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Looking for a sweet basil for that perfect pesto sauce? How about some comfrey for a bone-mend home remedy? Or perhaps a pineapple sage whose three foot scarlet bloom is guaranteed to draw hummingbirds to your garden? Look no further than the Newburgh Herb Fest.

            The Newburgh Herb Fest, a tradition for over 25 years, draws an estimated “tens of thousands” of customers every year says Nathan Kluger, manager of the Newburgh Country Store. Folks from all over the tri-state area as well as those from as far away as California and even outside the United States will make their way to Newburgh to stock up on every type of herb you have heard of and probably some you haven’t.

            The primary location for the Newburgh Herb Fest is the Newburgh Country Store, located at 224 W. Jenning St, but they have recently expanded to three locations. Last year a location was added  at North Park Shopping Center and this year they are adding a location at Burkhardt and the Lloyd Expressway at Lloyd Common, next to the Motomart.  “A lot of people want to be a part of the Herbs Festival. We wanted to better serve the Evansville area,” explains Kluger. Just look for the huge structure with the “Newburgh Country Store” sign. “You can’t miss it,” assures Kluger.

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           The Herb Fest will feature a great selection of perennials, like daylilies and petunias as well as the more exotic Bapista, hanging baskets of ferns and other plants and of course, “lots of herbs which is the biggest draw.” The Evansville locations will have large selections of most everything but “the rarest of the rare will be at the Newburgh Country Store.” Kluger says the Herb Fest is not only boasts a huge selection of plants, from 10 different kids of rosemary to feverfew, an herb traditionally used for fevers and headaches but “we can tell you about them.”  

            The festival began as a one week event but it was such a success that it eventually expanded to eight weeks. However, with this year’s early Easter holiday they have added another week. Herb Fest runs Easter Weekend, March 22, through May 30 and is open from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM Monday through Saturday and 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM Sunday. With that extra week to shop there is no excuse not to start your windowsill herb garden, or try that new Thai recipe that calls for lemongrass, or make your mom some homemade potpourri. Assures Kluger, “We are the place to come for selection, and the prices are pretty incredible too. Even if you aren’t an enthusiastic of plants, there is something for you.”