A regular visit to Bloedel is already special. An event visit is something else: the same gardens seen through the eyes of the person who tends the Japanese Garden, or in total silence by lantern light on the longest night of the year. Plenty of our guests plan a whole weekend getaway on Bainbridge Island around these dates.

If you’ve never been, start with our complete Bloedel Reserve guide for tickets, hours, and getting there. Below, we will outline what’s happening at the Bloedel Reserve, season by season.

Every Month at Bloedel Reserve

These programs repeat throughout the year, so there’s almost always one within a few weeks of your trip.

Welcome Wednesday

On the first Wednesday of every month, Bloedel opens its gates as a pay-what-you-wish community day. It’s the most affordable way to see the Reserve, and it’s popular. The Reserve recommends reserving a timed ticket online ahead of time to avoid delays, and you can add a donation of any amount when you book. If your dates are flexible, this is a great reason to plan around a Welcome Wednesday.

Mindfulness Meditation

Bloedel Reserve hosts guided mindfulness meditation sessions at the Japanese Guest House, one of the property’s most contemplative corners. Recent sessions have woven in poetry and sound bowls. Space is limited, and sessions often sell out, so book as soon as a date is posted.

Focus Walks and Workshops

Bloedel’s monthly Focus Walks are led by a staff specialist or volunteer and dig into a single seasonal topic, from pollinator meadow design and irrigation to mulching and pruning. One past favorite was a composting walk that toured the Reserve’s compost facility with its resident compost specialist. If you’re a gardener, these will definitely be of interest to you.

Recent creative workshops have included phone photography in nature, plein air painting in the gardens, and sketch walks.

Some of the most interesting events come from Bloedel’s Creative Residency program. Since 2015, the Reserve has hosted 70 writers, visual artists, composers, and designers, each for a three-week stay in a house tucked into the woods on the grounds. Every resident must give back to the community, whether that’s a talk, a hands-on workshop, a demonstration, a show, or a concert. Because residents change every few weeks, these events do, too.

You might catch a poetry reading one month, or a sound installation from field recordings the next. This fall’s cohort includes a Diné artist and wildlife biologist working in fabrics and ceramics, a poet from Queens, and a Spanish printmaker and painter. Check the events calendar for their public offerings.

Strolls for Well-Being

Strolls for Well-Being is Bloedel’s signature program, and it’s free. Offered each season, it includes 12 self-guided walks and a guidebook with a mindfulness theme, such as awareness, joy, or gratitude. Participants also join a small group that meets three times: an orientation, a mid-point check-in, and a closing session. Everyone who signs up gets a complimentary six-month Bloedel Reserve membership, which covers timed-ticket entry when booked in advance.

This one is designed for repeat visits over several weeks, so it’s best suited to locals or anyone planning an extended stay on the island.

Spring Events at Bloedel

Spring is when Bloedel feels most alive, and the calendar follows suit. The spring session of Strolls for Well-Being begins, and the Reserve typically celebrates Earth Day with birding walks, a plant sale, and nature activities for all ages.

Since it’s peak bloom season, if you attend a spring event, be sure to leave yourself extra time in the Rhododendron Glen.

Summer Events

The Garden Party

Bloedel Reserve Garden Party is its signature fundraiser, held each August on the lawn of the Residence overlooking Puget Sound. Expect food and wine from local restaurants and wineries, a well-dressed crowd, and the best evening light of the year. The 2026 Garden Party marked the event’s 20th year. Tickets go fast, so check the Bloedel Garden Party page in early summer.

Bard at Bloedel

Every summer, the Reserve partners with Bainbridge Performing Arts to stage outdoor Shakespeare performances at the Sheep Sheds, turning the meadow into a theater under the open sky. Bring a warm layer, since summer evenings on the island can cool off quickly. Antony & Cleopatra has been announced as the Summer 2027 Bard at Bloedel Play.

Fall Events

The Annual Squash Hunt

The Squash Hunt is one of Bloedel’s most beloved family traditions, and it’s been running for well over a decade. The Reserve’s horticulture team starts the squash, gourds, and pumpkins from seed in spring, then tucks them into displays throughout the gardens each fall. Kids pick up a map at the entrance and set off to find them all. At the Residence, you can snap a photo with the season’s giant pumpkin and guess its weight. The hunt is included with regular admission, so all you need is a timed ticket.

In 2026, the Squash Hunt runs September 29 through November 1.

Fungi Walks

Fall is mushroom season in the Pacific Northwest, and Bloedel’s damp forest floor puts on quite a show. The Reserve has hosted guided fungi walks with members of the Puget Sound Mycological Society, an easy way to learn what’s growing under the ferns without guessing.

For more ways to fill an autumn weekend, see our guide to fall on Bainbridge Island.

Winter Events

Silent Solstice Walks

This might be the most memorable hour you’ll spend at the Bloedel Reserve. Around the winter solstice each December, the Reserve offers guided walks through the gardens in complete silence as the sun goes down. Lanterns are provided, and walks cover roughly a mile and a half in about an hour. It’s a separately ticketed event, with alternate dates set aside in case of bad weather.

Because the walks end after dark, this is the event we most often see guests turn into an overnight. Walk the gardens by lantern, drive back to Winslow for a late dinner, and skip the ferry line entirely.

How to Find This Year’s Events at Bloedel Reserve

Bloedel posts events on its official events calendar, usually a few weeks to a couple of months ahead. A few tips:

Book early. Many workshops, meditation sessions, and seasonal walks have small groups and sell out.
Check what’s included. Some events, like the Squash Hunt, come with regular admission. Others, like the Solstice Walks, need a separate ticket.
Members get perks. Bloedel members get free admission and discounts on many events, which adds up quickly if you visit more than once a year.
Sign up for the newsletter. It’s the best way to hear about new events.

Planning a wedding? Bloedel hosts a small number of wedding ceremonies each year. We cover it alongside other island options in our guide to Bainbridge Island wedding venues.

Stay Overnight for Your Bloedel Event

Most Bloedel events are easy to reach from Seattle, but staying on the island turns an event into a getaway, especially the evening ones. The Eagle Harbor Inn is Bainbridge Island’s only downtown Boutique Hotel, a short walk from the Seattle ferry and about a 15-minute drive from Bloedel Reserve.

Our five guest rooms and two townhomes sit around a garden courtyard where guests linger over morning coffee or an evening glass of wine. You’ll find a few perks that make a Bloedel weekend easy: complimentary garage parking, free morning coffee from our favorite local roaster, Pegasus Coffee, and passes to Island Fitness. Book your lodging today!