F
riends of Eden hosted its annual Camellia Festival at Eden Gardens State Park in Santa Rosa Beach on
February 16. Centered around the blooming of the Camellias, it makes for a perfect time to celebrate the
beauty and history of the park. With over 3,000 varieties of Camellias nationwide, and 300 varieties in
the Eden Gardens State Park, it’s a beautiful colorful walk to see just how different they all can be. This
annual event is free to the public with paid parking admission, along with the schedule for the Camellias that include
presentations, demonstrations, and even waxing the blooms. This year Dog Man Du and Summer Kitchen also sold
food and drinks and “The Shakedown” provided live music from 11-1PM. The perfect weekend event with family, a
date, or even to enjoy taking photos of all the blooms on a mid-morning walk. If you haven’t visited this park, it’s a
wonderful little getaway filled with greens, blooms, and history tucked in side of Santa Rosa Beach.
Friends of Eden Gardens State park was founded in 1968 as a volunteer organization to “assist the state park staff
to repair, maintain, and enhance the park.” Since then they’ve contributed tens of thousands of hours in labor to
maintain the park and even raise funds to keep it up and going. The next time you need a little time with family and
friends, the tranquil park could be the perfect spot.
photos & story by
Shanna Magnuson
VIP Destin at Eden Gardens State Park
Camellia Festival
Annual
March 2019 | 79
Megan Pickle & Ronnell Inandan
Teresa Robbins & Angela Jones
Brenda Barnes & Elaine Courtney
Tracy & Joe Gatto
Bob Saucier & Gail Pizar
Bob & Angela Alford
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2/26/19 10:37 PM