Fri March 14, 2025

By Jeff Smithpeters

57th Jonquil Festival underway at Historic Washington State  Park
Judging from the numbers of people at day one of the 2025 Jonquil Festival in Historic Washington State Park in the early afternoon, many chose to play a little Friday hooky from work to come hear music, see the pretty yellows and visit the vendors. This reporter sure did.

This, the 57th such festival, is taking place as the temperatures touch 80 and breezes rise high and fall often. As the Arkansas State Parks website said, you could indeed see “craftspeople, entertainers, and visitors.”  

The food trucks were out, the Rafter J Cowboy Church band was playing and wares as diverse as tie-dye shirts, artisan quilts, knives, and preserves, rugs, custom wall-décor, purses, pet clothes, cotton candy, bubble iced tea and hats were all on inviting display.  

Kids could bounce in a big castle or be buoyed up on a whirling swing or get their own plastic brontosauruses.  

The Williams Tavern was open and a horse-driven carriage made its way around the streets. 

Our photos provide a merely adequate sampler of what could be seen, experienced and bought from today and Saturday.  Make your way there while the sun is still up. The festival’s hours are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

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