Honeybee Day | August 15th from 10am - 3pm

Celebrating Pollinators, Gardens & the Sweet Side of Summer

Honeybee Day is returning to York Woods for a full day celebrating the tiny creatures that keep our gardens growing. Join us Saturday, August 15th for a family-friendly event filled with local honey, gardening education, crafts, food, and plenty of ways to learn about the importance of pollinators.

Taste your way through our annual Honey Tasting Competition, vote for your favorite local honey, explore pollinator-friendly plants, meet members of the York County Beekeepers Association, and discover how you can help support healthy bee populations right in your own backyard.

Whether you are a seasoned gardener, a backyard beekeeper, or simply someone who enjoys a little sweetness in your summer, Honeybee Day has something for everyone.

follow along - facebook event page

Annual Honey Tasting Competition

Find the sweetest honey in York County!

Think you know what the best local honey tastes like? Come put your taste buds to the test!

Local beekeepers will compete for the community’s vote in our annual Honey Tasting Competition. Guests can sample each entry, cast their vote, and help crown this year’s winners.

Tasting Tickets:
🐝 $5 per adult
🍯 All proceeds benefit the York County Beekeepers Association

Prizes:
🥇 First Place — $100
🥈 Second Place — $50
🥉 Third Place — $25

How to Submit a Honey Sample

Think your honey is the sweetest around? Enter your honey for FREE into York Woods’ Annual Honey Tasting Competition and let the community decide!

Honey samples must be dropped off before 10:00 AM on Saturday, August 15th. You may submit your entry in person at York Woods and complete the submission form when you arrive, or you can complete the form online ahead of time (link below) and bring your sample with you.

submit a honey sample

Meet the York County Beekeepers Association

The York County Beekeepers Association (YCBA) will be joining us for Honeybee Day with hands-on activities, demonstrations, and opportunities to learn more about the incredible world of honeybees.

Stop by their booth to explore a live hive frame demonstration and purchase local honey!

Learn how bees live, work, and support the gardens and landscapes around us.

What is a Live Hive Frame?

Ever wondered what’s happening inside a beehive? During Honeybee Day, the York County Beekeepers Association (YCBA) will be bringing a live hive frame for guests to safely explore the fascinating world of honeybees up close!

A hive frame is one of the removable sections from inside a beehive where bees build their honeycomb, store honey, and raise their young. This hands-on display gives kids and adults a chance to observe the bees’ incredible teamwork, learn how a hive functions, and even try to spot the most important bee in the colony — the queen!

Don’t worry — these bees are safely contained within their display, so you can enjoy the experience without having to worry about getting stung. Stop by, take a closer look, and if you find the queen bee, you’ll earn a special sticker for your discovery!

Educational Talks in the Perennials (Under Red Shade Net)

10:00 AM — Creating a Pollinator-Friendly Garden

Featuring Taylor Grande | Pierson Nurseries

Want to bring more butterflies, bees, and beneficial insects into your backyard?

Join Taylor Grande from Pierson Nurseries for an informative talk on creating beautiful pollinator gardens that support local wildlife while adding color and life to your landscape.

1:00 PM — UPDATED Introduction to Beekeeping

Featuring Joe Barberri | York County Beekeepers Association

Instead of focusing on hive health, Joe will introduce guests to the rewarding world of beekeeping.

Learn what it takes to start your first hive, the essential equipment you'll need, seasonal responsibilities, and how to become a successful backyard beekeeper. Whether you're simply curious or ready to take the leap, this session is the perfect place to begin.

York Woods Summer Plant Sale

The garden center will be buzzing with savings!

Celebrate Honeybee Day with special pricing throughout the greenhouse and garden center. Stock up on summer favorites, pollinator-friendly plants, and garden essentials while supplies last.

(Sales and featured plants coming soon.)

Summer Craft Market

Shop local and support small businesses!

Honeybee Day will feature a small Summer craft market filled with talented local makers offering handmade goods, unique creations, and one-of-a-kind finds. (Vendor list coming soon.)

applications open - become a vendor

Food Truck: Moe's Italian Subs (Berwick Branch)

We’re excited to welcome back Moe’s Italian Subs to Honeybee Day at York Woods Tree!

A local favorite, Moe’s is known for their fresh, classic Italian subs made just the way you like them. With crisp veggies, savory meats, and that signature Maine-style flavor, Moe’s is the perfect addition to this summer celebration.

Summer Market Vendors

Anna's Banana Bread

Enjoy freshly baked banana bread, mini fruit cakes, and cookies. Banana bread flavors may include: plain, walnut, chocolate chip, s'mores, and more!

Bee Witty Inspirations

I have blind date books but for this event I will be crafting bee themed crochet items such as; bags, bandanas, tumbler bags and various other items.

Celestial Dragon Creations

We sell crystals, crystal mystery boxes, dragon statuary, and little trinkets such as keychains and more!

Chases Pond Pottery

Handmade pottery.

Crafty Badass Stitch

Hand embroidery items - kits - accessories and finished pieces.

Flour Child Baking Co.

Small batch baked goods made with organic & non-gmo ingredients.

Focused Chaos Creations

Handmade clay jewelry, photography, stickers, and more.

From the Meadow

Hand embroidered items.

Kennebunk Creative

Face painting.

Renewal by Anderson

We provide free info to interested attendees about our window & door replacement services. We also offer free entry into our 35K sweepstakes, drawn yearly.

Scentsy *Amanda R.

Home fragrance.

The Petal Pantry

Botanical Sweets Crafted in Maine - vegan honey alternative.