Lavender Festival - Amelia, VA
The Amelia Lavender Festival at Windsor Farms happens every June when the lavender is in bloom. It is a cute little agritourism event including lavender picking, vendors and live music. I had a very nice time and thought the lavender was beautiful!
Festival Features
There were several activities available at the Lavender Festival: Pick Your Own Lavender, Craft Vendors, Food Vendors, and Live Music.
Pick Your Own Lavender
The Pick Your Own Lavender section was the main draw of the event. There was a decent size field of lavender fully in bloom on the property. It smelled amazing and was beautiful. You went to the booth in front of the field to participate. It was $15 per bunch of lavender, which I thought was a little pricy but fair. There were bunches available for purchase if you didn’t want to cut them yourself. They gave you a basket, scissors, and a twist tie to indicate the size of a “bunch.” They also gave you instruction on the best place to cut the lavender.
Then you could venture out into the field and begin. One thing to note is there were bumble bees EVERYWHERE. So, if you are allergic to bees or have children this was not a good idea. However, I didn’t have any trouble with the bees and enjoyed the experience. It did take a lot longer than I expected to get enough for a whole bunch, but it was very relaxing. Moreover, it was very sunny and hot so it was important to have a hat and sunscreen. I did notice a lot of people just wanted pictures with the lavender and not to pick it. In that case they did not pay for picking and just briefly visited the field for photos. In the end I had a lovely large bundle of lavender to take home, so I thought it was worth it.
Craft Vendors
There were craft vendors available as well. There were about four rows of booths sporting local and handmade goods: honey, jams, woodworking, jewelry, pottery, clothing, and art. It was a smaller craft fair but a good variety of vendors.
Food Vendors
Beside the craft vendors there was a food vendor area. They had a selection of food trucks and stands: BBQ, Tacos, Ice cream, Lemonades, and Papa John’s Pizza. I opted for the most affordable option which was the Papa Johns Pizza stand. They offered $10 personal pan pizzas and $2 drinks. I appreciated that you could help yourself to dipping sauces and seasonings.
I noticed the BBQ truck seemed
to be the crowd favorite, so they had a sizeable line. There were only a couple
picnic tables available so most people stood and ate or took there food back to
there own folding chairs. It would have
been nice if there were more tables, but it was a nice little food area. Also, there were several drink vendors
available along the live music area selling cocktails, wine, and beer.
Live Music
The lavender festival also sported live music. There was a farmhouse in the center of the property and the front porch was used as a stage. Primarily bluegrass bands were playing. The large open yard in front of the house was available for seating. Also, hay bales were set up in front of the stage for seating but it was very sunny so many people opted to sit in the shade along the tree line. You could bring your own blankets and folding chairs to set up and enjoy. Additionally, there was a large tent set up to the side of the stage to provide a shady spot to sit but it was very full when I arrived at lunch time. I think you would need to arrive early to get a shady spot.
Who Goes Here?
A wide variety of people attended the lavender festival. There were a lot of older couples enjoying the live music. Many families also brought blankets to picnic. There were a lot of younger people that favored the vendors and taking photos in the lavender field.
Venue
Overall, I thought Windsor Farm was a very nice venue. The farm was very pretty, clean, and well maintained. They had it laid out in an organized way with activities, drinks, music, and food. Plenty of restrooms were available for guests. My only complaints were the lack of tables to eat at and the entrance fee. The entrance fee varied by day: $5 Friday, $15 Saturday, and $10 Sunday. You really didn’t get anything for the entrance itself, all the activities and food cost extra so I think an entrance fee $10 or less would have been more appropriate.
Location
Windsor Farm is located in Amelia, VA about an hour outside of Richmond, VA. It is a bit of a drive to get there and there is nothing else around, just farmland. The drive is quite scenic. They had plenty of parking available with parking staff and a hay ride to take you to the festival if you parked further away.
Summary
The Lavender Festival at Windsor Farm in Amelia, VA was a pleasant spring activity. Overall, I think it was a cute, well-organized event, but it was pricier than I expected. I think the best value would be to attend on Friday or Sunday when entrance was cheaper, bring chairs and stay a long time to get your money’s worth. Also, lavender picking was my favorite part of the festival. I recommend bringing hats, sunscreen, water, and chairs/ blankets!
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