Date Night Picnic at the Barlow Nature Preserve

Date Night Picnic at the Barlow Nature Preserve offers something a little different for a Saturday night: a private table tucked among rows of summer flowers, a picnic basket for two, drinks and a pair of floral arrangements you’ll make together before taking them home.

Hosted by Echo Rock Flowers on Saturday, August 15, the 90-minute experience runs from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Westerly Land Trust’s Barlow Nature Preserve. Guests are welcomed into the flower field, a part of the working farm that’s normally off-limits to the public, and can choose a table among the flowers for the evening. (The Westerly Land Trust)

It’s called Date Night, but couples aren’t the only ones invited. Friends and families can book the experience as well, and groups reserving together can be seated at one large table.

Your Own Table in the Flower Field

The evening begins with a cold drink and a picnic basket already packed with snacks.

Each table is set with a pre-picked bucket of locally grown flowers, two vases and simple instructions for creating your own arrangements. From there, the evening is deliberately unhurried. Arrange the flowers, eat, have a drink and spend some time in the field as the light changes over the farm.

Each reservation includes two floral arrangements to take home. Couples or families can keep both or give one away, while friends can each leave with their own.

The event also offers something visitors ordinarily can’t do at Barlow. While the preserve’s trails are open to the public, the gated growing areas operated by Echo Rock Flowers aren’t. Ticketed events like Date Night provide direct access to the flower field itself.

What’s in the Picnic Basket?

Refreshments are prepared for two and packed into a picnic basket for your table. The basket itself stays at the farm, but everything inside is there to enjoy.

Selections can include a charcuterie box, fresh fruit and vegetables, croissants with whipped butter and a couple of sweet treats. Dietary allergies can be accommodated when they’re listed during checkout.

Each guest also receives one welcome drink. Adults 21 and older can choose from options including an IPA, light lager, rosé or white wine. Infused water and seltzers are available as nonalcoholic choices.

So, essentially, someone else handles the flowers, food, drinks and setting. You just have to show up.

About Echo Rock Flowers

Echo Rock Flowers isn’t a florist bringing buckets of flowers to the preserve for the night. This is where many of those flowers actually grow.

Owner Stephanie Bennett began growing specialty cut flowers for market in 2019. The operation started in the garden at Barlow Nature Preserve and expanded into the surrounding fields. Today, Echo Rock Flowers grows on about 1.3 acres of combined land, with most of its crops grown at Barlow through its relationship with the Westerly Land Trust.

The seasonal flower farm operates primarily from spring through fall, producing locally grown flowers for bouquet subscriptions, weddings, retail sales, workshops and special events.

Date Night turns that working landscape into the setting rather than simply using its flowers as decoration.

About Barlow Nature Preserve

The Barlow Nature Preserve is located at 449 Westerly Bradford Road in Westerly and combines conserved open space with active local agriculture.

Echo Rock Flowers is one of the farming operations based on the property, and visitors can normally walk a trail around the perimeter and see the flower fields from outside the growing areas.

For Date Night, those boundaries open.

Instead of seeing the flowers from the trail, guests spend the evening right among them.

A Few Things to Know Before You Go

This is still a working farm, so dress for the setting rather than the occasion.

The ground is uneven, which means high heels aren’t recommended. Guests are also encouraged to dress in layers as temperatures can change after sunset. Bug spray will be available if needed.

The August 15 event has a rain date of Sunday, August 16. If weather forces a change, registered guests will be contacted by text. Tickets are nonrefundable but may be transferred to someone else with advance notice.

Event Details

Date: Saturday, August 15, 2026

Time: 6:00–7:30 p.m.

Rain Date: Sunday, August 16, 2026

Location: Barlow Nature Preserve

Address: 449 Westerly Bradford Road, Westerly, RI 02891

Hosted By: Echo Rock Flowers

Ticketing: $175 is for 2 people and can be purchased by clicking on the Ticketing link at the bottom of the page.

Experience: Private picnic among the flower fields with drinks, refreshments and floral arranging.

Included: One drink per person, refreshments for two, two vases and locally grown flowers for two take-home arrangements.

Alcohol: Beer, rosé and white wine options are available for guests 21 and older.

Nonalcoholic Drinks: Infused water and seltzer.

Dietary Needs: Allergies can be accommodated when provided during checkout.

Groups: Friends and families are welcome. Groups booking together can be seated at one large table.

What to Wear: Comfortable shoes suitable for uneven farm ground. High heels aren’t recommended.

Registration: Advance registration is required through Echo Rock Flowers.

More Information

More information is available at the Event Website link below.

To purchase tickets, click the Event Ticketing link below.