BIGLER – Featured entertainment at the public opening this Sunday at the Walker Gardens in Bigler is the West Branch Area High School Drama Club.
The Club members will perform a skit from the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory at 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. The performances are free to visitors to the gardens.
The gardens are open to the public from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday and on May 9. Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for those 12 to 18 and $1 for those under 12.
On May 9, Mothers Day, at 3 p.m., the Clearfield High School Show Choir will offer a free musical performance as part of the events in the gardens.
Also part of the two spring openings will be the artwork of Altoona artist Amy Grant. Formerly of Bigler, Grant will bring a limited number of signed prints of seven scenes from the Walker Gardens.
The prints will be sold for $40 each with proceeds from these sales to go toward Bigler Area Charities, as will all proceeds from the tours.
Also available will be greeting cards, note cards, postcards and key chains with scenes from the gardens.
Grant has worked in the Walker Gardens in the past and helped with the public tours.
The Walker Gardens tours offer visitors an opportunity to see the thousands of tulips and other spring bulbs in bloom along 10 landscaped acres.
There are waterfalls, reflecting ponds, fountains, statues and historic attractions nestled among the massive display of flowers.
Visitors will be able to see the seven white swans that make their home in ponds in the gardens.
Refreshments are available during the tours by the volunteers from the Bigler Area United Methodist Charge. These include sandwiches and homemade bean soup and pie as well as coffee and tea.
The Walker Gardens are located just off US Route 322 between Philipsburg and Clearfield. At the Bigler traffic light, follow the directional signs into the village of Bigler and on to the gardens. There will be free parking. Assisting with the parking will be members of the BJW fire police and boy scouts from Bigler troops.
Potted tulips will be sold during the openings.
