A new photo op is coming! Planned to open August 22, the new Harrison Sunflower Festival continues the legacy of the Chilliwack Sunflower Festival. Founded and successfully run by the Onos Family for the last five years in Chilliwack, the festival is moving up the road to Agassiz, near Harrison Hot Springs.
The new Agassiz family farm boasts majestic Mount Cheam as a magnificent natural backdrop to acres of sunny flowers, plus other picturesque seasonal crops. The Harrison Sunflower Festival will run for approximately four weeks. Then, just in time for autumn celebrations, it will turn into a pumpkin patch, ripe for the Halloween picking.
Transplanting the Harrison Sunflower Festival represents a homecoming for founder Kate Onos-Gilbert and her family. The family pioneered agritourism in the Fraser Valley, shining light on the area’s integral role in BC agriculture. In 2006, they debuted Tulips of the Valley in Agassiz, the first flower festival of its kind in BC. After 10 highly successful years there, they shifted it to Chilliwack, where the Chilliwack Tulip Festival first bloomed in 2017 and the Chilliwack Sunflower Festival sprouted up in 2018. Countless BC families have created cherished memories at these annual outdoor celebrations.
“My family and I are thrilled to have acquired our own piece of land to host the new festivals and explore other agritourism opportunities, all while returning to our roots where the flower magic first bloomed,” says Onos-Gilbert. “We can’t wait to welcome flower enthusiasts to this stunning new location.”
Attendees of the Harrison Sunflower Festival can expect to photo-bomb their social-media feeds while exploring three kilometres of pathways through 20 acres of beautiful backdrops, including 45 varieties of sunflowers, other summer flowers, and a large field of barley. Other photo opportunities to capture include several swing sets, antique tractors and horse carts, vintage bicycles, a 1950’s convertible, a 1965 Airstream trailer, and raised platforms that make it easy to stage your own family or group portrait.
As well, a u-pick field with five varieties of sunflowers will be open, so guests can curate their own colourful bouquets to take home. The field-side Farm Store will also offer fresh-cut sunflowers, sunflower seeds, home grown bulbs (tulips and daffodils), souvenirs, ice cream, snacks, cold drinks and local garlic for sale. Throughout the Festival, a local food truck will be on site daily.
The Harrison Sunflower Festival, located at 5039 Lougheed Highway Agassiz, BC aims to open August 22, 2023, running about 4 weeks (the exact opening date is dependent on bloom stage, follow @harrisonsunflowerfest for updates)
Once the sunflowers have finished for the season, patrons can take in a savoury slice of farm life — the Harrison Pumpkin Festival tentatively opens September 29 bringing a new autumn attraction to the farm. More details to come as well, mark your calendars for spring 2024, as the Harrison Tulip Festival will take place on the same site!