ALDERSON, W.Va. – Sunset Berry Farm is unveiling two new festivals this year to compliment their fourth annual sunflower festival. Aug. 31 will play host to the inaugural Monroe County Peach Festival, according to co-owner, Jennifer Gilkerson.
“Our entire front yard will be full of vendors and we’ve got a large picnic shelter with picnic tables and we’ll have lots of food vendors by the picnic area. We do have some zinnia and sunflowers for folks to enjoy,” said Gilkerson.
Gilkerson says the farm will also have a fun zone with a variety of activities for kids. She adds there will also be a tasting event at the peach festival. On Sept. 7 the farm will host their first ever watermelon festival.
“That one is really catered to children and families with small children. We are going to have a watermelon eating contest. Then you can save your seeds and participate in a seed spitting contest and we’re going to have a frog hop contest,” said Gilkerson.
Gilkerson says they started the two new festivals as a way of continuing to connect with the community through agritourism.
“Agritourism is really beneficial in many ways. It’s a really great way to generate revenue and it’s also a great way to connect with your community and bring people to the farm and let them see what it’s all about up here at the farm,” said Gilkerson.
The farm’s sunflower festival will take place on Sept. 14. Gilkerson says tickets for all three events are available for sale online. You can purchase them by going to the farm’s website: https://sunsetberryfarmwv.com/
Gilkerson says tickets for the peach and watermelon festival are $5 in advance or $10 at the gate. Tickets for the sunflower festival are $10 in advance or $20 at the gate. All three festivals will run from 10 am to 5 pm.
Gilkerson says the farm has their own peach trees but she says they weren’t successful in growing any this year. She says the farm is thankful for Shanholtz Orchard located in Romney, West Virginia. She says they purchased the peaches for this year’s festival from that farm.
Sunset Berry Farm will also host the Alderson Halloween Festival on Oct. 26 with free trick or treating.
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