The first-ever Beverly Garden Party filled Beverly Common with flowers nobody had to water. Beverly 400+ turned the Common into a living art space for the city’s 400th anniversary. Specifically, it ran Saturday, August 8, 2026, from noon to 5:00 PM. The green sits directly across from the public library. Admission was free. Furthermore, nine local artists built installations on $500 stipends, funded in partnership with the Beverly Cultural Council. Three bands played the gazebo. Additionally, 22 floral-themed vendors set up on the grass. Meanwhile, a Champagne Chateau served guests 21 and over. Garden party attire was encouraged, and plenty of people obliged. Beverly calls itself the Garden City. For five hours in August, that was literally true. Specifically: cosmos folded from book pages, dandelions big enough to walk through, black-eyed Susans poured in glass. Creative Collective photographed the afternoon. Here’s what the Common looked like.
Three bands played the gazebo across the afternoon. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
A band with three members performs under a white gazebo decorated with greenery. People stand and watch in the foreground on a sunny day. Trees and a blue sign are visible in the background.
The Champagne Chateau, for the grown-ups. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
A flower arrangement with pink and yellow blooms sits on grass near a “Chant au Chateau, Ages 21+ Only” event sign. People and a white gazebo appear in the background in a park setting.
Trois Dandy Lions — claimed within minutes. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
A young child in a green shirt stands outdoors, interacting with a large, colorful, circular art installation made of woven green material. A small green table with art supplies is nearby, and the scene takes place on a grassy field with trees in the background.
Ally Rowell's frame drew a line all afternoon. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
A woman poses and smiles inside a colorful, flower-themed frame labeled “Ally Ronell.” The frame stands outdoors on grass, surrounded by floral decorations, with a large tree and a brick building in the background. Sunlight filters through the leaves above.
Paula Borsetti and The Giving Garden. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
A woman stands and smiles in front of a booth decorated with large, colorful artificial flowers. Signs and flower displays are attached to the tent, and sunlight shines on the grassy area. Trees and a building are visible in the background.
Cosmos made of book pages — across from the library. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
A large artificial flower made from printed book pages is displayed outdoors on a grassy area, surrounded by similar pink flowers. Tents and buildings are visible in the background.
Perennials that will not need dividing. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
Large, colorful metal flowers, including pink, yellow, and purple blooms, are arranged on a green lawn. In the background, there are trees, a yellow building, and tables with blue tablecloths. The scene is outdoors on a sunny day.
Black-eyed Susans, poured and polished. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
Yellow metal flower sculptures with brown centers stand on green stems in the grass. In the background, a person’s legs and shorts are partially visible, suggesting an outdoor setting such as a garden or festival.
Not every flower on the Common was friendly. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
A sculpture shaped like a large mouth with red lips, holding a small blue toy truck on its tongue. The mouth is attached to a green stem and set on a rough white base, outdoors on grass with blurred background.
A sunset hung from a pole. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
A sculpture made of layered, wavy orange and yellow panels with white streaks stands outdoors on a metal pole. Grass, trees, part of a tent, and distant people are visible in the background on a sunny day.
Cornucopia Threads, stitched and painted by hand. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
A colorful floral arrangement with painted artificial flowers is displayed on a table outdoors. In the background, people stand near a sign that reads “Cornucopia Threads.” Sunlight and greenery are visible in the scene.
Every petal here is fabric. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
A tall, colorful floral arrangement stands on grass under a white canopy. The arrangement includes various artificial flowers, butterflies, and birds. People are nearby, with a building and a sign reading “Truscopia 17” visible in the background.
Bold, Gold & Old — the vintage corner. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
Large wicker chairs sit outdoors, surrounded by oversized decorative flowers and teal paper roses. A glittery gold banner hangs across the chairs, displaying the words “BOLD GOLD & OLD.” The scene is set on grass with buildings in the background.
Blooms that outsize the fence they lean on. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
Large, colorful, handmade fabric flowers are attached to a red and orange wooden fence. A blue flower is prominent in the foreground, with multicolored and patchwork flowers behind. A green shape and objects are visible at the fence base. Green leaves fill the background.
Cobalt, carnival glass, and a wicker throne. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
A round stone table holds vases with blue and gold artificial flowers, a framed sign, and decorative items. Wicker chairs with patterned cushions sit nearby on grass in an outdoor setting.
Poppies that hold their colour through February. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
A glass art sculpture shaped like a red flower with textured petals and a detailed yellow and orange center is displayed on a white stand outdoors. Other glass art pieces and blurred greenery are visible in the background.
Resin surf, twenty-eight dollars a glass. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
A white display shelf at an outdoor market holds glasses and mugs with blue, ocean-like resin art designs. Other items and artwork are visible on the table and background, with grass and people in a park setting.
Dried-flower wreaths and a row of air plants. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
Three grapevine wreaths decorated with dried flowers, colorful ribbons, and foliage are displayed on a table covered with a beige cloth. Wooden crates and jars are visible in the background. Sunlight brightens the arrangement.
The floral theme reached the dessert table. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
A floral arrangement with red roses and pink macarons in a teapot sits on a table, surrounded by artificial leaves and flowers. A pink gift box and cupcake are nearby. People and a colorful food truck are visible in the blurred background.
Soft serve, lemonade, and a long August afternoon. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
A person wearing a white T-shirt and cap dispenses a drink from a large metal machine into a cup at an outdoor event. Nearby are small cups, syrup bottles, boxes, and other containers on a white tablecloth. A lemonade truck is in the background.
Strings under the gazebo roof. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
A woman in a purple dress plays the violin while a man in a blue shirt and shorts sings and plays guitar on an outdoor stage with greenery in the background. Microphones, music stands, and equipment are visible around them.
The gazebo, mid-set. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
A woman in a purple dress plays a violin while a man in a blue shirt and shorts plays guitar and sings. They are performing on an outdoor stage with greenery and a music stand. Microphones and sound equipment are visible.
Framed by the vines, whether he meant to be or not. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
A man in a blue shirt and cap stands outdoors playing an acoustic guitar and smiling. He is under a white gazebo with green vines in the foreground. A music stand with sheet music is visible to the right. Other people are blurred in the background.
Two instruments, one long afternoon. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
A man in a blue shirt and cap plays an acoustic guitar outdoors, smiling, while a woman in a purple dress plays the violin beside him. Greenery and a white gazebo are visible in the background.
Still going at half past three. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
A man in a blue shirt and cap plays an acoustic guitar and smiles while standing in a gazebo. There are green leaves and a white post in the foreground, and sheet music is visible on a stand behind him.
Strings and a purple dress. Photograph by John Andrews for Creative Collective.
A woman in a purple dress plays a violin outdoors under a covered structure, surrounded by greenery and trees. She looks focused on her performance, holding the instrument with her left hand and drawing the bow with her right.
What was at the Beverly Garden Party?
- Nine art installations by local artists, staged across the Common
- Three bands at the gazebo, including a Celtic set under the vines
- 22 floral-themed vendors — glass, textiles, dried flowers, vintage
- The Champagne Chateau — champagne, wine, and beer, ages 21+
- Mahjong tables, with instruction for anyone who wanted to learn
- A native garden planted on site by Cheryl Rafuse of Plant Magic Gardens
- Free admission, all five hours
Meanwhile, the Garden Party landed inside the same stretch of August as Beverly Homecoming. Consequently, the week offered two very different kinds of crowd.
400 flowers, 400 years
Here’s the detail that doesn’t appear anywhere else. Paula Borsetti’s installation, The Giving Garden, was a canopy painted as a brick garden wall. Furthermore, she hung it with handmade blooms. A basket sat in the grass beneath it. The hand-lettered sign beside it read: 400 flowers, please take one.
Four hundred flowers for four hundred years. You were meant to walk away with one.
Therefore, the math of a quadricentennial came out quiet. Not a stage and a speech. Instead, a stranger handing you something to carry home.
Who made the art on Beverly Common?
Ally Rowell painted a walk-in floral frame and staked wooden blooms around it. Consequently, people lined up to climb inside. Meanwhile, Trois Dandy Lions went up as three enormous lime-green spheres of painted branches. A kid with a bubble gun claimed it early and held it.
Additionally, one artist built cosmos out of book pages, with text still legible on every petal. Notably, they stood directly across the street from the public library. Boston fiber artist Javi García of Cornucopia Threads brought bouquets sewn and painted by hand.
Nobody was precious about any of it. That was the point.
Frequently asked questions
When and where was the Beverly Garden Party?
Saturday, August 8, 2026, from noon to 5:00 PM. Specifically, on Beverly Common, directly across from the Beverly Public Library. It was the first Garden Party the city has held.
Was the Beverly Garden Party free?
Yes. Admission was free and open to everyone. However, food, drink, and vendor purchases cost extra. Additionally, the Champagne Chateau served guests 21 and over.
Who organized it?
Beverly 400+, formally Beverly Quadricentennial, Inc., a 501(c)(3) leading the city’s 400th anniversary programming. Additionally, the Beverly Cultural Council partnered on artist stipends. Meanwhile, Creative Collective photographed the event. We did not produce it.
Will there be another one?
Beverly 400+ has not announced a second Garden Party. However, the anniversary programming continues through the year. Therefore, watch beverly400.org.
The Garden City, briefly literal
Beverly has called itself the Garden City for a long time. Then, on August 8, it spent five hours proving it. Finally, it handed out the flowers.
Moreover, the flowers were not the only thing that outlasted the day. Instead of going into storage, the installations moved to The Bower at Montserrat College of Art. Notably, Creative Collective calls that Beverly building home too. Therefore, a one-day garden became a standing one.
Meanwhile, we shot Salem Jazz and Soul the weekend after this one. However, the two afternoons could not have looked less alike. That is roughly the point of a county this size.
Creative Collective sits at the intersection of tourism, arts, small business, and city hall across Essex County. Practically, that means we show up with a camera when a city decides to do something like this. Beverly did. We’re glad we were on the Common for it.
Photos: Creative Collective. See the full Beverly 400+ Garden Party gallery on Pixieset.
About the author: John Andrews is Founder & President of Creative Collective, covering small business, arts, and community across Essex County. He photographed the Garden Party on Beverly Common on August 8, 2026.
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