GLOUCESTER, Va. — Tuesday morning, Gloucester announced it would be holding an in-person, if modified, Daffodil Festival on March 27 and 28.
A release from the Department of Community Engagement and Public Information said the 2021 event would be called "A Little Gem of a Festival."
The biggest difference: guests will have to register to attend, so the county can keep the number of guests at the festival at any one time to a manageable number. You can register here, and attendance is free.
For every two-hour window, the festival can permit 190 guests.
Since COVID-19 is still spreading in the community, there won't be any live entertainment or food and drink vendors this year.
The festival will have 40 art and craft tents, the county said. These will be spread out in Court Circle, Carriage Court and behind the Gloucester Museum of History.
There will be a mini parade, and the festival will have two "best dressed" competitions - one for the dog best dressed in daffodil attire, and one for the "Craziest Daffodil Hat."
The dog contest will be on March 27, and the hat contest will be on March 28 - but in both instances, a winner will be chosen for each 2-hour visiting period.
The annual daffodil show will be held virtually. The public will not be permitted to go into the contest area, after flowers have been dropped off.
Katey Legg, the director for parks, recreation and tourism in Gloucester, said her team was excited to be offering some festivities in-person in 2021.
“We know people are anxious to return to as much normality as possible, and we hope this event, even though it is a bit modified, will help our community achieve that," Legg wrote. "Not to mention we are as excited as anyone to see our residents out enjoying the hallmark event of Gloucester.”
