Buchanan’s Beaver Dam Farm Sunflower Festival will return for its 11th year in September, offering visitors a chance to experience thousands of sunflowers, hayrides, photo opportunities, food and handmade crafts.
The festival, held at the family-owned farm in Botetourt County, features a field of about 700,000 sunflowers and more than 115 craft and food vendors. Organizers describe it as the largest sunflower festival and vendor fair on the East Coast.
Beaver Dam Farm has deep agricultural roots. Purchased in 1900, the property became a tomato cannery in 1916 and a dairy farm in 1927. Today, it remains a working beef cattle operation that also sells hay and straw.
The sunflower festival began with a simple idea.
“Back in 2015, we had an open field, and my father said out of the blue, ‘I’m going to plant sunflowers,’” said Candace Monaghan, the festival’s founder. “There was no other reason than he thought they were pretty.”
Photos courtesy of Beaver Dam Sunflowers
The following year, Monaghan opened the field to the public, expecting about 300 visitors. Instead, 1,600 people attended.
The festival has since grown to welcome more than 20,000 visitors annually. In 2023, the family also launched Gracely Hill, a wedding and event venue overlooking the farm.
An independent economic study estimated the festival and related businesses generated $1.4 million in local economic impact in 2023.
The 2026 festival will run Sept. 11-20.
The schedule includes a sunflower beer release at AFOG Brewery in Buchanan on Aug. 22 at 6 p.m., followed by the festival’s regular events in September.
The 2026 festival schedule is:
- Friday, Sept. 11: 4-7 p.m.
- Saturday, Sept. 12: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Sunday, Sept. 13: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Tuesday, Sept. 15: Preschooler Field Trip, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Tuesday, Sept. 15: Ticketed Dinner, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, Sept. 16: Senior Citizen Field Trip, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Wednesday, Sept. 16: Festival, 5-7:30 p.m.
- Thursday, Sept. 17: Special Abilities Field Trip, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Friday, Sept. 18: Ticketed Dinner, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
- Saturday, Sept. 19: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
- Sunday, Sept. 20: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
The Field of Heroes will be open whenever the festival is open.
Tickets and additional information are available at BeaverDamSunflowers.com.
~ Fincastle Herald staff report
