Ready for a blooming good time?!
One of the most popular Lower Mainland’s summer events returns this week! Starting Wednesday, August 10th, the Chilliwack Sunflower Festival comes back for its fifth awe-inspiring year.
The first event of its kind in BC, the Chilliwack Sunflower Festival draws hundreds of thousands of attendees to the grounds at Royalwood Drive (also the site of the Chilliwack Tulip Festival), which are ablaze with 50 varieties of sunflowers, planted in three display gardens alongside more than 50 varieties of dahlias, eight varieties of gladiolas, and a large bed of zinnias and cosmos.
Visitors have access to roam more than three kilometres of pathways throughout the fields, which are planted in stages so that all of the flowers can be enjoyed throughout the season in various locations. While weather conditions determine when the greatest number of flowers are in bloom, between five and eight acres will be in full bloom at all times.
As in past years, the flowers themselves are complemented by a variety of onsite photo opportunities, including an operational windmill, three vintage bicycles, a 1950s Morris convertible, a horse carriage, seven swing sets, a three-wheeled Harley-Davidson motorcycle, and new this year — a 1965 Airstream trailer.
Additional attractions include lawn games; U-pick sunflowers; a field-side store offering fresh-cut and potted sunflowers, sunflower seeds, bulbs (tulips and daffodils), souvenirs, ice cream, snacks, cold drinks, fresh Chilliwack corn, and local garlic.
And if your appetite requires something more substantial grab a bit from one of the local food truck on site daily (two trucks on weekends) and enjoy it on a picnic table surrounded by the colourful blooms.
“I’m so thrilled that the Sunflower Festival is back for its fifth great year!” says Tulips of the Valley co-founder Kate Onos-Gilbert. “It’s fast become as much of a mid-summer tradition in the region as the Tulip Festival is in springtime. All of us at the festival are excited to welcome new and returning visitors to the fields this August. We’re anticipating that it’ll be the biggest and best yet.”
The 2022 Chilliwack Sunflower Festival takes place Wednesday, August 10, to Monday, September 5 (Labour Day) and is open daily from 10am — 6pm. Parking is free near the fields located at 41310 Royalwood Dr, just off Highway 1 (Exit 109).
Tickets are available online only, no walk-ups. For more details about the festival and to purchase tickets visit chilliwacksunflowerfest.com