Throughout August and September – By appointment
Words fail to describe the mesmerising beauty of the wildflowers in their natural habitat. Witnessing this spectacle firsthand is a must.
The DWFS is set to host wildflower walks in August and September. These leisurely strolls are guided by a knowledgeable Darling local and offer a great opportunity to not only see unique and delicate wildflowers up close but also to learn some fun wildflower facts and the origin of local names like “Piet Snot, Bobbejaantjie and Moederkappies” Suitable for all ages. Easy, informative and family friendly.
Email: darlingwildflowers@gmail.com or mobile: +27 (0)68 151 5692
We are now accepting vendor applications for the 2024 Darling Wildflower Festival! This is your chance to showcase your unique products and connect with thousands of visitors.
Event Dates: Friday 20 September – Sunday 22 September 2024
Location: Darling Sport Club, Jacaranda Street, Darling
Application Deadline: 31 August 2024
Spaces are limited, so don’t miss out! Apply now to secure your spot and make this year’s festival unforgettable.
Contact Hester at 082 396 2258 or oldbiker@axxess.co.za
Friday 20 – Sunday 22 September 2024 at the Darling Sport Club, Jacaranda Street, Darling
What to expect at the 2024 Darling Wildflower Festival
Landscaped wildflower exhibition and species table
Darling Wildflower Society guided wildflower walks
Spacious outdoor market place with a variety of delicious food, drink and local produce for sale
Tractor rides to view flowers
Vintage Cars and Tractors on display
Award winning wines and craft beers to taste
Music / Entertainment
Village Shuttle Bus
Access to seasonal wildflower reserves
Tickets
R80 Adults & children over 12y
R60 Pensioners
R60 Students
Children under 12 years are free
Ticket will be sold at the event. Online tickets can be purchased now at Quicket
For school and group bookings please complete and return the Group Booking From to the Darling Wildflower Society committee at darlingwildflowers@gmail.com
Online tickets for the 2023 Darling Wildflower Show are now available for purchase on Quicket!
Click on the image above to go to online ticket sales
Your ticket includes entry to the landscaped wildflower exhibition, the Darling Museum and access to the market place with a variety of food stalls, crafts and plants for sale.
We were determined to have a Wildflower show this year after two, Show free years due to the global pandemic. Planning for our Show starts early in the New Year. This time we were still subject to COVID 19 restrictions, so planning was problematic. We had no idea whether folk would be willing to venture out even if this were allowed. And if freedom of movement were restored in time for the Show, whether there would be limits on the numbers allowed to attend.
All this made Show time a very risky prospect for us. We are a small Society staffed entirely by unpaid volunteers. With extremely limited financial backing a high cost, low attendance Show would spell financial disaster for us. This time we knew we had to plan for a smaller scaleShow, and this meant a move to a lower cost, lower risk venue. Fortunately, the Darling Museum and Swartland Municipality stepped up and provided us with a venue that satisfied our basic needs.
Unfortunately, one of our major partners, responsible for entertainment and the market pulled out of this year’s Show at an extremely late stage which left us a little light in this area. We learned an important lesson here; that will never happen to us again.So, to those of you who were disappointed in our market area we apologise; we know we must and can do better next year.
Having said this, it is the wildflowers that are and always will be, the Stars of our Show. They are unequivocally our number one priority. And by showcasing our wildflowers at this event we raise funds for the conservation and education projects we run throughout the year. So, if it is markets that are your number one priority, we reluctantly recommend that you pass us up and carry on to the market that best satisfies your needs and desires!
Finally, it is Mother Nature and her seasons together with local weather conditions that determine the scale of the displays that we can build. Our flower picking teams can only pick the flowers that are in bloom two days prior to the Show. So put simply, availability drives the outcome and our flower pickers put in the same effort whether the flowers are prolific or sporadic.
So, big thank you from us for coming to support us this year. We are building back from COVID, and we aim to grow and improve the next Show using the experience we gained this year. And to anyone who was disappointed this time we are sorry. But thank you for coming anyway and thank you for your feedback; we will put it to good use!
Society and community members are invited to attend the Darling Wildflower Show Post Show meeting on 13 October 2022 at 6pm at the Darling Museum where we will discuss the highlights, negatives, lessons learned and suggestions of the 2023 Darling Wildflower Show on 15 to 17 September.
Less than a week to go! The oldest consecutive wildflower show in the Southern Hemisphere begun as wildflower arranging competition in 1917 and has over time evolved into a meticulously landscaped display and specimen table which allow visitors to see the beauty of the region up close. Each of the regions unique habitats namely strandveld, sandveld, renosterveld, granite outcrops and vleiland (season pans) is represented and specimens can be seen up close at a specimen table with labelled specimens.
Wildflower Exhibition 2018
This year the Darling Wildflower Show will take place from the 16 to 18 September 2022 at the Darling Museum. Tickets are R90 per person (12 years and up), children under 12 years are free and on Friday 16th pensioners pay R60 per person. Online tickets can be purchased from Quicket.
In addition to the landscaped display and specimen table visitors can purchase indigenous and water-wise plants at the Darling Wildflower Show market, explore the Darling Museum, visit the Darling Arts Exhibition at the Marmalade Cat. marvel at the orchids at the Annual Orchid Show at Duckitt Nursery and visit the Darling Brew market place. Not to mention the several wildflower reserves to be explored in and around Darling.
Oudepost at Duckitt Nursery
We look forward to welcoming you to Darling this weekend.
The Waylands wildflower reserve was started by Frederick Duckitt in the early 1900’s. Visitors have been allowed access to the reserve during flower season and are encouraged to enjoy the spectacular spring displays on the farm.
Carpets of Arum lilies, Blue Flax and Chinckerechee paint the landscape while small and delicate Froetangs, Dew flowers and Wine Cups can be seen up close while exploring on foot.
The wildflower reserve forms an integral part of Waylands farming activities, and is actively grazed by cattle and sheep from the time the seed has set in late November to the end of April before winter sets in. This allows the animals to actively spread the seed, in addition to occasional autumn burning of the veld every 15 years, is imperative in promoting the growth of the wild flowers.
Event setup and breakdown
Landscaping of wildflower exhibits
Wildflower picking on the Wednesday only – no experience needed
Event Dates: Friday 20 September – Sunday 22 September 2024
Application Deadline: 31 August 2024
