Country music and line dancing return to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden on Saturday, Sept. 12 as Boots & Blooms comes back for its third edition in less than a year.
The evening runs from 7 to 10:30 p.m. across Fairchild’s 83-acre grounds at 10901 Old Cutler Road, pairing live country-rock from the Back Country Boys with line dancing, contests, food trucks and bourbon and moonshine tastings.
Boots & Blooms debuted as part of Fairchild’s Sip & Stroll series on Oct. 4, 2025, and returned April 11. The Sept. 12 event marks the third time Fairchild has brought the country-themed evening to the garden.
Back Country Boys return to Fairchild
Headlining the night are the Back Country Boys, a Southwest Florida country-rock band that has played hundreds of shows in Florida and beyond.
The group blends country, rock and pop and has shared stages with Jake Owen, Chris Janson, Parmalee and the Eli Young Band. Its festival appearances have included Barefoot Country Music Fest, Carolina Country Music Fest and Chicago’s Windy City Smokeout.
The band also headlined Fairchild’s previous Boots & Blooms events.
Dancing is intended for newcomers as well as regulars. Fairchild describes the line dancing as open to all experience levels and says guests do not need to know the steps beforehand.
That combination — a touring country band onstage and a dance floor where beginners can join in — has remained at the center of the event as Fairchild has repeated it.
Pie eating, western wear and drinks after dark
Boots & Blooms leans fully into the theme beyond the music.
Fairchild is planning a pie-eating contest and a “best get-up” competition for guests in their most committed country attire. Food trucks will be on site, and picnic baskets for two can be ordered separately. Bourbon and moonshine flights are also available as add-ons.
Guests with general-admission tickets may bring either one blanket measuring no more than 5 feet by 5 feet or one low-profile lawn chair. Both must stay in the designated general-admission area. Outside food and beverages are prohibited, and Fairchild says the event will take place rain or shine.
The nighttime setting is a departure from Fairchild’s usual daytime identity.
Founded in 1938 and named for plant explorer David Fairchild, the garden maintains major collections of palms, cycads and other tropical plants and describes itself as home to the only tropical rainforest in the continental United States. Wings of the Tropics, its butterfly exhibit, features tropical butterflies from around the world.
Fairchild also runs extensive science and education programs. Its Million Orchid Project has propagated more than 700,000 native orchids as part of an effort to restore them to South Florida’s urban landscape, while Growing Beyond Earth, launched with NASA in 2015, has involved students in research on growing food for long-duration space missions.
Fairchild says events such as Boots & Blooms support the conservation and education work behind those programs.
What tickets cost
General admission for Boots & Blooms is $35.95 for adults and $18.95 for children ages 3 to 11. Fairchild members receive $5 off general admission when purchasing through their member accounts.
Guests looking for reserved seating have several options.
Concert-chair seating costs $65.95 and includes admission for one guest and a chair supplied by Fairchild. A cocktail table for two costs $135.95 and includes two admissions, a table and two chairs. A Garden Lounge package costs $449.95 and provides admission and lounge seating for five.
A picnic basket for two is $64.95, while a bourbon or moonshine flight costs $39.95. Premium seating and add-ons are subject to availability.
Boots & Blooms begins at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Road. Tickets and additional information are available through Fairchild’s website.
The formula is an unusual one for an institution built around tropical horticulture and plant science: country music, line dancing and western wear after dark among the palms and orchids.
After two outings since last fall, Fairchild is bringing it back again.
