The 40th annual Meriden Daffodil Festival returns to Hubbard Park, the home of more than 600,000 daffodils, on April 28 and 29.
Attractions at the festival include about 100 arts and crafts vendors, a food tent, family-friendly carnival rides, about 90 musical performers on three stages, a parade and fireworks. Admission is free; carnival wristbands are $25 (rides are unlimited from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday).
Crafters work in a variety of media, including hand-knit items, jewelry, artisan foods and drinks, illustration, painting, home décor, woodworking, caricatures, comics, candles, wearable art, ceramics, glasswork and stonework.
Vendors in the “Meriden’s Silver Fork” food tent will sell all varieties of fair food, including Meriden’s famous steamed cheeseburgers, apple fritters, barbecue, Belgian waffles, fried dough, Philly steaks and more.
The parade is at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, presided over by grand marshals Fred and Janet Barillaro, former owners of Rose Flowers and Gifts. The parade’s Little Miss Daffodil and her honored escort will be named a few days before the festival. Fireworks close out Saturday’s festivities at 8:30 p.m.
Parking is off-site. Free shuttles run from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday throughout the festival from the Westfield Shopping Mall (parking on the second and third levels of the garage near Boscov’s and Sears; bus pickup on the first level), Platt High School, Lincoln Middle School, Meriden Enterprise Center, and HC Wilcox Technical High School. Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free. daffodilfest.com.
