Yes! Since our venue is outdoors and we do not have the capacity to house more than 40 guests inside the Frances Plecker Education Center, for groups larger than 40, we always recommend a good rain backup, due to unpredictable weather.

Recommended Back-up Locations

• JMU Festival Ballroom
• JMU Montpelier Room
• Hotel Madison 

All food and drink must go through JMU Special Events & Catering, NO outside vendors are permitted. 

Click here to Review our Facility Calendar

Yes!

No.  Only brown bag lunches are permitted, otherwise please use JMU Catering

Give us a call, typically this is not possible as we have a gift shop open, but in Winter months, it may be possible.

Parking in JMU Lot R5 is strongly encouraged. Click here for directions 

We have limited parking in two small, in-ground parking lots, one lot at the Frances Plecker Education Center, 780 University Blvd, and another close to our Pavilion.

Occasional Arboretum event parking on University Blvd. east side, above the Arboretum large lawn, is available when 'No Parking' signs replaced by 'EJC Arboretum Event Parking' signs

The Arboretum and all Arboretum parking lots close at dusk daily.

• With 10-day weather forecast and 10-day final guest count, final payment is due 7 calendar days before event. Discount(s) given at final payment
• Users are advised for best event planning practice for outdoor events to secure alternative, back-up, inclement-weather facility. The arboretum is not responsible for damage to personal property or event preparedness expenses or loss due to severe inclement weather.
• Reimbursement (less20% administrative cancellation fee for all cancellations) is payable with social security number of contract signer with cancellation notices.
• Cancellations are accepted at 48-hours from event date only for severe inclement weather per N.O.A.A. forecast, when percentage predicted is not in event’s favor 50% or greater, or with 90 days’ notice from event date for non-weather cancellations. Notice in person or by e-mail is accepted. Or if reserving party selects to cancel for 90 day cancellations only, by US Mail, notice is not accepted on postmark but is accepted on arboretum in-office receipt date stamp. NO US MAIL CANCELLATIONS for 48-hour extreme inclement weather cancellations. Only contract signer may cancel by email, phone or in person at 48 hours cancellation
• Non-reserved parking is allowed in designated spaces in north lot within grounds, south lot within grounds. Parking outside of designated area may result in citation. Availability varying depending on public visitor use and JMU classes in session or not in lot R-5 on University Blvd and Convo G lot on Driver Drive. Arboretum not responsible for JMU major events such as football games impact to parking availability. Contractee responsible to read parking policy on the Directions page found at the arboretum website. Users are responsible to check JMU website event calendar to monitor JMU events before signing contract and throughout planning period.
• Food and Beverage consumption policy on grounds, in buildings, within arboretum facilities, for individuals or groups:
• No personal home cooked, no pot-luck, or outside agency catering, no hot or cold carry-on dishes of any kind
• No walk-on canned, bottled, kegged, or otherwise contained alcohol or intoxicant may be carried onto premises
• JMU full-service bartending may be contracted through JMU Catering for reserved events
• Brown Bag lunches and beverages or snack-type, picnic carry-on foods and nonalcoholic drinks exclusively are permitted
• All food and beverage catering and bartending service is required to be provided by JMU Special Events Catering 540-568-6637
• Responsible Individual, and/or Group, either is or both together are, liable for any damage to Arboretum property
• Liability Release (found on website) is required for corporate and business events. Weddings are exempted from submitting Liability Release
• No physical alteration, amendment, or adjustment to property is allowed (I.e., no marking of trees, cutting botanicals, set-up of personal tents, no nailing/tacking signs,leaving tied ribbons on trees, etc. is allowed)
• No fires of any sort, including smoking, lit candles, fires within portable grills, no fires are allowed on premises and grounds whatsoever. Extinguished cigarette butts may not be discarded on wood chip trails, on the forest floor, in trash receptacles or on lawns or in beds anywhere within grounds: Extinguish cigarettes before leaving cars and use car ash trays
• Visitors must remain on wood-chip trail and, lawns. Traversing garden beds, forest floor, ponds and waterways, drain basins, is prohibited
• Grounds including parking lots remain open to the public during reserved event times with signage posted at event site advising public of private restricted site use
• Sporting activities such as football, soccer, Frisbee inevitably cause flower bed damage and are prohibited at the arboretum
• Users must leave no evidence of event decorations, debris and trash at use site, and use waste receptacles provided or bear a $25/hour trash pickup fee per staff per each hour needed if arboretum cleans
• Dogs may be at weddings and must be under control, kept on trails, out of gardens, forests floor and out of waterways, and all leavings must be removed by owner/handler.
• Users and guests must vacate premises and parking areas by dusk unless otherwise negotiated by contract for events