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05/15/2026 - 10:00am to 05/25/2026 - 5:00pm
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Festivals

Stop and Smell the Rhododendrons

Each spring, one of Cape Cod's most breathtaking natural spectacles unfolds across the 100-acre grounds of Heritage Museums & Gardens in Sandwich, Massachusetts. Thousands of world-famous rhododendrons — in over 100 varieties — burst into bloom across the property, transforming the gardens into a sea of color that draws visitors from across New England and beyond.
The Rhododendron Festival celebrates the peak bloom period of Heritage's extraordinary collection, rooted in the legacy of Charles Owen Dexter — a businessman who began hybridizing rhododendrons on this very property in the 1920s and produced between 5,000 and 10,000 seedlings annually between 1921 and 1943. Today, Heritage maintains approximately 150 named rhododendron varieties from Dexter and his Dexter Estate Superintendent J.C. Cowles. It is one of the most significant rhododendron collections in the world.
The festival includes daily guided tours, hands-on discovery activities, and self-guided walking experiences — all free with museum admission. No advance registration is required for festival programming.

Rhododendron Festival

Self-Guided Walking Tour

Explore Heritage's rhododendron collection at your own pace, following a self-guided tour that tells the fascinating story of the history and future of rhododendrons at Heritage.

  • Dates: Friday, May 15 – Monday, May 25, 2026 (daily)
  • Time: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Cost: Free with museum admission or membership
  • Registration: Not required

30-Minute Rhododendron Guided Tour

Heritage guides lead a walking tour of the Dexter Display Garden, sharing the story of rhododendrons at Heritage and highlighting spectacular specimens throughout the collection. The Saturday, May 23 tour will be American Sign Language (ASL) interpreted.
  • Dates: Friday, May 15 – Monday, May 25, 2026 (daily)
  • Time: 11:00 – 11:30 AM
  • Meeting point: Dexter Display Garden
  • Cost: Free with museum admission or membership
  • Registration: Not required
  • Accessibility: ASL interpreted on Saturday, May 23

Rhododendrons on the Cape

Rhododendron Discovery Cart

Stop by the Discovery Cart to learn more about rhododendrons — including how to best care for these beautiful plants in your own home landscape. Staffed by horticulture experts throughout the festival.

  • Dates: Friday, May 15 – Monday, May 25, 2026 (daily)
  • Time: 11:30 AM – 3:00 PM
  • Cost: Free with museum admission or membership
  • Registration: Not required

Rhododendrons Cape Cod

Heritage Museums and Gardens - General Admission

All Rhododendron Festival programming is included free with standard museum admission. Tickets can be reserved in advance or purchased upon arrival. Heritage has free on-site parking.
  • Location: Heritage Museums & Gardens, 67 Grove Street, Sandwich, MA 02563
  • Phone: 508-888-3300
  • Email: info@heritagemuseums.org
  • Festival admission: Included with standard museum admission — no extra fee
  • Parking: Free on-site
  • Registration: Not required for festival activities
  • More info: heritagemuseumsandgardens.org/rhododendron-festival​

Rhododendrons are shrubs for all seasons — evergreen in winter, showy in spring, and deeply green through summer and fall. With over 900 species and 28,000 cultivars registered in the International Rhododendron Registry, they are among the most varied flowering shrubs in the world. At Heritage, the Dexter Rhododendron Garden stands as one of the most remarkable collections anywhere — a living legacy of Charles Dexter's decades of hybridizing work that began here in Sandwich more than a century ago.

The Rhododendron Festival is one of the most beautiful reasons to plan a Cape Cod spring getaway. Martha Murray Vacation Rentals offers a hand-picked collection of vacation homes across Dennis, Harwich, Yarmouth, and Brewster - all within easy reach of Sandwich and Heritage Museums & Gardens. Book direct for the best price guaranteed — no third-party fees. Spring weeks are flexible and go quickly, so browse our available rentals and reserve your dates early.

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