PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release

August 22, 2006. The Huntsville Botanical Garden announced today that it was awarded the Alabama Tourist Attraction of the Year for 2006. The award, given annually by the Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel, is one of 12 state-wide awards given for all segments of the travel and tourism industry in the state. The award was presented to Garden CEO, Paula Steigerwald at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism held in Auburn, Alabama.

Ms. Steigerwald stated, “We are both honored and pleased to be selected for this prestigious award. In terms of visitors, membership, admission, and actual facility, the growth of the Huntsville Botanical Garden has been tremendous in the past year. We look forward to representing Alabama Tourism as the Attraction of the Year. We invite all Alabamians and out of state visitors to stop by the Garden and learn first hand that there really is “Always Something Growing On” at the Huntsville Botanical Garden.”

The Botanical Garden offers more than 120 acres of specialty gardens, trails, water features and facilities to its visitors. More than 250,000 visited the garden in the past year, making it one of the most popular tourist destinations in the state.

The opening of the new Children’s Garden and Nature Center/Butterfly House has added a new dimension to the garden, delighting children and adults alike.

The Garden offers a festival for every season of the year. The festivals begin with the Festival of Flowers in the spring – featuring a plant sale and various flower shows. Visitors are treated to a summer festival featuring Wings, Warts and Wonder, starring all the creatures found in the new Nature Center. The popular Scarecrow Trail opens the fall season in September and October, followed by the award winning Galaxy of Lights, which features over 100 dazzling holiday light displays placed throughout the Garden.

Huntsville Botanical Garden - There’s always something growing on!

Huntsville Botanical Garden is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, supported by the community. The 110-acre garden is open year-round. Address: 4747 Bob Wallace Avenue, Huntsville, AL 35805. For further information visit our website at www.hsvbg.org, or call 256.830.4447.