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Spring is creeping into the Natural State, and along with the season come thousands of blooms across Arkansas. There are multiple annual festivals that celebrate the flowers and new season, though some are canceled this year due to the pandemic.
Happening
Wye Mountain Daffodil Festival
A tradition for many Arkansans, the Wye Mountain Daffodil Festival is planned for March 6-14 at 22300 Arkansas 113, Bigelow.
The event, put on by Wye Mountain United Methodist Church, is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily and will offer flower picking and a limited number of vendors. No live music will be featured this year.
Parking and admission are free. Check the church’s Facebook page for more details.
Garvan Woodland Gardens Daffodil Days & Tulip Extravaganza
To mark the transition to spring, thousands of blooms are on display at Garvan Woodland Gardens, 550 Arkridge Road, Hot Springs.
The celebration runs through mid-April but organizers recommend checking the garden’s Facebook page for information on when peak blooms are expected.
Admission is free for members and children up to age three. Tickets for children 4-12 are $5 and adult tickets are $15.
Moss Mountain Farm tours
Arkansas’ garden and lifestyle expert, P. Allen Smith, invites visitors to tour his home and gardens at Moss Mountain Farm in the spring, when thousands of daffodils on the grounds bloom.
There are multiple dates to register for a tour and lunch at the farm, 23700 Ross Hollow Road, Roland, from now until June. The experience costs $96.75, and tours can be booked online or by phone at 501-376-1894, extension 15.
Canceled
Camden Daffodil Festival
This annual event typically has vendors, history tours, an art show and more — not to mention fields of daffodils.
Due to the pandemic, though, the event is canceled in 2021 and set to return in 2022.
Jonquil Festival at Historic Washington State Park
This festival is usually in March and offers historic tours, musicians and vendors to visitors as they admire thousands of Jonquil blooms. The festival has been canceled for 2021, as it was in 2020, due to the pandemic.
However, the park is still open to visitors who wish to admire the flowers and the historic buildings. Walking the grounds is free.