Biological Engineering
Meet other local people interested in Biological Engineering: share experiences, inspire and encourage each other! Join a Biological Engineering group.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Check out biological engineering events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.
Discover all the biological engineering events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.
Absolutely! Find biological engineering events near your location here. Connect with your local community and discover events within your area.
Biological Engineering Events Today
Join in-person Biological Engineering events happening right now
[ARNHEM] Bitcoin Pizza Day
(english/german below)
**Bitcoin Pizza Dag!**
Op 22 mei 2010 betaalde programmeur Laszlo Hanyecz 10.000 BTC voor twee pizza's — de eerste gedocumenteerde aankoop met bitcoin. Hij plaatste een bericht op een forum waarin hij BTC aanbood voor pizza; een andere gebruiker ging akkoord, bestelde de pizza's en leverde ze af. Die transactie werd later bekend als "Bitcoin Pizza Day".
Laszlo bewees dat Bitcoin als ruilmiddel gebruikt kan worden.
**Sluit je bij ons aan voor pizza-avond bij De Pizzabakkers! (vanaf 18:00)**
RSVP zo snel mogelijk; we moeten reserveren bij De Pizzabakkers en er is beperkte plek. Zorg dat je je geladen Lightning-wallet meeneemt!
***
**English: Bitcoin Pizza Day!**
On May 22, 2010, programmer Laszlo Hanyecz paid 10,000 BTC for two pizzas — the first documented purchase using bitcoin. He posted on a forum offering BTC for pizza; another user accepted, ordering pizzas and delivering them. That trade later became famous as "Bitcoin Pizza Day,"
Laszlo proved that Bitcoin can be used as a medium of exchange.
**Join us for pizza diner at De Pizzabakkers! (from 18:00)**
Please RSVP as quick as possible as we need to make a reservation at De Pizzabakkers and there is only limited space. Be sure to bring your loaded lighting wallet along with you!
***
**Deutsch: Bitcoin Pizza Tag!**
Am 22. Mai 2010 zahlte Programmierer Laszlo Hanyecz 10.000 BTC für zwei Pizzen — der erste dokumentierte Kauf mit Bitcoin. Er postete in einem Forum und bot BTC für Pizza an; ein anderer Nutzer akzeptierte, bestellte die Pizzen und lieferte sie aus. Dieser Tausch wurde später als "Bitcoin Pizza Day" bekannt.
Laszlo bewies, dass Bitcoin als Tauschmittel verwendet werden kann.
**Begleite uns zum Pizza-Abend bei De Pizzabakkers! (ab 18:00)**
Bitte antworte so schnell wie möglich; wir müssen bei De Pizzabakkers reservieren und es gibt nur begrenzten Platz. Nimm unbedingt deine geladene Lightning-Wallet mit!
Meetup: More-than-human Intelligences
[Get your tickets here!](https://ccu.stager.co/shop/default/events/111653443?utm_campaign=more-than-human-meetup&utm_source=meetup)
Creative Coding Utrecht invites you to an evening of presentations and discussion on artistic and research projects at the intersection of AI, bioacoustics, and symbiotic relations.
This meet-up explores more-than-human intelligences: how algorithms, birds, and other beings interact, communicate, and co-create. The event foregrounds the act of listening as a relational practice, one that spans species and technologies.
**Presentations:**
**BioacousticAI**
This project develops deep learning methods for wildlife sound monitoring, enabling more precise and scalable assessments of animal populations. By analysing acoustic data, BioacousticAI contributes to biodiversity research and conservation efforts, offering new ways to “hear” ecosystems and their inhabitants.
*Presented by Céline Angonin, a researcher and musician whose work bridges machine learning and bioacoustics, with a focus on the sonic dimensions of ecological systems.*
**Chorusing Symbionts**
An investigation into interspecies music, this project bridges humans, robots, and animals through ecoacoustics and embodied interaction. Inspired by AI and bioacoustic research, it proposes a form of “sensorial science-fiction,” where artificial creatures evolve in symbiotic relationship with their natural counterparts, blurring boundaries between organic and synthetic life.
*Presented by Matteo Holyoke Marangoni, an artist whose practice integrates music, visual art, robotics, and new technologies to create immersive, multisensory environments.*
**Vogelluisterstation**
A sensor station that records, analyses and visualises bird sounds, making them accessible to both citizen scientists and professionals. The project aims to democratise ecological data, offering insights into local bird activity while lowering technical barriers to engagement with non-human worlds.
*Presented by Niels Jansen, an artist, creative coder, and educator whose work explores digital improvisation in music, dance, and interactive installations.*
**Program:**
19:30 - doors open
20:00 - presentations
20:45 - break
21:00 - Q&A
21:30 - informal drinks
22:00 - end event
[Get your tickets here!](https://ccu.stager.co/shop/default/events/111653443?utm_campaign=more-than-human-meetup&utm_source=meetup)
Bike tour around Utrecht
We'll start into the weekend with some Sport and what is better than having a bike tour on Friday 22nd May? If you'd like to bike along, sign up here! We expect this to take about 4 to 5 hours.
On the route, we will see at least two beautiful castles, and we’ll have a pause in Breukelen where we will get a snack!
**This tour is for everyone. You don't have to prepare anything, it's enough to be at the bike rental at the time.**
The following information is for the curious: You can see the [tour](https://www.komoot.com/de-de/tour/2884792439?share_token=aCVbZHeYrkmmS52GP5uwrR7Q3EweCrOv65hA2MpYgtf4nSaL8V&ref=wtd) on the app [Komoot](https://www.komoot.com/). It's approx. 46km, **we may adapt it as a group on the day. As last year we’re very flexible and adaptive!**
The bike rental is payed by Stichting Rust Nederland. Many thanks to Erik Jonkers for the sponsoring and to Jana Dönszelman for helping with the meetup page and organization.
**Agenda**
1. We'll meet at the bike [rental place](https://willemstraatbike.nl/contact/) it is near to the conference venue. (5 Minutes by bike)
2. Everyone receives their bike.
3. We’ll go over “Hogeweidebrücke”
4. We’ll see Kasteel Nijenrode and get a snack at the marketplace of Breukelen
5. We’ll see Schloss Zuylen
6. We ride back to Utrecht and return the bikes!
Looking for more fun things to do during RustWeek? Take a look at our activities page: [https://2026.rustweek.org/events/social-activities/](https://2026.rustweek.org/events/social-activities/)
Walking Tour around Utrecht
Discover Utrecht on foot with our friendly tour guides! This tour will take place at 10:00 AM on Friday, the 22nd of May, and will take one and a half hours (until 11:30 AM).
There are 35 spots available. The tour is free of charge for RustWeek attendees.
The tour starts at Kinepolis (the conference venue).
Feel free to join our Discord at https://discord.gg/FSwaWZdk6k if you have questions!
Our Discord and the RustWeek website, https://2026.rustweek.org/events/social-activities/, offer more activities.
Maytime Drinks for Expats & Locals
**Please note: the new name of the bar is GOTO. On Google Maps it's still Bloemerbar.**
**Join us for Maytime Drinks for Expats & Locals!**
The days are getting longer, the weather is warming up, and it’s the perfect time to meet new people! ☀️ Join us for Maytime Drinks for Expats & Locals and enjoy a laid-back evening of great conversations, cultural exchange, and new friendships.
**What to expect**
* A lively and inclusive atmosphere to enjoy good company.
* Conversations with a diverse mix of locals and internationals.
* A laid-back evening of cultural exchange, friendships, and fun.
**Who should join**
* **Expats** looking to expand their social circle and make new friends.
* **Locals** eager to share their culture and connect with an international crowd.
* **Anyone** looking for a relaxed, social evening filled with great energy and good vibes.
Don't miss out - **RSVP now** and join us for an unforgettable evening!
Join the WhatsApp group: brand.page/expatslocalswhatsapp
Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/expats.locals
Become a Welcomer: https://www.expatslocals.com/become-a-welcomer
Speeddaten 30-45 jaar | Hoger opgeleiden in Utrecht
**Speeddaten Utrecht**
Al twaalf jaar organiseren we speeddates in Utrecht. Ontmoet je graag een groot aantal singles in korte tijd, dan is speeddaten iets voor jou!
Tijdens een speeddate heb je ongeveer 15-20 dates van 4 minuten. Wanneer de bel klinkt, schuift de helft van de singles door naar de volgende tafel.
Op je datekaart geef je aan met wie je verder in contact wilt komen.
**Locatie**
Het speeddaten vindt plaats bij [Anne&Max Domstraat](https://www.annemax.nl/vestigingen/utrechtdomstraat/), een sfeervol en ruim opgezet restaurant. We hebben een apart gedeelte van het restaurant gereserveerd, zodat je alle privacy hebt tijdens het daten.
**Matchmail!**
Binnen een dag na de speeddate ontvang je van ons een e-mail met de voornaam en het e-mailadres van de singles met wie je een match hebt.
Heb je bij alle deelnemers ‘nee’ ingevuld? Dan is je volgende speeddate [gratis](https://aboutlove.nl/geen-klik-volgende-speeddate-gratis/)!
**Kom je ook speeddaten bij About Love?**
Heb je zin in een avond vol ontmoetingen in Utrecht? Schrijf je dan nu in voor deze speeddate! Bij About Love ben je in goede handen; wij zijn een ervaren speeddate-organisatie met uitstekende [recensies](https://aboutlove.nl/is-speeddaten-leuk/) en bieden speeddates aan voor de laagste prijs.
Date je mee? >> [https://aboutlove.nl/event/details/speeddaten-utrecht-hogeropgeleid/](https://aboutlove.nl/event/details/speeddaten-utrecht-hogeropgeleid/)
Open meditatie avond bij Jewel Heart
*Since the guided meditations for this event are in Dutch, this description is too.*
Wil je je drukke week afsluiten en ontspannen aan het weekend beginnen? Dan ben je geheel vrijblijvend welkom bij de vrijdagavond meditatie van [Jewel Heart](https://www.jewelheart.nl/). Deze meditatieavond heeft een licht en open karakter.
De meditaties bestaan uit drie delen. We beginnen met het gewaarworden van je lichamelijke sensaties. In een korter deel twee doen we een loopmeditatie en in deel drie is er een eenvoudige, geleide visualisatie meditatie. Het geheel wordt afgesloten met een gesprek onder het genot van een kop thee, voor wie daar zin in heeft.
📍[Jewel Heart, Hatertseveldweg 284, Nijmegen](https://maps.app.goo.gl/D4FzqLbkaqs2JNDG8). Loop de oprit op en dan is de ingang aan je rechterzijde
🕒Zaal open vanaf 19.30 uur, meditatie van 20.00 tot 21.00
Je bent van harte welkom!
Aan deze activiteit kun je per keer meedoen. Er zijn geen verplichtingen. Op vrijwillige basis kun je op de avond zelf een donatie doen.
Kijk ook naar onze
-[Open activiteiten](https://www.jewelheart.nl/nl/open-activiteiten/)
-[Cursussen](https://www.jewelheart.nl/nl/cursussen-overzicht/)
Biological Engineering Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
❤️🥾 Walk & Picknick with Queer Refugees 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️
Come along, lovely queer hikers! 🌿✨
This time we’re serving an easy-going queer nature moment with a short loop through **Landgoed Heidestein** near Zeist. Think dreamy forest paths, shimmering fens, a peaceful forest pond, and heather fields - a lot of diversity for such a short walk :)
We’re teaming up with **Cocktail (COC’s group for LGBTQIA+ refugees & asylum seekers)** for this event, so besides soaking up nature, we’re creating space for connection, sharing stories, and learning from each other’s journeys and experiences. Expect a vibe that’s part hike, part picknick, part wholesome community exchange. 🌈
Bring your snacks and blankets, as we’ll pause along the way for a relaxed picnic moment together.
Because queer joy isn’t just about where we go, but who we walk with. 💖
**Practical info**
📏 **Distance:** 5 or 7 km (loop walk)
📍 **Start:** Bus stop Prinses Margrietlaan, Zeist (5km option) Driebergen-Zeist station (7km option)
🏁 **End:** Back at the starting point
🥾 **Level:** easy - chill pace
🤝 **Meeting point:** outside the train station **Driebergen-Zeist at 13:45** or bus stop **Prinses Margrietlaan (Zeist) at 14:20**
❗You’re welcome to join from another direction. If you come by car you can park at P+R Driebergen-Zeist.
Please note: we published this hike with Cocktail simultaneously, which is also why we lowered the participant number from Hiking Queer NL's side.
Pack your:
🍱 snacks
🚰 water
🧥 rain coat/umbrella
☀️ sun screen
🏳️🌈 anything else you might need
❌ If you signed up and cannot make it in the end, please cancel your RSVP attendance so we know how many people will show up and someone else can take your place instead.
💗 A voluntary donation helps us to keep the Meetup group up and running :) you can either pay via a Tikkie or in cash after we finish the hike.
*Hiking Queers Netherlands & Cocktail (COC)*
May Urban Herbology - Peak Spring Foraging in Amsterdam
Please RSVP on Meetup, but[ ](https://buytickets.at/urbanherbology/2051541)**[tickets must be purchased via this link.](https://buytickets.at/urbanherbology/2051541)**
**Discover Edible & Medicinal Plants in Amsterdam**
Have you ever wondered which wild plants around you are safe to eat, medicinal, or best left alone? Would you like to learn how to recognise nutritious, free plants growing right now — and how to use them confidently at home?
Join this gentle, informative foraging walk through Park Frankendael and discover how urban nature can support your health, diet, and connection to the land.
On this walk, you’ll learn how to:
* Recognise edible and medicinal plants growing locally this season
* Harvest wild plants safely, ethically, and sustainably
* Avoid common poisonous lookalikes
* Use wild plants for food, simple remedies, and everyday wellbeing
Along the way, you’ll enjoy a cup of freshly brewed herbal tea made from wild plants, and you’ll receive a handout to help you remember what you’ve learned and continue exploring on your own.
This walk is suitable for beginners to experienced, and the naturally curious — no prior knowledge needed.
***
**Practical Details**
Start & End Point: Bike racks near Huize Frankendael / Restaurant Merkelbach
Terrain & Pace: Easy, relaxed walking on natural paths (woodchip, soil, grass, woodland edges, water edges, and the foraging gardens)
Weather: The walk goes ahead in all weather except storms
What to Bring: A small paper or cotton bag if you’d like to gather a few herbs or seeds. It is peak foraging season at this time, so plenty to take home and cook.
Facilities: Public toilets available in the park
Language: The walk is in English (Dutch also spoken)
***
**Your Guide**
Your walk is led by Lynn Shore, a medical herbalist and [urban foraging educator](https://buytickets.at/urbanherbology/2051509) with over 15 years’ experience helping people rediscover the edible landscape around them. Lynn runs Amsterdam’s city foraging garden and works with community groups, environmental organisations, chefs, and eco-restaurants.
She combines practical plant knowledge with a public-health perspective on food, wellbeing, and urban nature. In 2025, she took part in the WildBiome project, living on wild local foods for a month to explore their effects on the body — insights that inform her teaching today.
Lynn is also the author of [The Green City Witch](http://www.greencitywitch.com).
***
Cancellation Policy
* Full refund for cancellations made at least 24 hours before the event
* Cancellations within 24 hours can be refunded only if your place is filled
Matcha Tasting & Mingle
Join us for a relaxed and friendly matcha tasting meetup. I’ll bring matcha for everyone to try, and you’re welcome to bring your own snacks and drinks, including alcohol if you like. This is a casual event for meeting new people, enjoying Japanese tea culture, and spending a cozy afternoon together. Beginners are very welcome. Free to join.
Utrecht Cafe Crawl #3: Vaartsche Rijn canal walk
Welcome to the third edition of the Cafe Crawl series! 🥐☕
This time we're heading just outside the city center to explore the cafes of the Vaartsche Rijn area and further down in the south of Utrecht.
We meet at Vaartsche Rijn station and from there we'll take a scenic walk along the canals and waterways of this quieter, lesser-known part of Utrecht, stopping at three carefully selected cafes along the way.
At each stop we'll sit down, enjoy something to eat or drink, and get to know the people around us. You'll be put in small groups that switch a few times, so by the end you'll have had genuine conversations with a good mix of people.
How it works: We walk, we discover, we eat something delicious, and we meet new people. The focus is on being in the moment, enjoying the city, and good company.
⚠️ If you're unsure whether you can make it, please free up your spot for someone else.
Japanese art_MAKI-E workshop in Utrecht
Maki-e is a traditional Japanese lacquer decoration technique. Techiniques are involved drawing pictures, patterns, and letters on the surface of lacquerware using lacquer, and then sprinkling and fixing metal powder, such as gold or silver, onto the surface.
In our workshop, you have the opportunity to create maki-e designs using traditional Japanese patterns (wagara) or your own original designs. Then your canvas can be a glass cup or a glass picture frame.
Join us for this unique Japanese art workshop in Utrecht.
* Place: CLAY TO PLATE
Biltstraat 55, 3572 AG, Utrecht
* Price: three options you can choose from
€56 pp(for a glass cup)
€60 pp (for a glass picture frame)
€76 pp (for a lacquerwares)
Limited seats available.
**Booking is essential for adequate preparations. If you've enrolled/registered on the Meetup app, we'll contact you through the app message. Kindly communicate with us accordingly, and refrain from showing up without prior contact. We appreciate your understanding**
Website:[https://japanworkshopnet.com/ ](https://japanworkshopnet.com/)
[MAKI-E workshop info](https://japanworkshopnet.com/maki-e-workshops/)
Email: info@japanworkshopnet.com
Mobile:0616059840
Biological Engineering Events Near You
Connect with your local Biological Engineering community
Prompting Is Not Magic: How to Give AI Better Context
Most people use AI like a search box: they type one sentence, hope for the best, and get frustrated when the answer is generic, wrong, or useless.
But getting better results from tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and other AI systems is not about memorizing magic prompts. It is about learning how to give the AI better context.
In this beginner-friendly session, we’ll break down how to make AI dramatically more useful by improving the way you communicate with it. You’ll learn how to give clearer instructions, provide examples, set constraints, ask for better output formats, and use follow-up questions to turn a mediocre answer into a genuinely useful one.
We’ll cover practical techniques you can use immediately for work, learning, writing, coding, planning, research, and everyday problem solving. We’ll also touch on why these same ideas show up in more advanced AI systems, including RAG, agents, evaluations, and AI workflows.
No technical background required. Bring your curiosity, your questions, and maybe one real task you wish AI was better at helping you with.
**What you’ll learn:**
* Why “better prompting” is really about better context
* How to structure requests so AI gives more useful answers
* How to use examples, constraints, and output formats
* How to iterate when the first answer is not good enough
* How these skills connect to more advanced AI workflows
This meetup is for anyone who wants to move beyond basic ChatGPT usage and start getting more practical value out of AI.
LOGISTICS AND PARKING:
The talk starts at 7:00 PM. The first half hour is reserved for everyone to get set up and mingle. Free pizza and drinks!
The cheapest parking option is to find street parking, which will only cost you a few bucks. Otherwise, park in the nearby veteran's museum lot for $8. It's highly recommended you avoid the nearby $15 garage parking.
Ensuring Software Quality in the world of AI Developers - Matt Eland
**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you.
The building address is 4450 Bridge Park
The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400
You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge.
**Abstract**
Like it or not, AI agents are now capable of turning a quickly written paragraph of requirements into a pull request that is ready to be integrated into real-world production applications and it's now our responsibility to make sure AI doesn't go rogue and take down prod - or corrupt our data by misunderstanding the requirements or our existing schemas. In this session we'll explore strategies to protect our codebases through unit and integration testing, documentation, and code review along with additional ways of providing context and guard rails to our AI agents as they carry out the work we've assigned them to do. By the time we're done, you'll have a firm grasp of the problem and understand some helpful options for protecting your codebase from vibe coding mishaps getting YOLOed into prod.
**YouTube Link**
TBD
Drunken Philosophy: What’s up with all the AI hate?
**Welcome to Drunken Philosophy** a casual, curious social discussion
**Optional topic for this meetup: What's up with all the AI hate?**
A recent survey found that 74% of Americans have a negative view of AI, and I want to know why. Come out and debate whether AI is good or bad.
My hot take: a labor-saving tool that could potentially help cure cancer gets called dangerous because it might raise unemployment or cause a speculative investment bubble, that tells you a lot more about capitalism and the economic system we live under than it does about the tool itself. As a computer programmer, I think AI is a wonderful tool that has increased my productivity by at least an order of magnitude. I'd go so far as to say Claude Code is the best tool I have ever used. Debate me and name a better one.
Is AI potentially dangerous? Yes, but so are a lot of tools. Chainsaws. Steam engines (early ones would occasionally explode and kill everyone in the room). Do you think cavemen sat around debating whether fire could be used as a weapon or for self-harm, and decided not to discover it?
I have two friends who hate AI for opposite reasons: one thinks it's a fad and not useful, and the other thinks it's going to take over everything and cause human extinction.
Come out tonight, have a friendly debate, and make some friends.
No lectures. Friendly crowd. Drop in for one drink and stay if it's fun.
WordPress Beyond SEO, Mastering Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) has been on the mind of many developers since most of the search engines implemented AIs.
The landscape of the internet is shifting beneath our feet. In 2026, users are increasingly bypassing traditional search results in favor of direct, conversational answers from platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity. If your WordPress site is optimized only for "blue links," you’re missing out on a massive wave of traffic. This meetup will dive into Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), the strategic evolution of SEO. We’ll discuss why visibility in AI-generated summaries is becoming the new "Page 1" and how the "organic click" is being replaced by "brand citations" within AI responses.
We can check on what solutions already exist, what can you do yourself by optimizing your Robot.txt. But, also does all this work worth it?
I hope to see everyone for the discussion on June 3rd!
P.S. We will not meet on May 6th. My friends having a wedding and i am surprisingly much more involved in it. But it gives us all more time to play with AEO!
Game Dev Meetup (@Improving In-Person)
PLEASE NOTE!!!
This event will be In-Person for our very 1st Improving collab! If you know the [Columbus Unity group](https://www.meetup.com/columbus-unity-user-group/) location, we'll be at the same place. This is our 1st event and are doing a soft launch with limited attendance. 1st come 1st serve. If you want to be there and we fill up, please email me at [info@thecogg.com](mailto:info@thecogg.com) and I'll be in touch.
All street parking is free on Sundays but you can also pay to park in any of the local garages. See image of [parking map here](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Mr9_LFIggbs-0_Zd3AJTGNqEhgMf2TzQ/view?usp=sharing).
\-\-\-
On the last Sunday of the month, we're having our usual end-of-the-month social gathering with our GameDev Meetup meeting. There will be announcements and presentations followed by some social networking Let's continue the conversations with good vibes and friends.
All are welcomed from all ages and backgrounds to this public event. If we can, we'll be streaming or uploading the video later via our COGG YouTube channel here:
[https://www.youtube.com/@TheCOGG/streams](https://www.youtube.com/@TheCOGG/streams)
(Also please do subscribe if you have not done so!)
No game development experience required!
If you are interested in doing a 20 minute game development related presentation, please fill out our form online here:
[https://goo.gl/forms/lVdTJZiNJewlPJuj1](https://goo.gl/forms/lVdTJZiNJewlPJuj1)
Or e-mail us at info@thecogg.com
with the following:
Your Name, Company/Affiliation, Name of Your Game/Topic, Description, Tech Needs, and Your Contact.
Be sure to check out our Discord for real time news updates:
[https://discord.gg/NrBhuNQ](https://discord.gg/NrBhuNQ)
American Sign Language Beginners Meetup Group
We meet to learn and practice American Sign Language and to grow our familiarity with Deaf culture. Facilitated by hearing folks (with a connection to a professional interpreter) using Deaf-created content. People of all ASL skill levels are welcome! As we learn, we hope to connect more with the Deaf community in Central Ohio. Join us as you're able!
Come regularly or just once - whatever you're looking for! Each meetup will explore different topics related to ASL/Deaf culture, and will feature time to practice conversation with one another. Just bring yourself and a willingness to learn!
Free- Backyard Conservation Workshop - get $50 voucher for your yard! - Gahanna
Community Backyards Workshop
Join us at the Ohio Herb Center in Gahanna to learn about sustainable home gardening. We can make small changes in our yards to make a BIG impact for a better environment and healthier waterways while saving money. This workshop is presented by Friends of Alum Creek and hosted by Ohio Herb Center.
By attending, any participating community resident can receive a voucher for a rain barrel, compost bin, or native plants for attending. Vouchers are limited to one per household per year.
Registration in advance is encouraged but NOT required. Click here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/65f65aw
(Free Workshop Registration: Registration is free. Registering in advance provides your information to Franklin Soil and Water ahead of time, so when you come to the workshop, we will have your voucher ready for you when you arrive)
* Location: Ohio Herb Center, 110 Mill St, Gahanna, OH 43230
* Date and time: Sat, May 23, 2026 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
* Organizer: The Community Backyards Program, (614) 486-9613, communitybackyards@franklinswcd.org
**FAQs**
**Our Community Backyards workshops are FREE and a great way to participate in the rebate program. Our workshops are typically 1 to 1 and a half hours long and held in-person. Our workshops cover the same content as the online course, but they are more detailed and allow the chance to ask questions and have discussions with the presenters and other residents. We occassionally have "advanced topics" classes where you dive deeper into one topic of Community Backyards such as invasive vs. native plants or rain gardens.**
**Registration is encouraged but not required.** You can register in advance to receive your voucher at the workshop. If you don't register in advance, that's okay - you can still show up (unless otherwise noted - which is very rare) and sign up for a voucher at the class, and we will send you one via email or mail within a few business days after the workshop.
**"Do I have to be a resident of that community to attend that workshop?"** Nope! Our workshops are open to everyone (unless otherwise noted - which is extremely rare). You can attend a workshop that best suits your schedule even if it is in a different community than your own.
**"Why is registration closed?** Can I just show up?" Yes, you can show up without registering! We close registration typically 1-2 days before the workshop to give the vouchers and materials to the presenters. However, you are always welcome to just show up and fill out a short form to request a voucher at the workshop. If eligible, we will send one to you within 1-2 business days after the workshop.
**Voucher note**: Classes are free for everyone but vouchers are for residents of Franklin county or participating community (list here: https://www.communitybackyards.org/participate)
2026 Participating Vendors: City Folk's Farm Shop, Fisher's Gardens, Leaves for Wildlife, Scioto Gardens, Hoover Gardens & Gift Center, and the FSWCD/SWACO Compost Bin Sale.
*when redeeming your voucher at a vendor, Please bring a physical copy of your voucher to receive an immediate discount on your purchase.
Additionally, to keep up with number of vouchers that are given out, we have changed the expiration date on the vouchers to 30 days
![[ARNHEM] Bitcoin Pizza Day](https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/6/c/f/7/highres_533967895.webp?w=640)



















