Summer Nights Returns to Encinitas 37-Acre Urban Oasis While Savage Gardens Will Have a
Four Month Residency in the Garden’s Conservatory
ENCINITAS, CA — San Diego Botanic Garden (SDBG) is beckoning locals and
travelers alike with a summer lineup featuring a fresh slate of events. The fan-favorite Summer
Nights (July 13 – August 17, 2023) will be returning on select Thursdays and feature extended
hours until 8 p.m., concerts, special events, along with specialty food and drink packages. The
traveling exhibition, Savage Gardens, will run from July 1 through October 29 and spotlight
carnivorous plants in the Dickinson Family Education Conservatory along with large-scale
artistic installations. All of this will be in addition to SDBG’s regular calendar of classes and
activities across its 15 on-site gardens that represent different regions of the world, 12
demonstration gardens where visitors can learn in a hands-on setting, and the largest public
bamboo collection in North America. The season will cap off with The Garden Party, SDBG’s
annual fundraising event, set for Saturday, September 9, 2023.
“As San Diego’s leading botanic garden, we always strive to provide our community the chance
to gather, enjoy the outdoors and learn about nature,” said San Diego Botanic Garden President
and CEO Ari Novy, Ph.D. “From a sunset concert series and outdoor picnics to a thrilling new
plant show, we have a jam-packed lineup of events and programming for locals and visitors to
explore throughout the season. We’re particularly excited to welcome the traveling Savage
Gardens exhibition to San Diego for the first time, which will offer an incredible look into the
fascinating world of carnivorous plants – some of the most unusual and often misunderstood
plants in the world.”
Summer Nights will feature performances that range from children’s group Hullabaloo to jazz
guitarist Peter Sprague. The popular Wine in the Garden event will also return this year with
wine tastings and presentations by Certified Sommelier Dane Kuta and SDBG Director of
Gardens John Clements to discuss how climate, soil, and terrain play a role in winemaking.
Amphitheater concerts and special presentations will require a separate “special event” ticket,
which varies in price and includes admission to SDBG. Concerts on the Lawn are free with a
general admission ticket but with capacity limited, reservations are strongly recommended.
Tickets can be purchased at www.sdbg.org/exhibitions-public-programs/summer-nights/.
Performances and special events include:
● July 13 – Hullabaloo, Gazebo Lawn Garden Concert
● July 20 – Peter Sprague, Conservatory Amphitheater Concert
● July 27 – Billy Lee and the Swamp Critters, Gazebo Lawn Garden Concert
● August 3 – Euphoria Brass Band, Conservatory Amphitheater Concert
● August 10 – Jessica Fichot: From Paris to Shanghai, Conservatory Amphitheater
Concert
● August 17 – Wine in the Garden: Comparing the Left and Right Banks of Bordeaux,
Special Series Amphitheater
Guests can pre-order a selection of sweet and savory treats to enjoy during Summer Nights,
including charcuterie platters with an assortment of cheeses, crisps, sopressata salami and
fresh fruit, along with dessert samplers from local favorite Elizabethan Desserts including apple
pie bites, churro mini cupcakes, and caramel and pecan bar bites. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic
beverages will also be available including various wine, spritzers and craft beers.
On the heels of World of Orchids, SDBG is entering “The Real and Imaginary World of
Carnivorous Plants” with Savage Gardens debuting July 1, 2023 presented in collaboration with
Tork, a team of experienced artists specializing in unique sculptural installations.The touring
exhibition will explore the bizarre and captivating world of carnivorous plants. In addition to a
collection of real carnivorous species on display, visitors will get a bug’s-eye perspective with
three larger-than-life installations inside and around SDBG’s 8,000 square foot, glass-enclosed
Dickinson Family Education Conservatory:
● A 10-foot-tall Tropical Pitcher Plant (Nepenthes) invites visitors to step inside to imagine
the fate of an unlucky insect.
● Seven North American Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia) sculptures that reach heights of 15
feet.
● A 10-foot-tall Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) sculpture replicated the closing of the
“trap” through the use of hydraulics.
All installations are constructed with aluminum and resin offering incredible interpretations of
these unique plants. Vendors will also be featured on select weekends selling plants, potting
materials, and other merchandise. Members of SDBG receive free admission to the exhibition.
Non-member admissions range from $10-$18. Reservations are required. Entrance to the
exhibition includes access to the vendor booths and the rest of the Garden during the same
visit. For more information and to reserve an entrance date and time, visit
www.sdbg.org/exhibitions-public-programs/savage-gardens/.