With Spring in full bloom and Summer on the way, Leesburg’s annual Flower and Garden Festival made a vibrant return for its 32nd anniversary on Apr. 23 and 24, boasting over 125 vendors for the green-thumbed public. 

The Flower and Garden Festival opened at 10 a.m. on Saturday and made its exit at 5 p.m. Sunday, giving its visitors plenty of time to pursue a wide selection of plants, trinkets, and food items. Vendors and customers alike swarmed to Downtown Leesburg to witness and enjoy the yearly celebration of spring.

“This is my first year at the festival, but I’ve been doing this since I was 12,” potter and vendor Ben May said. “It’s been great; it’s a wonderful area, and crowds are showing.”

The event had something for everyone, even those without an interest in leafy greens. More than half of the festival is made up of hardworking craftspeople selling their art, and live music plays from start to finish by various talented musicians.

“This was my first time, and I absolutely loved it,” attendee Marissa Ferry said on the festival’s Facebook page. “There were so many unique vendors, and Levi Stephens was so talented that I sat for at least an hour to listen.”

Visitors weren’t the only ones having fun at this celebration, however; the streets, in typical fashion, were lined with vendors, each ecstatic to be participating in the festivities. The festival gives many small businesses the opportunity to engage with the community and promote their works, all while enjoying the liveliness of the event.

“I’ve been painting for about 16 years,” an owner of Bill and Barb’s Crafts said. “We’ve only done this show for three years. The crowd is wonderful– people are just great.”

The atmosphere of Downtown Leesburg also lends itself to the fair, lined with trees and flowers on every corner and in every alleyway. Even during bustling celebrations such as the Flower and Gardening Festival, there are countless areas to cool off and enjoy the scenery.

“This is only my second year,” candle-maker and owner of Mam Jams, Tracy Foster, said. “We just heard such great things about it, like the quality of the craftspeople. It’s a beautiful town, and business has been going really well.”

If you didn’t get the chance to visit this time around, worry not: the festival will return next year for its 33rd anniversary, bringing with it the same spirited climate as well as new, hardworking vendors to showcase their talents. 

“Thank you to all the folks who work hard to put on the festival,” attendee Deborah West wrote on the festival’s Facebook page. “I thought the mix of vendors was wonderful. It was crowded, but everyone I talked to was happy to see the event be so successful.”