INDIANAPOLIS — A free all-day event at the Circle City Industrial Complex later this month is celebrating Indy's green thumbs with plant swaps, a plant pageant, live music, food, and over 50 related vendors.
"Were both plant aficionados and big fans of the plant community," Veronica Hamilton said of herself and her longtime pal and fellow event organizer, Andy Porter.
"Plant Stop, Won't Stop" and the "Planty Pageant" came together when Hamilton and Porter met up for a completely unrelated business meeting.
"It kind of came up as something like, 'why don't we have a plant show?'" Hamilton told WRTV during an interview at Stomping Grounds on the near east side of Indianapolis. "We're just basically taking the idea and running with it."
And running with it, they did.
Neither Hamilton nor Porter have been to a plant event quite like the one they've planned for Saturday, May 21.
But it's clear the rest of the Indianapolis plant community was ready for a plant event of this magnitude as more than 2,000 people have already reserved a ticket for Plant Stop, Won't Stop.
However, they're planning for way more than the 2,000 currently registered for the event. "Everybody is like, 'Oh, we're coming!" I'm like, 'did you RSVP?' They're like, 'No!'" Andy Porter said.
The two are encouraging everyone wanting to attend to register ahead online so they can be better prepared to handle the line to enter.
The planty deets
Plans for Plant Stop, Won't Stop include a large outdoor market consisting of plants (of course). More than 50 vendors will be selling everything from plant-based foods, to house plants, and other related items.
Two plant swaps will take place at differing price points, where attendees can bring a plant for trade.
The event also includes a plant pageant, perfectly titled "Planty Pageant."
Contestants are encouraged to dress their best as they show off their favorite plants.
"It's just a way for people to show off their most prized plant. People take a lot of pride in making their plants look beautiful and keeping them healthy. So we just thought that this will be a really fun way for people to not only show off their most prized plant but also show off themselves a little bit too," Hamilton said.
The winner gets $200 worth of gift cards.
So far, ten people have signed up, but Plant Stop, Won't Stop is looking for more people to join. There are no rules when it comes to age or gender.
"This one's just kind of for fun," Porter said. "Be as silly as you want, make some stuff up. You don't have to use your real name — we don't care. The more made up I kind of think the more entertaining it is anyways."
A DJ will be playing throughout the entire event, and there will be food and drink vendors.
"We want everyone to show their own personality and kind of just represent themselves and their plants," Hamilton added.
No 'silly, fancy Instagram vision'
"The goal for the entire event was just to be as community-minded and inclusive as possible. I mean, honestly, we didn't want it to be like a silly, fancy Instagram vision of what houseplants should be, that we see so much. We really want it to be open for everybody and a good time. Thus the DJs and the booze," Porter said, laughing.
Hamilton and Porter say Indy's plant community is really supportive of one another.
"There's a big culture of sharing plants, taking cuttings to help your friends start their plant collections, and that kind of thing," Hamilton said.
This is just the beginning for the plant planning duo, who say they want to make Plant Stop, Won't Stop an annual event.
The two are in talks of organizing a winter plant event.
"It's so gray for like four months that a really nice indoor plant event would probably be nice. It may just be like a plant swap or maybe another market. But, definitely, we want to make this an every year thing."
Plant Stop, Won't Stop is from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 21 at the CCIC. You can sign up for the Planty Pageant, a plant swap, and register for the event at pswsindy.com.
WRTV Digital Reporter Shakkira Harris can be reached at shakkira.harris@wrtv.com. You can follow her on Twitter, @shakkirasays.
