Traveling With Lola

On the last day of the Wye Mountain Daffodil Festival, I found myself standing in an expansive field of these yellow flowers, shivering in the cold. I was almost regretting my pale violet dress, an intentional outfit choice, challenged by the overcast sky, 50 degree weather, and whipping wind. Despite these factors, the field was undeniably gorgeous, even without the sunshine illuminating the yellow bulbs, and the payoff was worth it: The Wye Mountain daffodil fields are more than just a photogenic backdrop for Instagram photos. The seven acres of flowers are an ideal spot for exploration, photography, family activities, and southern food. Here’s what to know about this unique festival and how to plan your 2024 trip. 

About the Festival 

2023 marked the 45th anniversary of the Wye Mountain Daffodil Festival, a celebration of Spring taking place at the Wye Mountain United Methodist Church in the tiny town of Bigelow, Arkansas, a 40 minute drive from downtown Little Rock. The festival includes free entry and parking to seven acres with 65 varieties of daffodils and jonquil flowers. 

Festival dates: Dates can vary but are dependent on when the flowers bloom, typically early to mid-March

Time: Fields are open from 9am to 5pm daily

Location: Wye Mountain United Methodist Church at 22300 AR-113, Bigelow, AR 72016

Length: The festival typically lasts two weeks in March, but can be extended due to weather

Activities: Food trucks and craft vendors are open on the festival weekends. During the week, the church serves eats from their concession stands.

Activities at Wye Mountain

This “festival” offers a variety of activities, food and craft vendors, and other family-oriented entertainment. 

Within the daffodil fields, signs indicated that flowers could be picked for $1 for a dozen. Be mindful of the signs indicating where the flowers can be picked, as only certain flowers are eligible for the taking. Also worth noting, we visited the fields on the last day of the festival and there were still pickable flowers, but much of the selection was picked over. The flowers can only be picked on the last two days of the festival, so I’d recommend attending the festival on the last Saturday if flower picking is your main objective.

The space outside of the field contains several craft vendors, food trucks, and plenty of picnic tables for lounging. There were several food trucks on standby offering southern-style eats. I saw BBQ, burgers, fish, funnel cakes, corn dogs, pork rinds and a variety of pies being served up across the food truck area.

Outside of the field there was a small barn housing several tables of crafts for sale. I also spotted a sign saying they do free book readings at the top of the hour, making this festival a hit for everyone’s interests. If you’re keen to bring your furry friend, pets are welcome in designated areas outside the field. The church does accept donations for this event.

Though this year’s festival has come to a close, the daffodil fields are still open to the public. For more information, you can check out the Wye Mountain Church Facebook page here.