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Kicking off the Magnolia Festival is the annual North End Council of Garden Clubs 60th annual Flower Show.

The show, themed Fashion in Bloom, is Thursday and Friday at the Gardendale Civic Center’s Exhibition Hall.

Members of five garden clubs that make up the North End council are working together to organize the show. The clubs are are Magnolia Garden Club of Warrior; Dixie Gardeners of Pinson; and Garden Dale, Blue Star and Twin Oaks, all of Gardendale.

“It’s a group effort,” said Wanda Dake, co-chairman of the show along with Judy Burton. “The people from all five clubs participate by helping decorate, set up and take down when the show is finished.”

There are several flower shows held across Alabama, and organizers believe the Gardendale event can compete at with the elite.

“We think we have one of the best in the state,” Dake said.

The design division is open to club members only and includes creative line, traditional line, table and petite design, among many others.

The general public is invited to submit samples in the horticulture division.

Horticulture samples can be submitted on AThursday, 7:30 to 10:30 a.m., at the civic center. There is no fee to submit samples. Winners receive ribbons.

“They might be surprised how their (plants) compare to blue-ribbon winners,” said Dake.

Judges for the show are nationally accredited and use guidelines for National Garden Clubs Inc.

“They’re very knowledgeable of the plants and what they’re supposed to look like, as well as the designs,” Dake said.

Club members will have flowers and plants for sale from their personal collections.

The show is the opening event to the Gardendale Magnolia Festival, to be held April 15, 5-9 p.m., at the Gardendale First Baptist Church south campus parking lot and April 16, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Gardendale Civic Center.

Admission to the flower show is free. It is open to the public Thursday, 2-7 p.m., and Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.