Jordan Beck | Daily Press Bay College Library Director Oscar DeLong prepares materials for the Spring Planting Party. The event will be held at the library today, starting at 5 p.m.

ESCANABA — People looking to celebrate the start of the gardening season are invited to participate in an event at Bay College this evening. The Spring Planting Party will be held at the Bay College Library today, starting at 5 p.m.

“It’s just a kickoff to spring and to the (Bay College) Seed Library and planting,” Library Director Oscar DeLong said about the event.

The seed library is a Bay College Library program allowing people to “borrow” seeds. Once the seeds used by seed library participants have grown into new plants, participants are asked to collect seeds from these plants and bring them back to the library. (See related article.)

According to DeLong, tonight’s event was scheduled to coincide with the ongoing National Library Week.

“We’re doing it to dovetail with the National Library Week concept of ‘Libraries = Strong Communities,'” he said.

DeLong said the event will essentially consist of two parts. The first section will focus on education.

“We intend to have individuals from different groups … who actually are gardeners,” he said.

One of these individuals will be a representative of Marquette’s Queen City Seed Library, who will speak about the history of the seed library and what the people involved with it have learned since it was established.

Attendees will learn about other gardening-related topics during the Spring Planting Party, including how to preserve seeds.

The event’s second section will give participants a chance to get hands-on with gardening.

“Then, there’s the activity part where we actually plant something,” DeLong said. During the second part of the event, attendees will be able to select and plant a few seeds in a small pot and take them home to transfer them to their own gardens.

DeLong said radish, lettuce and bean seeds will be available at the Spring Planting Party. The entire seed library will be accessible to attendees, as well.

Gardeners of all ages are welcome at the Spring Planting Party.

“It’s going to be kid-friendly,” DeLong said. He also noted food will be offered at the event.

DeLong said the Spring Planting Party is meant to appeal to both experienced gardeners and those interested in starting gardens in 2019.

“Hopefully, we’ll start a whole new crop of gardeners this year,” he said.

Additionally, DeLong spoke about the impact the storm expected to hit the area today could have on the Spring Planting Party. If classes are cancelled at Bay due to inclement weather but the college is still open, the event will go on as scheduled. If campus is fully closed, the event will be cancelled and rescheduled.