by Stephanie Hobby

photos by Christine Claire Photography

Hopkins feels strongly that public outdoor events that bring people together are vital to the health and well-being of communities. “It reminded me of the quote where it’s better to light a match than curse the darkness,” she said. “I would love to see more outdoor community events, so I thought, why not be part of it? It’s so much fun. I’ve really loved hosting this and creating this beautiful environment for people to come out to; I know it’s small, but to see the impact it had really touched me, and it was so cool to see, and I’m so excited to get to host this again this year too,” Hopkins said.  

After the initial event ended last September, Hopkins started making plans for this year, thinking about what worked well and what she wanted to change and add. It quickly became a year-round occupation. She started working on shoveling compost and preparing the soil. She has been ordering supplies and making a game plan for the upcoming season. This year, participants can expect a full day of fun, between food trucks, lawn games, craft vendors, and music, as they explore the field of flowers. 

As a relatively new gardener, Hopkins says the learning curve has been a bit steep, but she’s getting the hang of it. “I don’t really garden, but I’ve really fallen in love with planting flowers the last few years. I have so much to learn and have made some really silly mistakes,” she laughed. “The community has been so sweet and has just kind of carried me along the way.” 

Her family has been a big help, too. Her four-year-old and seven-year-old love seeing their work come into bloom despite the occasional boredom when the space is just a dirt field. “It is so rewarding to teach them patience, which is huge because then they are so excited when these flowers actually start blooming, and they can share this excitement with me, so that’s really special,” Hopkins said. She is anxious to share her love of gardening with her next child, due a few weeks after this year’s event. 

If you have ever dreamed of having a gorgeous fall photo of your family in a field of golden sunflowers, now is your chance. Hopkins has made arrangements with a select group of local photographers to offer photo shoots amongst the sunflowers prior to the festival. If you are interested in lining up a sitting, the list of approved photographers is on her website, sunandcelosia.com, where you can contact them directly. 

The 2024 2nd Annual Sunflower Festival will be on Friday, September 13, from Noon-8pm and Saturday, September 14, from 7am-8pm at 1122 Shiloh Road. Savor a variety of delicious offerings from local food trucks while exploring the creations of talented local craft vendors, including hand-burned hats (artisan vendors will be available on Saturday only). On Saturday evening, kids can enjoy free balloons and face painting! Groove to live music by Jeff Troxel Trio on Friday evening, and Zechariah Peabody on Saturday evening while wandering through the blooms. A professional photographer will be onsite Saturday evening to capture special moments. Make sure to book your session in advance! https://www.sunandcelosia.com/photographers 

Tickets are $8 per person; children under 5 are free. Each ticket includes one sunflower to take home. Additional flowers are $2 each or $20 for a dozen and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, visit sunandcelosia.com. SLM  

Originally printed in the September 2024 issue of Simply Local Magazine

Check this article out in the digital issue of Simply Local here!

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