The 24th Annual Midwest Herb and Garden Show is going on right now (February 10-12, 2012) at Times Square Mall in Mount Vernon, Illinois.

The event is sponsored by the Herbs for Health and Fun Club and the Mount Vernon Convention and Visitors Bureau. This year, the keynote speaker will be Deborah Lee, an herbal educator who will be featured in sessions on Friday and Saturday.

In addition to 50-plus vendors, the event will feature scheduled lessons and sessions from one on diabetic cooking to another on the benefits of hosting bats. Ms. Lee and Josh Greene, a student member of the Herb Club, will discuss how to create a certified herb garden.

Event hours are from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

(Photo of parsley by Zsuzsanna Kilian)