OCALA, FL (352today.com) – The Cannon Farms Sunflower Festival featured hayrides, flower picking, face painting and plenty more family fun. The festival took place on May 3 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at 11801 SW 180th Ave, Ocala. They offered a variety of activities for an entertaining and fun-filled day out. It was originally slated to be a two-day event on May 2-3, however, due to strong winds, it was pushed to a single-day event. Despite the change, crowds of guests joined in the fun, exploring the farm and taking part in activities.

Cannon Farms is a family-owned farm first established in 1909 that has been maintained by the family for five generations with the goal of maintaining the farm for future generations. At the entrance of the farm is a home-grown produce section acting as a farmers market where visitors are free to shop for fresh crops produced by the farm and other local sources for a variety of tastes. Some of the featured produce included apples, potatoes, onions, sweet potatoes and much more. Guests cold also purchase cold drinks and items such as eggs and other produce from coolers toward the back of the market.

A pile of sweet potatoes on a market stand with a shopper reaching for produce at an outdoor market.
There was a farmers’ market with fresh produce at the Cannon Farms Sunflower Festival on May 3.
Courtesy: Amber Battillo/352today

Some of the activities the festival featured included a children’s play area, hayrides, facepainting and a petting zoo. The children’s play area featured makeshift versions of popular games including bowling and ski ball. It also included playground equipment such as swings, slides, rock climbing walls and more along with two bounce houses and a bubble blowing station. Hayrides took guests on a tour of the farm, driving deep into flower fields. Annie Adams made a special appearance; painting faces and arms with detailed illustrations as well as shining glitter. While walking around the park, guests could pet a variety of animals from the parking lot of the farm up to the hayride station. Some of the animal’s guests could pet, feed or watch included goats, cows, a turkey and bulls.

Purple bowling ball mid-air heading toward white pins on a wooden outdoor lane, with grass and people in the background.
Colorful inflatable castle bounce house with tall yellow, red, blue, and green towers at a park, people standing nearby on a sunny day.
People ride on an open-sided wagon with a canopy, pulled by a green tractor through a sunflower field on a sunny day.
A goat looks through a metal fence on a farm.

Throughout the event, guests could also shop through vendors, listen to live music or stop for a bite to eat at one of the food trucks. Vendors sold a variety of handmade crafts including candy slime, bags, boxes, boxes, candles, collectible items, lanterns, quilts and much more from vendors such as Slime Scoops Candy Shop, A Little Bit Wonky, Good Vibration Creations and Nana’s Cottage Crafts. Food trucks offered delectable bites with hotdogs, sweet treats, sandwiches, pizza and pretzels.

Food truck serving hot dogs with a line of customers at an outdoor event; blue sky and flag/banner visible above the truck.
Candles and small items are scattered on a table with a flower-themed tablecloth at a market.
Smiling woman vendor stands beside a colorful outdoor craft stall with quilts, pillows, and fabric goods on display under a white canopy.
A smiling vendor in pink shirt stands behind a table with colorful slime candy jars at an outdoor fair stall.

The special feature of the event was flower picking and walking through the flower fields. Whether going for a relaxing and breathtaking stroll through rows of sunflowers among others or building a bouquet of a variety of flowers, guests could enjoy the sights. At the entrance, visitors who wanted to pick flowers were given a mason jar or cup with scissors or sheers to cut the stems of flowers, creating large and vibrant bouquets. A water station stood at the entrance so guests could fill their jars with water after building their selection. For those who love small creatures, guests could take a look at beautiful, buzzing bees and other small insects throughout the fields – a sign of a healthy, pesticide-free environment.

A family picks sunflowers in a field of sunflowers. In the background is a large-scale irrigation device and market.
Outdoor festival in a park with pink zinnias in the foreground and people visiting tents and banners in the background, sunny day.

This family-friendly and energetic festival provided an exciting day out for families and groups with their variety of activities. The farm is currently open to visitors for its Spring season from Wednesday-Sunday between 10 a.m.-4 p.m. with an expected change as crops develop. The produce market is welcome to visitors for shopping with a $5 admission for the fields past the market. To learn more about Cannon Farms, their available produce and upcoming events, visit their website here or call 352-484-7329.