Garden Show preview tonight

You may look to the 17th annual Bangor Garden Show to help map your home garden, but this year, you can also find out how the city is mapping its own green spaces. Bangor Land Trust, Keep Bangor Beautiful and the city of Bangor will share a year’s worth of research and planning at a public meeting 6-8 p.m. Friday, March 23, in the lecture hall of the Bangor Auditorium and Civic Center, the venue for the weekend event.

Among the discussion topics at the meeting will be a memorandum that identifies community desires and includes maps that highlight open spaces, existing trails, special landmarks and connections between communities. Organizers have collected information from local resources and interested parties, state officials, and environmental and conservation groups for this project. No locations have been determined yet, but the first draft of a citywide trail will be available for public comment.

Tonight’s preview gala kicks off three days of activities including a container garden competition, a demonstration series, live musical entertainment, the annual Bangor photo competition and the standard judged flower show with the theme “Fairy Tales.” The garden show also features more than 70 vendors and more than 7,600 square feet of life-size garden creations. Early birds at the 6-9 p.m. preview are eligible to win a diamond pendant appraised at $5,000 and custom-made by Quality Jewelers.

Preview tickets are $35, with a $17.50 cost for companion. General admission is 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday, March 23, and Saturday, March 24, and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, March 25. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for seniors on Friday afternoon and all day Sunday. Children under 12 are admitted free with an adult. Admission to the Bangor Land Trust meeting on Friday is free. For tickets to the show, call 990-4444 or visit the Bangor Auditorium and Civic Center box office in the Bass Park Complex, 100 Dutton St. in Bangor. Tickets may also be purchased through Ticketmaster of New England at 775-3331.