Groton friends, July in Connecticut marks the annual “Sunflowers For Wishes” festival at Buttonwood Farm! This year’s festival takes place Saturday, July 22 – Sunday, July 30. My son and I visited the farm two years ago while my husband was deployed. It was such a fun outing and while we missed him, it was a great reminder that we have to keep exploring our duty stations when our sailors are gone.
Read on below for what you need to know:
Buttonwood Farm is located in the rural community of Griswold, about a 30 minute drive from Naval Submarine Base New London. Every year the family farm plants over 14 acres of sunflowers and harvest 300,000 blooms to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Connecticut, a non-profit dedicaed to granting wishes to children with critical illnesses.
Plan Your Visit:
When you visit, you can experience the sunflowers in two different ways:
The primary sunflower walking field is open for you to explore, wander and photograph. The pathways are stroller-friendly, however it is a working farm and is not always easy to maneuver. Be prepared for mud if the weather has been rainy. Service dogs and “well-behaved dogs that will not bother the farm animals” are allowed. There is no admission fee.
Across the street is a u-pick sunflower field, charging $3 per flower donation. The farm provides cutting shears. Sunflowers are available while supplies last!
If you can, I’d absolutely recommend you go on a weekday to avoid the crowds! We went on a weekday morning and practically had the fields to ourselves, making for great photos.
Before you head out don’t forget to stop by Buttonwood’s infamous ice cream counter! They offer over 50 flavors of their premium ice cream, made in small batches on their farm. Picnic tables are available to enjoy your frozen treats, and families are welcome to bring their own food and picnic. Port-a-johns are available for public use.
Sunflowers for Wishes hours are from 10am-8pm. Ice cream shop hours are 11am-9pm.
Over the past 14 seasons, the farm has donated over one million dollars to Make-A-Wish Foundation. To learn more, visit www.buttonwoodfarmicecream.com.