Nature's Spirits

Nature’s Spirits - Flight of the Ancestors

September 15 - November 1

Inspired by rich cultural traditions—including ancient Mayan mythology, which reveres hummingbirds as sacred messengers carrying notes from ancestors and loved ones—this mini exhibit transforms the gardens with a Day of the Dead-inspired backdrop of bold colors, striking silhouettes and autumn blooms.

Throughout the Gardens, encounter colorful calaveras gigantes—large-scale decorative skulls surrounded by flowers, hummingbirds and other imagery celebrating life, remembrance and connection.

Featured works were created especially for the exhibit by students of Ventura College art instructor Cathy Barroca, including Elena Berdnikova, Bill Crew, Laura Cornish, Lauren Cabral, Robert Rush and Julianne Fishell. Additional artwork and installations were created with the help of Ventura Botanical Gardens volunteers and young artists from the IDEA Center on Ventura’s Westside, making the exhibit a colorful community collaboration.

Garden Admission: $15 (includes exhibit). Admission is free for VBG members and children 18 and under when accompanied by an adult.

Decorative skull and cactus sculptures for Day of the Dead celebration at Ventura Botanical Gardens.

Special Evening Out

Saturday, October 24 from 5-8pm

Experience the Gardens after dark for a special, family-friendly evening celebrating the mystical connection between nature and history. Coinciding with National Hispanic Heritage Month, this event draws inspiration from rich cultural traditions—including Mayan mythology, where hummingbirds are revered as sacred messengers carrying notes from ancestors and loved ones.

Against a vibrant, Day of the Dead-inspired backdrop of bold colors, striking silhouettes, and autumn blooms, guests can explore the moonlit grounds and connect with the season's magic.

Dress the theme and win prizes! Categories include Dia de Los Muertos and Botanical themes. Savor the evening as a fortune teller, tucked inside a giant, hummingbird-inspired nest, peeks into your future. Warm up with traditional Mexican hot chocolate and cookies. The hot chocolate features Abuelita, the historic recipe created in 1939 in Mexico City by Fábrica de Chocolates La Azteca, offering an authentic taste of heritage in every spiced cup.

Festivities include:

Costume Contest
Dress the theme and win prizes! Categories include Dia de los Muertos and Botanical theme

Mystic Fortune Telling
Sit with our resident seer in a hummingbird inspired nest for a peek into your future

Hot Chocolate & Cookies
We are proudly serving the historic recipe famously created in 1939 in Mexico City by Fábrica de Chocolates La Azteca—offering a true taste of heritage in every spiced, warming cup.