The Gloucester Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department announced that there will be an in-person Gloucester Daffodil Festival this spring. This year’s event, called “A Little Gem of a Festival,” is scheduled for March 27 and 28 along Main Street in Gloucester. It is centered at 6504 Main St. and Carriage Court. It will be modified to help mitigate ongoing pandemic concerns.
Due to COVID-19 regulations, this year’s festival will be unable to host live entertainment, food vendors and amusement. However, it will feature 40 hand craft and art vendors located in three market areas. Vendors will be spaced out within the Court Circle, along Carriage Court and in the green space behind the Gloucester Museum of History.
Festival hours will be Saturday, March 27 from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 28 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Festival guests will be required to pre-register for their festival visit. A total of 190 guests will be permitted per two-hour festival visit. Registration is free and can be taken through the Eventbrite link on the festival’s website, www.daffodilfestivalva.org.
This year’s event will feature a “Little Gem” Daffodil Festival Mini Virtual Parade at 9 a.m. March 27, which will follow a similar format to the virtual Christmas and Holiday Parade that was organized by the Gloucester “Rec” Department in December. More information will be forthcoming in the next few weeks on how to enter your “shoebox” sixed float.
Other events that will be included in the “A Little Gem of a Festival” event will include:
- The annual scholarship award to be announced March 27.
- The Best Dressed Mutt Show March 27. Festival guests will be encouraged to dress their mutts in daffodil attire. One “Best Dressed Mutt” winner will be selected from the crowd every two-hour guest visit.
- A “Craziest Daffodil Hat Contest” March 28. Festival guests will be encouraged to create and wear their version of a “Craziest Daffodil Hat.” One winner will be selected from the crowd every two-hour guest visit.
“We are so excited to be able to bring the festival back to an in-person event this year,” said Katey Legg, Gloucester’s rec director. “We know people are anxious to return to as much normality as possible, and we hope this event, even though it is a bit modified, will help our community achieve that — not to mention we are as excited as anyone to see our residents out enjoying the hallmark event of Gloucester.”
The annual Daffodil Show, which accompanies the festival, will be offered in a virtual hybrid format this year. Exhibitors wishing to enter horticulture will be able to get an appointment to drop off their entries. Once the exhibit area is set, the display will be filmed and photographed. No public entry will be permitted at that time.
For information about this year’s event, check out daffodilfestivalva.org, visit Gloucester Daffodil Festival on Facebook or call 693-5730.
