Get ready to enjoy the spectacular 2024 Sunflower Trails at Maiden Castle Farm – and all the other Sunflower events being planned in and around Dorchester this summer.
All the fundraising events will be supporting Dorset County Hospital’s Emergency and Critical Care Appeal.
The sunflower seeds have been planted, now it’s time to watch them grow and look forward to experiencing the beautiful sunflower trails and displays. This year the sunflower trails will be complemented by a range of additional events and activities on the Maiden Farm site and around Dorchester town.
Dorchester Town Council’s Matilda Manley said,
“We’re running a number of special events to tie in with the sunflower theme – these include a Sunflower Summer Spectacle in Dorchester on Saturday 24 August with fun family activities for all ages.”
One major new feature around the sunflowers themselves will be an early evening run through the sunflower fields and around Maiden Castle, with a choice of 5km and 10km routes. Visitors will be able to stay to watch the runners as they complete their race.
Another exciting new event is a new Art competition. Four categories of painters will be encouraged to take part, from expert to under 16s, who will find a suitable location to set up their equipment then paint or draw their impressions of the sunflowers, to be later judged by a small panel.
Dorset County Hospital Arts in Hospital Manager, Suzy Rushbrook said,
“We’re really looking forward to this element of the sunflower summer – to bring together new and established local artists in a beautiful setting to create their own works of art. We hope to exhibit some of the winning paintings in the hospital’s new Emergency Department when it’s finished, so more people can enjoy them.”
Hazel Hoskin of Maiden Castle Farm said,
“We’ll have to wait and see what the weather brings before we can provide the exact dates the sunflower trails will open, but keep an eye on our website so that you can book your tickets early as soon as they go on sale. We’re keeping the price the same as last year, just £5 per person. We’ll also have activities for children to take part in as they explore the trails.”
Hazel added,
“We’ve also got an amazing raffle with prizes including a fantastic driftwood sculpture and driftwood art workshops, to create your own sculpture to take home. Plus Sundowner events in the evening – perfect for watching the sun set over the sunflowers – and a pilates evening!”
The Dorset County Hospital Charity team are working with Hazel, Matilda, and the wider team to make this the best sunflower spectacular so far!
Keep an eye out for further information here: www.maidencastlefarm.co.uk/sunflower-trail
For more information about the Emergency and Critical Care Appeal visit www.dchcharity.org.uk
