Dix Park Sunflower Field is Back
Visiting the sunflowers at Dix Park this summer?
City of Raleigh offers some tips:
*** UPDATE *** We are hoping the sunflowers will be begin blooming in July. A couple weeks of extreme hot and dry conditions made for slow growth. We will keep the public updated on projected bloom time.
5 acres of sunflowers are planted and beginning to sprout at Dorothea Dix Park. Since this enchanting field of flowers debuted last summer, the Raleigh community and beyond have been anticipating the return of this special sight. As we wait for the blooms to appear, the City of Raleigh has some important information to share about visiting the Dix Park Sunflower Field. Knowing this information before you go will hopefully facilitate an exceptional experience for everyone.
Located off Hunt Drive, the sunflower field at Dix Park is located near the soccer fields and the historic cemetery. The sunflowers are expected to begin blooming early July. Once they are blooming, the public is invited to visit the sunflower field seven days-a-week from dawn until dusk. Weekday parking is available in the soccer field parking area off Hunt Drive. Visitors can follow signs in the park directing them to this lot. To be respectful of the Department of Health and Human Services employees who work on the Dix Park campus, park guests are asked to avoid all buildings and adjacent parking areas during business hours.
The sunflower field at Dix Park is a City of Raleigh inter-departmental project between Public Utilities, Office of Sustainability and Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources. After the bloom is over, Public Utilities harvests the sunflowers to process biodiesel for educational programs and demonstrations. The benefits of sunflowers are not only their ability to become biofuel, but also the flowers are excellent for pollinators. The sunflower field at Dix Park serves as a massive pollinator habitat for bees and other species – which should be starting to bloom as Raleigh celebrates National Pollinator Week June 17 - 23.
The Dix Park Sunflower Field is for everyone to enjoy and park guests can help ensure that the sunflowers remain beautiful for the whole community. While walking around the sunflower field, visitors are asked to stay on defined paths, keep children and pets from straying into the sunflowers, and to not pick the flowers. For the complete guide to visiting the Dix Park Sunflower Field including directions and parking follow the link below.
The community is invited to learn more about the sunflowers planted by the City while celebrating the summer season at our family-friendly festival, Destination SunFest on Saturday, July 13. This SUN-sational family-friendly festival will have a Ferris wheel, carousel, food + drinks, fun activities for kids and adults, live music...and a special fireworks display at the end of the night!
About Dorothea Dix Park
Dorothea Dix Park is the site of one of the most exciting new park projects in America. 308-acre site blends historic architecture and rich landscapes into a unique destination in the heart of Raleigh, North Carolina. The effort to create Dorothea Dix Park is a public-private partnership between the City of Raleigh and Dorothea Dix Park Conservancy. The City owns and operates Dorothea Dix Park. The Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that exists to support the City by serving as its philanthropic partner.