Art in Bloom tickets go on sale this week
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Art in Bloom over the years. Photos: Mary Helen Moore/Axios
Art in Bloom tickets go on sale this week, and the North Carolina Museum of Art expects another sell-out.
Why it matters: The celebration of spring is the Raleigh art museum's premiere fundraiser, generating hundreds of thousands of dollars and drawing around 18,000 people per year, organizers tell Axios.
Flashback: Laura Finan, NCMA's director of stewardship and special initiatives, founded Art in Bloom in 2015.
- It's now one of Raleigh's can't-miss events. "We generally sell out about two weeks before the doors open," Finan tells Axios.
Zoom in: This year's theme is "Written in the Stars," and it's taking over the museum March 18-22.
By the numbers: Florists are crafting 44 arrangements this year, most interpretations of art in the museum's permanent collection.
- Displays representing all 12 astrological signs will be spread across the galleries. Two larger installations, one indoor and one outdoor, will take inspiration from the entire zodiac.
Behind the scenes: Flowers must be replaced as they wilt during the five-day event, with designers arriving an hour before opening to refresh their creations daily. All the water gets switched out on Friday before the weekend crowds arrive.
- Some flowers are hardier than others, and "anything that's white or blue is generally the thing that's going to go first. I don't know why. That's a nature thing," Finan says.
How it works: Tickets go on sale to the general public Thursday at 10am.
- For the third year, the museum priced tickets at $50. It's free to bring a child 6 or younger.
- It's timed entry, so decide ahead of time when your group will go. (The ushers are usually understanding if you run late, though.)
What we're watching: The museum chooses different works every year for the florists to interpret, and the list is kept secret.
- I'm rooting for this glass creation by Karen LaMonte.