Plans are now being finalized for Shepherdstown’s upcoming “GardenFest Weekend,” which will be held May 18-19. Both days will be full of garden-related activities, as well as live music, displays by local artists and potters, special access to local historic sites, sidewalk sales by local merchants, children’s events and special picnic menus at many local restaurants.

In addition, the town museum will be open for extended hours and the historic Mecklenburg Tobacco Warehouse on Princess Street will be open for rare public tours.

The GardenFest’s hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, rain or shine.

The weekend’s garden-related activities will include demonstrations and exhibits about composting, community gardening, beekeeping, raising chickens, indoor gardening, hydroponics, backyard habitats and more.

Local landscapers and gardening centers will be selling plants, garden supplies and accessories and offering ideas for home gardening projects.

The downtown Shepherdstown Farmers Market will be open Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon on King Street by the post office and Sunday from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. on King Street behind the library. The Morgan’s Grove farmers market will be open Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.

The centerpiece of the weekend will be Shepherdstown’s Back Alley Garden Tour and Tea, which is now in its 16th year. This event will include self-guided walking tours of gardens in the town and a tea at the Shepherdstown Community Club. Tour hours will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. The teas will be offered from 12 noon to 4 p.m. each day. Admission costs $25 for both the tour and tea or $15 for just the tour or the tea. Proceeds support the Community Club. For more information go to the event’s website at www.backalleygarden.org.

All the rest of the weekend’s activities are free.

The weekend will also include a First Annual Back Alley Sale on Saturday, in the alley between the 200 blocks of West German and New streets. This will be a multi-family sale that will feature antiques, art, accessories, furniture, tools, books and many other items.

For more details about all the weekend’s events and information about parking locations, go to the Shepherdstown Visitor’s Center web site at www.shepherdstownvisitorscenter.com or contact Jan Hafer at 304-876-2786.