Sunflower festival cancelled
Organizers say Mapleton event will return next year
MAPLETON – Visitors hoping to wander the vibrant blooms at the Mapleton Sunflower Festival will have to wait another year as organizers have announced the event will be taking a hiatus and returning in 2027.
The festival began during the COVID-19 pandemic, at a time when “people were craving connection and safe ways to gather,” said Leona Ottens, who owns and organizes the event with her partner Paul.
“We also did it because my husband Matt had been cancer free for five years, so we did it to kind of celebrate.”
She added, “And then the next year he actually passed away, and then we weren’t able to have a proper funeral, so we had [the festival] so that we could have a proper like visitation of sorts. And then we’ve just been keeping it going as a family tradition.”
The event has also raised money for equipment for Palmerston and District Hospital, collecting over $100,000 over six years.
“It’s nice when you can raise money for stuff that the local hospital needs because we want to keep the Palmerston hospital open,” said Ottens. “And so every little thing kind of helps.”
This year’s event will not be running as the space will be used to host a wedding instead.
Upon its return in 2027, the festival will again feature a morning run, where participants can choose between two, five and 10km distances, as well as live music, food and of course, plenty of sunflowers.
