ELORA – Heading into its second blooming season, the Fieldstone Barn is once again running the Sunflowers of Elora Festival, starting Aug. 6.
It’s “a selfie-lover’s paradise,” states an Aug. 4 press release.
The Fieldstone Barn, located at 7450 Middlebrook Road, is open all week, allowing visitors to tour the property, take photos in the sunflower fields and explore four corn mazes.
Private bookings, allowing for small groups to explore the amenities run from 10am to 8pm, Monday to Thursday.
Typically these photo-ops are by appointment only, but the Sunflowers of Elora Festival is a weekend opportunity for anyone to visit, take pictures, and explore the fields appointment-free.
While the usual Monday through Thursday appointment dates still stand, weekends will also include food vendors and animals, including miniature donkeys and alpacas, to complement the picturesque fields.
This 1930s orange velvet couch makes for a great photo location, Fieldstone Barn officials say. Submitted photo
Opening weekend will feature a miniature donkey, a Polar Tropical Fruit food truck on Saturday, and an artisan market to kick off the festival.
In addition to the fields of sunflowers, there are “several photo-op stations in natural settings around the farm,” officials say, including a two-metre tall “Love” sign, a giant swing, a 1930s orange velvet couch, a vintage blue velvet couch, a “This is Us” sign, large picture frame, an old Farmall red tractor and two vintage kids’ wagons.”
The festival runs Friday to Sunday, from 10am to 6pm. Admission fees are $5 for kids and $10 for adults for sunflowers and $5 per person for the corn maze.
The festival will run every weekend through August rain or shine, and will continue for the duration of the blooming season, anticipated to be mid-September.
Farm co-owner Melinda Croft explained that after Labour Day weekend the festival will only be operating Saturdays and Sundays instead of the full three days.
She added updates will be posted on “thefieldstonebarn” pages on Facebook and Instagram.
This large sign os one of several “photo-op stations” on the property, officials say. Submitted photo
Melinda and Tim Croft bought the Fieldstone Barn property when it was a non-operational farm.
“We didn’t come from a farming background,” said Melinda, noting they were both looking for a change from their established office careers.
While this is the festival’s second year, Sunflowers of Elora 2020 had very little activities, and almost no advertising.
“We kept it low-key,” said Croft, adding attendance numbers had to be kept low to comply with COVID-19 regulations.
Croft emphasized what makes Fieldstone Barn’s sunflower fields unique is over two dozen varieties of sunflowers.
“That’s the thing that so many people are shocked to see,” said Croft.
She encourages those interested to give the festival a try, noting, “It makes for a happy day. Everyone loves sunflowers.”
For more information visit https://thefieldstonebarn.com.
