Gloucester Continues to Celebrate the Daffodil
History of the Daffodil in Gloucester County
In 1938 the Garden Club of Gloucester held the first annual Daffodil Show, sponsored by the American Daffodil Society. Growers competed for awards. The show continues to this day.
The same year, the first local daffodil tour was proposed by the Gloucester Rotary Club and the Gloucester-Mathews Gazette-Journal. The 1938 tour drew 3,000 participants from as far away as Detroit. In 1939 a festival was added with a queen and her court. Due to the war, in 1941 both events were suspended. 17 years later the Lions Club started a new daffodil event that ran until 1965.
The Spring Daffodil Festival was resumed in 1987 when a committee of volunteers worked with the Gloucester Department of Parks and Recreation. Since its reinstatement, the Festival has become Gloucester's signature hometown event, with a parade, pageant, arts and crafts show, historical display, tours of Brent and Becky's Bulbs, and entertainment.
Even though the cut flower industry is all but gone, the heritage and the beauty of the daffodils remains, celebrated each Spring with the flowers' blooming.
Erected by Gloucester
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Horticulture & Forestry • Notable Events • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1938.
Location. 37° 24.921′ N, 76° 31.75′ W. Marker is in Gloucester, Virginia, in Gloucester County. Marker is on Main Street (Business U.S. 17) just west of John Lemon Lane, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6529 Main St, Gloucester VA 23061, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Daffodils Arrived Here With the Colonists (here, next to this marker); The Daffodil Industry (here, next to this marker); A Sacred Place (a few steps from this marker); Werowocomoco (a few steps from this marker); The Birdsall Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Court House (within shouting distance of this marker); In Memoriam John Clayton (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named In Memoriam John Clayton (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gloucester.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 28, 2021. It was originally submitted on June 27, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 83 times since then and 18 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on June 27, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
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