A Sunflower Festival in West Virginia
- Ingrid Lemme
- 16 hours ago
- 4 min read
Escape from Paradise with Ingrid Lemme-Chalut
A Sunflower Celebration in Alderson, West Virginia
Labor Day weekend in the mountains of West Virginia bloomed brighter than ever this year. From our summer home in The Resort at Glade Springs, it was about an hour’s ride to the little town of Alderson. From downtown, another ten minutes of winding road carried us up the mountain to West Virginia Sunflower Festival at Sunset Berry Farm. The road has little to no shoulder, but drivers were unfailingly polite, easing over to let others pass. Along the way, cows grazed lazily in the pastures, a peaceful prelude to the joy that awaited at the farm.
This wasn’t just any weekend—it was Labor Day, and the pride of the holiday was on full display. In downtown Alderson, American flags lined the bridge and waved outside storefronts, each one a reminder of heritage, hard work, and community.
Then, just a short drive up the mountain, the colors shifted from red, white, and blue to fields of golden yellow, where sunflowers stretched toward the sky. Together, town and farm painted a perfect picture of the day—patriotism rooted in tradition, and the simple joy of gathering among blooms.
The West Virginia Sunflower Festival welcomed us with sunshine, music, and late-summer cheer. Admission was ten dollars per adult, which included a bouquet of freshly cut flowers—your choice of golden sunflowers or rainbow-colored zinnias, gathered right from the fields. The atmosphere was alive with color and laughter, the kind of simple country happiness that stays with you.
The Spirit of Sunset Berry Farm
Like the Alderson Strawberry Festival in May, this Labor Day celebration is the vision of Jennifer Gilkerson, who with her husband Kent turned their farm into a place where community and beauty bloom side by side. Jennifer’s creativity has given Alderson more than events—she has given it identity and pride, drawing people from all over to experience a real West Virginia mountain town.
We’ve walked the Memorial Bridge in town during strawberry season, where the festival spills across both sides of the river in a burst of berries, crafts, and music. Then, up the mountain, the Gilkersons open their farm for more fun and flavor. Together, these festivals tie town and farm, tradition and celebration, into one seamless story.
Small-Town Roots
Alderson itself is as authentic as it gets. Once a Chesapeake & Ohio Railway stop, it still has its Amtrak station, connecting the town to the outside world.
The oldest store in use here has been family-run for five generations, a piece of history still alive and well. In this town, people wave as you pass, and life moves at a pace where stories are shared from porch to porch.
The Alderson Store greenbrierwv.com/places/aldersons-store
Scenes from West Virginia's Sumflower Festival
Everywhere we turned, the day offered something to smile about. Food and lemonade stands kept everyone refreshed, and I have to say—the festival boasted the fanciest outhouse ever, a small but memorable detail that made us laugh.
Children gathered in front of the stage for games, entertained by none other than an Elvis lookalike, who handed out prizes as he crooned and joked his way into their hearts.
The newly crowned Sunflower Queen, radiant in her yellow dress and sparkling crown, was one of the highlights of the day. She greeted visitors with grace and warmth, and by her side stood her handsome boyfriend, both smiling as brightly as the blooms around them. Their presence added a touch of small-town pageantry that fit perfectly with the spirit of the day.
Vendors displayed handmade treasures under white tents, while families lounged in Adirondack chairs, soaking up the sunshine and the music. Out in the fields, couples wandered through rows of blossoms, cutting flowers and filling baskets. A yellow bicycle nestled among the zinnias made for a charming photo spot, and beyond it all, the cows grazed in their pastures, unbothered by the festivities on the hill.
The only thing we regretted was having to miss the butterfly release, one of the festival’s signature moments. But the road was calling, and like the song says, it was time to head “country roads, take me home.”
Why It Matters
Festivals like this are more than photo ops or weekend diversions—they are the beating heart of rural communities. They keep traditions alive, support local families, and share with visitors the authenticity of rural West Virginia. Jennifer’s vision for Sunset Berry Farm has turned a family farm into a place of joy, where hard work and imagination grow right alongside sunflowers and strawberries.
A Labor Day to Remember
We drove back down the mountain with our arms full of blooms and our hearts warmed by the friendliness of Alderson. On this Labor Day, surrounded by laughter, fields of flowers, and the proud spirit of flags in town and sunflowers in the hills, we were reminded why we love this place so much.
It wasn’t just a festival—it was a celebration of community, tradition, and the beauty of small-town West Virginia. And as the sun dipped low over the hills, it felt like we had lived a perfect refrain of that old familiar song: “Almost heaven, West Virginia…” Town of Alderson, West Virginia in the Greenbrier Valley, WV
Ingrid Lemme-Chalut
Escape From Paradise — Travel Writer & Blogger | The Montauk Sun
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