Herb growers, gardeners, and folks who want to have the "thyme" of their lives will want to mark their calendars and plan to attend the 15th Annual Ponca City Herb Festival on Saturday, June 7, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Cann Memorial Botanical Gardens, located on 14th and Grand Avenue.

Situated along the various garden paths will be more than 90 vendors with items such as herbal plants, flowers, herbal crafts, outdoor garden furniture, antique and collectible garden wares, handmade herbal soaps and bath products, cooking supplies and herbal lunches.

Other festival activities for this free event will include live entertainment by Princess Dancing Wolf and Cimarron Ken. Several free seminars will be given throughout the day on the Cann Home patio beginning at 9 a.m. The topics of the seminars are "The History of the Cann Gardens," "Trees Are Terrific," "Five Secrets to Growing Herbs," "Growing Bonsai Trees," "A Plant Anyone Can Grow: Irises" and "There's Never Enough Thyme, Using Herbs In Your Cooking."

The children's booth has become one of the most popular stops for parents and children alike. Children, with help from Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme garden club members, will fashion free garden hats out of paper, tulle, ribbon, beads and boas. Ever-popular speaker at the Herb Festival, Susan Henning, district manager for the Kay County Conservation District Board, will introduce Wiggles The Earthworm to festival-goers in her children's puppet show near the Children's Booth at 11 a.m.

Your toes will be tapping and your hands clapping as you enjoy the Hill Irish Dancers who will be performing at noon on the patio. Festival-attendees are in for a treat as they enjoy the music, colorful costumes, and fast-moving feet of these award-winning Irish step dancers as they showcase both traditional and modern dances of the Emerald Isle.

At 12:30 p.m., the students of Miss Suzi's Singing School will once again perform.

First-time to entertain at the Herb Festival are Oklahoma entertainers Princess Dancing Wolf and Cimarron Ken. Through storytelling and original songs, they will take the audience on an interactive journey of fresh appreciation for the Earth, nature and the elements, and the diverse ecosystems of Oklahoma. They recently appeared at the Norman Centennial Celebration, performing their new song and music video "Red Earth and Rose Rock."

Parking will be available across the street from the Cann Gardens at the First Presbyterian Church with a donation to the church's youth group for their summer mission trip.

According to Mary Anne Potter, founder of the Ponca City Herb Festival, all money raised by the Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme Garden Club will be used to enhance the public gardens of Ponca City. The club hosts the festival to promote public education of herbal gardening and related subjects. By staging the festival at the Cann Memorial Gardens, it is hoped to heighten public awareness of all Ponca City public gardens and to raise funds for their continuation.

A variety of lush plant life surrounds the historic 1908 Cann home and a gazebo is established in the perfect place for viewing these historical Oklahoma gardens. The wide pathways complement the beds, which are planted with daylilies, hostas, tropical plants, old-fashioned hollyhocks, and many more types of flowers and plants situated beneath the shelter of an assortment of trees.

You can call the Ponca City Chamber of Commerce (580) 765-4400 or visit the Web site: www.poncacityherbfestival.com for more information.