We have exciting news for all of our members and friends! KNPS is happy to announce this year’s Wildflower Weekend is scheduled for April 17th -19th, 2026, at Natural Bridge State Resort Park and the Red River Gorge Geological Area!
But wait, there is even more cause for jubilation! This year the Kentucky Native Plant Society is celebrating its 40th Anniversary! In 1986, a small group of botanists came together to form the Kentucky Native Plant Society as an organization dedicated to serving as a medium of fellowship and information exchange among botanists, both amateur and professional, to promote conservation of native plants and natural plant communities of Kentucky, to promote public education in botanical science, and to encourage botanical research in Kentucky. We are excited to celebrate four decades of KNPS with members, friends, and past board members and officers!
The event will include guided hikes Friday afternoon through Sunday, through the Red River Gorge’s beautiful natural areas, student research poster sessions, a Friday Evening Friends & Members Social, and Saturday evening presentations and KNPS Recognition ceremony.
Wildflower Weekend Volunteer Recognition
The Society has always depended on volunteers and the contributions of members and friends to accomplish our goals. Over its 40 years, hundreds of people have volunteered thousands of hours to make KNPS the outstanding organization it is. KNPS Board members serve two year terms helping to make everything the Society does, happen. At this year’s Wildflower Weekend we are going to recognize these committed volunteers. Join on Saturday evening as we recognize all of those who have generously contributed their passion, knowledge, time and labor to the society!
It takes almost 100 people to make Wildflower Weekend successful each year! If you are interested in volunteering for Wildflower Weekend 2026, please visit our Volunteer Opportunities with KNPS page.
Wildflower Weekend 2026 Logo Contest
Each year, the KNPS Board selects a native wildflower to be the focus of the Wildflower Weekend logo design. For Wildflower Weekend 2026, the Board has selected the Pink Lady’s Slipper orchid (Cypripedium acaule). Pink Lady’s Slipper is a large, showy wildflower belonging to the orchid family. It has two opposite basal leaves with conspicuous parallel veins and a large flower at the end of an erect stalk. The flower is magenta to whitish-pink; sometimes the whitish pink flowers will have darker pink venation. Pink Lady’s Slipper is widely distributed across the eastern United States and eastern to central Canada, from Alabama to the Northwest Territories. In Kentucky it is found in several counties in the eastern part of the state. It can be found in several locations in the Red River Gorge area. Submissions to the logo contest can be made here until January 16th, 2026.
iNaturalist Botany Blitz Kicks Off Wildflower Weekend across Kentucky
The week prior to Wildflower Weekend, KNPS will be hosting our annual week-long, state-wide Botany Blitz on iNaturalist from April 11th-19th!
Botany Blitz allows us to broaden our spring wildflower scope to the entire state of Kentucky and allows us to highlight natural areas across the commonwealth! Even if you will not be able to attend Wildflower Weekend 2026, we would love it if you would join the Botany Blitz project and record observations of wildflowers in your region.
If you work/volunteer at a natural area in Kentucky and would like to partner with us to host a Kick Off Hike at your site to kick off the Botany Blitz week, please check out this post, Botany Blitz 2026 & Kick Off Hikes – Call for Hike Leaders, and fill out the attached form.
Student Research Poster Sessions
For the second year in a row, KNPS is providing students who have conducted botanical research in Kentucky the opportunity to present their work in our Student Research Poster Sessions! KNPS will provide the funds for the poster and students can take them for other presentation opportunities.
The student poster session is open to 10 students. Scholarships are provided in exchange for volunteer hours.
Abstracts are due February 1st! Submit your abstract here: Wildflower Weekend 2026 – Student Poster Session Abstract Submission and Scholarship Application
Guided Hikes and Workshops
Throughout its long history, Wildflower Weekend has been an enriching experience to our members and beyond, offering guided hikes and workshops to explore Kentucky’s rich natural history and resources. Many of you who have attended have given us great feedback and we have listened! This year hikes will be smaller groups to create better educational experiences for everyone. Additionally, we are adding hikes only for beginner plant enthusiasts and providing workshops to teach practical botanical skills!
KNPS hike and workshop leaders are vital to the mission of Wildflower Weekend and KNPS deeply appreciates the donation of leaders’ time and knowledge. Wildflower Weekend is mainly plant focused, with hikes on vascular plants, ferns, woody plants, rare plants, natural communities, non-native invasive management, lichens and bryophytes, but the event also includes guided hikes on other groups and workshops that focus on using art to appreciate natives.
If you are interested in leading a hike or workshop, please use the hike/workshop leader interest form here: Wildflower Weekend Hike & Workshop Leader Interest Form
We hope you will join us and other nature lovers, families, community scientists, amateur naturalists, and professional botanists from across the Commonwealth, to explore the beauty and diversity of our native plants this April.
Saturday Evening Presentations and Ceremony Tentative Agenda
Saturday Evening we will have a series of events in the Woodland Nature Center at Natural Bridge State Resort Park. Final details are still being determined, but the following events are currently scheduled. Check back for more details.
Welcome/Introductions: Rachel Cook, KNPS Vice President
Recognition of Wildflower Weekend Volunteers: Kendall McDonald, KNPS President
Updates on KNPS: Kendall McDonald, KNPS President
BotanyBlitz Preliminary Results: TBD
The History of Kentucky Botany and Kentucky Native Plant Society; Dr. Ron Jones, KNPS Founding Member
KNPS Recognition Ceremony: KNPS Officers
Keynote Speaker: Ethan Tapper. Ethan Tapper is an internationally-recognized forester, bestselling author, and digital storyteller from Vermont. His first book, How to Love a Forest: The Bittersweet Work of Tending a Changing World, was published in September, 2024, and has since received international acclaim, including winning the 2025 New England Book Award for non-fiction. Learn more about Ethan Tapper at Ethan Tapper.
Raffle
Registration
Attendees will be able pre-register for the event, as well as the guided hikes. Pre-registration will be opened online to members only sometime in February. Members of KNPS will be allowed to register before the general public and will be notified directly by email when registration begins. Registration for the general public will be announced in the February issue of the Lady Slipper blog.