With the upcoming celebration of USA’s 250th Anniversary on July 4, Imagine Forestville and the Fredonia Garden Club decided to honor the occasion by having Forestville BLOOM in the colors of Red, White and Blue. They are promoting and dedicating their eight annual BLOOM event to our country’s historic occasion and requesting residents and — new this year — businesses to display our national colors. This eighth annual community project called BLOOM is sponsored by an anonymous donor through NCCF, Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation.

“This is Imagine Forestville and Fredonia Garden Club 8th year teaming up with NCCF to bring BLOOM 2026 to the residents, and NEW this year, the businesses of Forestville! We couldn’t be more excited!” said Aimee Rogers, President of Imagine Forestville. “We have a very knowledgeable team of 10 evaluators that will be looking for home and business gardens with flowers, yards mowed and trimmed, shrubbery, decorations, uniqueness and this year, 250th red, white and blue theme.”

NCCF describes Project BLOOM as “a way to acknowledge home gardeners who contribute to the curb appeal of northern Chautauqua’s neighborhoods and to encourage residents to take part in making our community a more beautiful place. It is a way to say thank you for the color, character and beauty that residents bring to our community.”

Fredonia Garden Club board member, Carol MacEntarfer added, “Posters are now up in the hamlet inviting residents to join the fun. This year the judging will take place only one day so all gardens will be evaluated at the same time. The judging will be on Friday, June 26 in order to be ready for the July 4 celebrations in Forestville.”

How Project BLOOM Works

If you reside or have a business within the former Forestville village limits or one mile outside the limits: No need to sign-up, just have your front garden/yard eye-catching and your house number visible.

— The committee will look at: Flowers, shrubbery, yard tidiness, trimming, 250th decorations and/or red, white and blue colors, uniqueness and your house number. The committee hopes to see yards that will inspire others to create a more beautiful, vibrant Forestville and are happy to say they see new gardens each year.

— Residents’ gardens and businesses that are chosen will receive a BLOOM 250 garden recognition sign.

For more information about participating in Forestville Project BLOOM, please contact:

Rogers at 716-870-5087 or McEntarfer at 716-965-4262.

NCCF is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt community corporation incorporated in 1986, created by and for the people of northern Chautauqua County dedicated to a simple, powerful and highly personal approach to giving focused on local Philanthropy for the betterment of all community residents.

The Fredonia Garden Club is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt corporation whose mission was established in 1924 to preserve wildlife and the environment and encourage community beautification. The club includes several Forestville residents.

Imagine Forestville is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt corporation formed in 2018, and dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of the richly historic hamlet as a welcoming rural community.