An impressive ten Galway exhibitors – predominantly from the food and drink sector – will feature at this year’s Bloom, when Ireland’s favourite festival of flowers, food and fun, returns to the Phoenix Park this June bank holiday weekend.

Now in its 18th year, the festival expects to welcome more than 100,000 visitors over five action-packed days for another experience that is rooted in sustainable living.

Galway’s representation will be most prevalent in the Nursery Village – featuring some of Ireland’s leading nurseries – where the Galway Roscommon Educational Training Board will have an education exhibition to promote its exciting Apprenticeship in Arboriculture.

The programme was developed by employers from the arboriculture industry working in partnership with GRETB. Floral displays from Ireland’s finest floral artists and a botanical art exhibition will also feature.

Nine Galway-based food and drink companies will be displaying their wares.

They include Builín Blasta Cafe, An Spideal; Grá Chocolates based in Ballybrit; White Mausu, from Clifden; Sean Loughnanes, based in Tuam; Gran Grans Foods, from Kilcolgan; The Foods of Athenry; Ahascragh Distillery; Connemara Brewing Company from Carraroe, and Connemara Distillers in Salthill.

And Loughrea native Kerrie Gardiner also returns once again as Head of Show Garden and Horticulture Content at Bord Bia Bloom.

At the centre of Bord Bia Bloom, a total of 22 small, medium and large show gardens and feature gardens will reflect colourful examples of the most recent trends and advancements in garden design.

Along with a dazzling display of show gardens, gardening enthusiasts will find plenty of inspiration in the ever-popular Postcard Gardens, which include 13 small but perfectly formed pop-up gardens that are designed and built by community groups, schools, and training groups from across Ireland.

Across five stages in the 70-acre site, visitors can discover tips and tricks on gardening, gastronomy and sustainable living in a series of talks and demos.

On the Sustainable Living Stage, 40 insightful talks will take place throughout Bloom which will tackle issues such as food waste, plastic pollution, the importance of pollinators, while sharing sustainable food solutions, tips for home energy saving, natural skincare hacks and much more!

The Garden Stage will welcome Bloom show garden designers past and present, and there is plenty of live entertainment on the Main Stage, as well as the ‘Budding Bloomers’ area promises to keep children engaged and entertained.

Bord Bia CEO Jim O’Toole said they were immensely proud of how Bloom has developed as a unique festival experience.

“Bloom was originally founded to provide a premier platform for showcasing Irish horticulture, food, and drink and we have succeeded in delivering on this vision,” he said.

“As we look forward to the eighteenth year, the festival is more relevant than ever.

“Bloom offers visitors the opportunity to sample quality products and innovations, while also providing an interactive, national platform to address important societal issues and hear stories from communities around Ireland,” he added.

Bord Bia Bloom takes place from Thursday, May 30, to Monday, June 3, at the Phoenix Park, with the show open from 9am to 6pm daily.

Pictured: Kerrie Gardiner, from Loughrea, who returns as the Bord Bia Bloom Showgarden Manager.