By Janay Boyd | Reporter
Yellow is the color of many summery things — daffodils, honeycombs, sunshine on a warm day and, of course, sunflowers!
Western Belle Farm will host its annual Sunflower Festival every Saturday and Sunday from May 10 to June 1. The event runs from 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. on weekends and from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. on Memorial Day.
Located in West, Western Belle Farm is an agritourism destination — a working farm that welcomes the public to learn about and experience agriculture firsthand. Originally from Maryland, owners Brandon and Taylor Huffman relocated to Texas in 2021. Just a year later, in May 2022, they launched their first event: the Sunflower Festival.
“Our festivals usually have a focus on a crop that we’re growing at our farm,” said owner of Western Belle Farm, Taylor Huffman. “So, our Sunflower Festival is, of course, fields of sunflowers and zinnias, and then we allow customers to pick their own flower arrangement and purchase it from the farm.”
With admission priced at $16, guests gain access to over 25 farm activities. These include barrel train rides, slides, a giant jumping pillow, a corn bin, mini zip lines and even an animal barn, according to Huffman. Alongside live music and interactive experiences, the farm also offers concessions made in-house.
“We try to hit every age range and provide excitement and entertainment for all ages,” Huffman said. “We do all of our concessions because we want good quality food at reasonable prices for our spring festival. We make our own strawberry donuts that are amazing, and then we also have real pureed strawberry slushies that are just real basic ingredients but really refreshing.”
Huffman said the farm has five acres of flower fields with cut walking trails and built-in photo opportunities. One section is a designated picking field where guests can create their own bouquets.
“I think my favorite part is the families that come year after year,” Huffman said. “I just enjoy seeing the memories that other families are making at our farm.”
Milwaukee junior Jamie Barrett visited the farm’s pumpkin patch last September and was pleasantly surprised by the variety of attractions.
“There were a bunch of games and activities. … They also had a petting zoo where I got to feed the cutest fluffy cows,” Barrett said. “I would recommend to anyone who is going through the area to check it out because it really offers a lot, not just for adults, but for kids and families as well.”
According to Huffman, the farm experience taps into something people long for: simple joy and meaningful connection.
“I think people just enjoy going back to the basic, simple things … and the real connections that you make with your family,” Huffman said. “The biggest thing we try to stand out by doing is creating the actual you-pick experience.”
Guests can save $2 per ticket during the presale, which runs from May 1 through May 9.
