May 2025 Newsletter
2025 May Newsletter
As one of only four Cittaslow communities in Canada, NaramataSlow is dedicated to enhancing quality of life by encouraging a slower, more mindful pace and promoting sustainable living practices.
A Force of Nature
Laneway Ladies and the Garden Club Join Forces!
On Friday, April 25, a team of 10 green-thumbed volunteers armed with shovels and a collection of donated plants set out to give Naramata’s laneways a beautiful makeover. They targeted three spots in need of some TLC, where they spent two hours pulling up invasive burdock and weeds (no small task!).
But it wasn’t all hard work—once the areas were replanted with drought-tolerant flowers, veggies, and vibrant ground cover, the team celebrated with a well-deserved garden party filled with tea and treats.
Thanks to these dedicated volunteers, our community is looking even more beautiful! So, the next time you see a call for gardening help, why not roll up your sleeves and join in? It’s a fun way to meet new friends, get your hands a little dirty, and make a real difference—all in just a couple of hours!
The Great Big Naramata Yard Sale
is just around the corner—Saturday, May 3rd!
Join us for a fun-filled day in the heart of Naramata. Here’s where you can find the action:
The Friendship Club will be serving up hot dogs and refreshments.
The Library will be hosting a craft supply swap.
The Museum will feature a pop-up vintage clothing sale outside.
Real Things Pizza is offering space in their parking lot for table setups, plus they’ll be serving pizza by the slice.
Sun n Sup and 4th Meridian will be open for business and yard sale fun.
The Thrift Shop will be open for some treasure hunting!
9 Mile Bistro will be serving up paella from 1pm.
Over 30 homes have already registered to participate. Check out mynaramata.com for the list and map of homes for garage sale stops.
It's shaping up to be a fantastic day of shopping and community fun!
The Meadowlark Nature Festival
is a celebrated May Long Weekend tradition in the Okanagan, running since 1998.
This annual event brings together nature lovers, adventurers, and lifelong learners for a wide range of tours and talks focused on the region’s unique landscapes, wildlife, and cultural heritage.
The Meadowlark Festival also serves as a key fundraiser for the Okanagan Similkameen Conservation Alliance, supporting their ongoing environmental programs and outreach. This year's keynote speaker is Laura Lynch from CBC's "What on Earth."
With over 60 events on the schedule this year, six are dedicated specifically to exploring the natural beauty and stories of the Naramata Bench. You can view these events at mynaramata.com or for the full lineup of tours, presentations, and registration details at 👉 www.meadowlarkfestival.ca
Don’t miss the chance to discover more about the place we call home!
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Naramata’s 102nd May Day celebration
Sunday, May 19th
May Day and the Maypole Dance are age-old traditions that celebrate the arrival of spring and the renewal of life. Rooted in ancient celebrations of nature’s cycles, May Day marks a time of connection to the Earth as the seasons shift from the chill of winter to the warmth of summer.
The Maypole, adorned with ribbons and greenery, symbolizes the unity of community and the flourishing of the natural world. As participants dance around the pole, weaving colorful ribbons in a joyful display, they celebrate the cycle of life, the vitality of nature, and the bonds that bring us together.
Today, May Day is less about ancient fertility rites and more about embracing the season’s growth, community spirit, and the promise of new beginnings.
Plans are underway for this fun-filled day of tradition, community, and celebration. The festivities will kick off mid-morning with the beloved maypole dance and ambassador ceremony, followed by an afternoon of races and games for all ages. Soapbox racing returns on Friday, May 16th in the early afternoon—always a crowd favourite!
May Day is an honored Naramata tradition. Check mynaramata for more details and see you there!
CALLING ALL STARGAZERS &
NIGHT SKY LOVERS
We’re excited to announce the return of Capture the Dark—the International Dark-Sky Association’s annual astrophotography competition that celebrates the beauty of natural darkness and raises awareness about the impact of light pollution.
Submissions open May 1 at capturethedark.darksky.org
This year, we’re adding a local twist…
🌌 Introducing Naramata Slow’s Mini-Contest!
If you’re submitting a nightscape photo to Capture the Dark, why not shine a light on your own backyard?
Here’s how to enter:
Post your favourite Naramata night sky shot on social media
Tag @naramataslow
In your caption, tell us why this dark sky moment matters to you
Our favourite local entry will win a Dark Sky merch goodie bag—plus eternal bragging rights, of course.
Let’s show the world the magic of the Okanagan night.
Ready. Set. Capture the Dark.
Community Spotlight:
Naramata Permaculture Garden
Each newsletter we will be highlighting a local community group to help you get to know them better. This month we interview Jennifer Cockrall King from the Naramata Permaculture Garden.
How would you define a permaculture garden?
A permaculture garden is a highly productive garden that is designed to work with nature not in opposition with it. It mimics natural systems that returns nutrients naturally to the soil, and from there, a healthy self-sustaining space emerges where plants, people, animals, and soil all benefit from nature’s built-in regenerative abilities. It basically supports itself with minimal effort once you get the key elements in place, and that leaves you more time to just enjoy the food, the beauty, and the vibrancy of the life that takes place in a permaculture garden.
What are the key principles that set permaculture apart from other gardening styles like organic gardening?
Permaculture is guided by three pillars: Earth care, people care, and fair share. It’s about using ecological systems that regenerate vibrant soil, don’t pollute water (and use it judiciously), and healthy plants and food without chemical inputs or interventions. This type of gardening also takes into account minimizing the effort of gardeners, so that it is sustainable as an activity. And it strongly skews towards making sure that the food produced on the land is shared fairly and generously. The idea is to design a whole system that regenerates the land as it produces food and beauty, it strengthens communities by teaching collaborative systems and abundance mindsets and practices.
What are some common challenges people face when starting a permaculture garden?
The most common challenge is to unlearn the type of gardening and food growing most of us grew up with: tilling up earth, planting straight rows of food crops without any regard to companion planting or rotation of crops, and then breaking your back weeding and watering and hoping whatever you planted produces. Oh and then having too much of some things all at once! Permaculture is a “new” old system that takes care of all the above! We just have to re-learn it. And that is the first and perhaps largest obstacle: learning about permaculture and figuring out how it will work in the spaces you have with the resources (time, energy, land, a bit of capital expense) you can muster.
5. How can the community utilize the Permaculture Garden?
The Naramata Permaculture Garden is a place for all to enjoy. You do not need to be a steward to find a spot to sit and chat with a friend, or walk the pathways and find a few strawberries or raspberries. The space is abundant, so we encourage people to come in and enjoy. We hold events in the garden to encourage people to become more familiar with the space, in the hopes that they feel confident about using it.
I also want to thank the contribution of NaramataSlow on our new deck build this 2025 spring. We had a generous donation of materials from Home Hardware Penticton for a new and improved sitting area. And then we had a community member do the construction, but we needed just a bit more money to finish the project and NaramataSlow immediately helped do just that. It’s just another reminder of the wonderful community ecosystem we have in Naramata.
If people are interested in joining our group of volunteer stewards, they can contact us on Facebook (Naramata Permaculture Farm Garden), Instagram (Naramatapermaculturefarmgarden), or through one of the stewards.
Calendar of Events
May 10: Aikins Loop Wine Dinner at Stillfood Bistro
May 11: Mother's Day at Four Shadows Winery
May 11: Sip Back Sundays All Day Happy Hour, Three Sisters Winery
May 11: Mother's Day Train on the Kettle Valley Steam Railway
May 17: Crossroads Country Kick Off, Three Sisters Winery
May 18: 111th Birthday of the SS Sicamous
May 21: "Sweetland" Penticton Art Gallery Film Series at Landmark Cinema
May 30-June 1: Megavolt Festival, Manitou Park
Kevin's Korner
Q. What did Spring say when it was in trouble?
A. May Day!
Read the full version of this newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/6411a1c9b5b9/may-newsletter-whats-happening-in-naramata-this-month
