AROUND TOWN
OVERLAND PARK ARBORETUM & BOTANICAL GARDENS PRESENTS STEMS: A GARDEN SOIRÉE
WRITTEN BY SHANNON E. ROESGEN / PHOTOS BY OVERLAND PARK ARTS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT
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ip wine. Taste delicious food from top restaurants and caterers. Enjoy art, music, fireworks, beautiful surroundings, and more. Meet friends at the networking event of the summer—the place to see and be seen. Support a vision of recreational and cultural enrichment and inspiration for present and future generations. Stems is a lovely garden party in the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens and the premier networking event in Johnson County, as well as the flagship event of the Arts and Recreation Foundation of Overland Park. This event has been happening since 2008 and is known to be the party of the summer and a date night to never forget. Whether you attend as a
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SIMPLYkc MAGAZINE
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JUNE 2022
guest or corporate sponsor, the beautiful ambiance and delectable dishes will not disappoint. There can be no better cause than enhancing the quality of life of the community, and proceeds from Stems do just that. All proceeds from Stems: A Garden Soirée continue to contribute to the support and development of Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead, the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, and city art installations. “Once again this year, our event will include a wonderful taste of local cuisine from various restaurants throughout the KC metro. We’ll have plenty of wine and other beverages to sip from keepsake hand-painted wine glasses,” says Jennifer Cairns, Events and Donor Services manager for the
Arts and Recreation Foundation of Overland Park. The hand-painted Stems wine glasses will be the signature of the event. Guests will sample a tasty array of food and drink, from sliders to crab cakes, antipasto to fruit crepes, fine wines, craft beers, and specialty mixed drinks that perfectly complement the food. Nonalcoholic beverages and bottled water will also be served. And, of course, one can never host a party in Kansas City without serving barbecue. With the walking you’ll do around the arboretum, you will have earned some extra calories as a reward, so don’t forget to sample the delicious desserts! Past dessert choices have included fried cheesecake, tiramisu,
