The Wilmington Flower Market was blooming with excitement on a sunny and breezy afternoon May 10 – the last day of the three-day event – at Rockford Park.
The annual event brings out the best and brightest of Delaware’s flower growers to sell their craft for a good cause. It’s been going for over a century, and it is showing no sign of slowing down. The market is a volunteer fundraising organization that helps organizations that work with children. Its website says the event has raised more than $6 million for children around Delaware.
Admission to the event is free, unless you pay for parking or plan on going on any of the rides, which many did. The event closes at 7 p.m. May 10.
Besides the massive amount of plants for sale, there are seemingly endless tents of craft vendors selling all kinds of merchandise and trinkets. Food trucks and trailers join a beer garden, which has a great view of the outdoor stage, which featured live music and family-friendly entertainment throughout the event.
The money made from the festival goes to nonprofits all over Delaware. Casey Davis of Wilmington was volunteering doing plant sales to help out with FAME, a beneficiary of the market and organization that advocates for increased engagement with science, technology, engineering and mathematics education.
Rebecca Stansell was volunteering to support the Delaware Museum of Nature and Science. John Grieshaber was there to help out for A Better Chance for Our Children, which helps foster children find families.
“It’s a fantastic event for Delaware,” Stansell said.
Janice Vansant has been volunteering in some capacity at the event since 1990. She has risen the ranks to being the co-chair of the event, she said. The biggest challenge she said is fair pricing every year between the thousands of customers and growers. But, she comes back every year to help out either as a co-chair or as a regular volunteer for the love of the kids.
“I started saying, ‘One shift, and then I’m like, I’ll come back tomorrow, come back the next day, and my husband’s playing off on Saturday, so I’ll be here all day Saturday,’ and it just got into my blood,” she said. “It’s something near and dear to my heart, and that’s why I continue to do it. I give it 110%.”
Shane Brennan covers Wilmington and other Delaware issues. Reach out with ideas, tips or feedback at slbrennan@delawareonline.com.
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Wilmington Flower Market scores good weather and crowds