movers and more. Plus, as a Spring Affair volunteer, you're invited to shop for plants BEFORE the sale starts on Thursday afternoon.
Information about volunteering at Spring Affair and a sign-up link will be posted here in March.
Thank You to these 2025 Spring Affair Sponsors:
