The inaugural Indiana Peony Festival will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 22 in the newly renovated Seminary Park in downtown Noblesville. The event is free and open to the public and will feature floral arranging, a ‘bouquet-off,’ peony growers, food trucks, potted plants, a downtown Noblesville scavenger hunt and more.
The festival is organized by Indiana Peony Festival Inc., Noblesville Main Street and the Noblesville Parks Department.
The mission of the festival is twofold: To celebrate the Indiana state flower and to raise money to build peony gardens throughout Noblesville and Hamilton County.
More than 30 vendors will participate in the festival, including Board and You Indy, Four Day Ray Brewing and Nicey Treat, as well as florists like Sweet Pea’s Flower Farm, Adriene’s Flowers and JP Parker Flowers. Attendees can buy peony plants or order peonies roots for the fall.
Local businesses will also participate with their own deals, events and special offerings. The list includes a tea party at Lil’ Bloomers Children’s Boutique, peony-inspired jewelry for sale at Smith’s on the Square and a “Peony Poses” yoga class with Shine Yoga. Linden Tree Gifts will give away floral-inspired candles with every purchase over $20, and Primeval Brewing will discount its beer for anyone who brings in a festival program. Karisma Boutique will offer peony keychains and Rosie’s Place will serve a drink called Rosie’s Twist 75 with gin, rose champagne and lemon along with peony cupcakes. A trolley will take attendees from the park to downtown Noblesville to shop and participate in the scavenger hunt.
The festival will also celebrate the importance of the peony in Indiana history. In 1957, the peony became the Indiana state flower in honor of Laurence D. Baker, a distinguished Indiana politician who operated four peony farms throughout the state, mostly to keep up with the demand for peonies each May.
Historically, the peony has been used for “Decoration Day,” to decorate the graves of loved ones on Memorial Day. Baker even sold peonies at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, and he presented a bouquet of peonies to Amelia Earhart. Today, his legacy lives on through his grandchildren, who are still in the flower business at Baker Flowers and Gifts in Kendallville, Ind. Ancestors of Laurence will be in attendance and he will be honored at the festival.
Find more information about the festival at indianapeonyfestival.com or get event updates on Facebook and Instagram.