Chilliwack Sunflower Festival

The Chilliwack Sunflower Festival is a wonderful Fraser Valley event that’s put on by the same folks behind the Chilliwack Tulip Festival in the spring.

The 2021 festival opened on July 26th and ran until September 6th (i.e. until the Labour Day Weekend). Because of the colder than normal start to the growing season, the festival started later in 2022. The first day of the season was August 10th, 2022, and it ran until September 5th. Details about the festival’s season in 2023 are to be confirmed.

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The Chilliwack Sunflower Festival

The Chilliwack Sunflower Festival celebrates its fifth year of operations in 2023. The event in 2021 was the festival’s biggest edition yet with 40 or so varieties of sunflowers and over 50 different kinds of dahlias, plus a few other types of flowers as well.

In 2022 there were even more flowers to be seen with 50 varieties of sunflowers. There were also still dozens of kinds of dahlias, gladiolas, zinnias and cosmos. On top of the gardens there were non-flower displays as well including antique bikes, a horse carriage, windmill, 1950’s Morris car and more. Visitors could also play some family-friendly lawn games.

Where is the Festival?

The Chilliwack Sunflower Festival takes place in the fields of a farm just off the Trans-Canada Highway at 41310 Yale Road in Chilliwack, which is the same venue as the Chilliwack Tulip Festival about four months earlier.

Coming from the Vancouver direction along the #1 Highway, take Exit 109 and turn right onto Yale Road. At Royalwood Avenue you then turn right again (so pretty much right away).

Activity Signs at Sunflower Festival — Where things are at the Chilliwack Sunflower Festival

When is the Festival?

The festival typically runs from early August until mid-September. The 2021 edition was from July 26th until September 6th (which was Labour Day). In 2022 the first day of the season was Wednesday, August 10th. The festival continued until Monday, September 5th.

The Chilliwack Sunflower Festival is likely run from around the BC Day Long Weekend in August until the first weekend in September, 2023. Exact details, however, are to be confirmed and will depend on the state of this year’s growing season and summer weather.

Days and Times for the Event

In 2022 the festival was open daily from 10:00 am to 7:30 pm, with last tickets sold at 6:00 pm. Tickets are sold in timeslots so you must try and arrive around the time that’s listed on your ticket.

In past years there have sometimes been special Sunrise Openings for those who enjoy taking photographs in the morning light. Hopefully those specials return in 2023.

Chilliwack Sunflower and Windmill

Festival Admission

The cost of admission to the Chilliwack Sunflower Festival depends on your age, when you go and how you purchase your tickets. Adults cost more than youth and seniors, online tickets are less expensive than admission at the gate, and weekdays are cheaper than weekends.

(Note: Admission prices and other details were subject to change. Also, and very importantly, if you purchase your tickets a day or more in advance you saved 20%.)

Weekday Admission Rates

As you’ll see below, 2022 weekday rates (Monday to Friday) were less expensive than weekends.

Adults (ages 13 to 64): $15
Seniors (ages 65+): $10
Children (ages 3 to 12): $10
Infants (ages 0 to 2): free

Note: If you purchase your ticket online before 8:00 pm the day before you save 20% which makes it just $12 plus tax and fees for adults on weekdays!

Chilliwack Sunflowers

Weekend Admission Rates

A more popular time to visit, admission on weekends and holidays is more expensive.

Adults (ages 13 to 64): $20
Seniors (ages 65+): $15
Children (ages 3 to 12): $15
Infants (ages 0 to 2): free

Note: If you purchase your ticket online before 8:00 pm the day before you save 20% which makes it just $16 plus tax and fees for adults on weekends.

Specialty Admission Rates in Typical Years

In addition to the above regular weekend and weekday rates, in years when there isn’t a pandemic, the Chilliwack Sunflower Festival also offers the following specialty rates and deals:

Sunrise Opening

Sunrise openings in 2019 took place 30 minutes before sunrise on Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings. Tickets for this cost $25 online or $30 at the gate for adults, $10 online or $15 at the gate for youth, and $15 online or $20 at the gate for seniors.

(Note: Sunrise opening admission needed to be purchased by 10:00 pm the night before if buying online. Also, they were not available in 2020 or 2021.)

Full Season’s Pass

Season passes were available in 2021 with one price for all at $70. Season pass holders had unlimited entry at the festival.

Dahlia Fields at Chilliwack Sunflower Festival — Fields of Dahlias at the Sunflower Festival

What to Expect

At the Chilliwack Sunflower Festival you can expect to see fields upon fields of beautiful sunflowers. In 2022 there were three different display gardens with close to 20 acres of flowers.

In 2019 the festival began including new varieties of flowers like dahlias. They (and other non-sunflowers) remained a big part of the festival in 2022. Sunflowers, however, are still the most common type of flower!

At the venue there are typically a few acres of giant Mammoth sunflowers over three metres tall. Weather permitting, on sunny days you can see them all facing in one direction in the morning and then facing the other way in the afternoon.

The Chilliwack Sunflower Festival also features a special you-pick field where you can buy cut sunflowers as a souvenir (for about $2 per stem in 2021). There’s usually a food truck or two at the site as well.

At the festival there are also activities for children. There is usually a small play structure, real tractors to climb on and a lawn full of games (like bean bag tossing).

Tractor Display at Chilliwack Sunflower Festival — Family fun at the Chilliwack Sunflower Festival

Sunflower Festival Video

For a really good idea of what to expect at the festival, check out the following video. It shows what the fields of sunflowers look like in the summer. As you’ll see, there are millions of flowers, and most of them are huge!

In addition to all the fields of sunflowers, there are acres of other flowers too, and family-friendly games, neither of which appear in the video.

Shopping at the Festival

At the Chilliwack Sunflower Festival, in addition to all the flowers to admire, there are also usually things to buy. Below is a list of some of the products for purchase and their prices from 2021.

U-pick Field Flowers: $2 per stem
Store Cut Sunflowers: $2 per stem
Mixed Bouquets: prices as marked

The store also has home-grown tulip, daffodil and hyacinth bulbs for sale for fall planting. Also available are festival branded souvenirs, Chilliwack Corn, Fraser Valley Garlic, ice cream, Dutch Stroopwaffles, candy, and cold drinks.

Sunflower Festival Bicycle Photo Opportunities