If, like most of us, you are chomping at the bit for a colorful spring, April delivers a lineup of events you won’t want to miss.
By Joe Bills
Apr 06 2016
Blooms at daybreak along Nantucket Harbor.
Photo Credit : Carl TremblayApril comes into bloom at these colorful events.
April is a month of transition in New England. A late winter threat often lingers, but spring always turns the tide in April, repainting our landscape in vibrant hues. If, like most of us, you are chomping at the bit for a colorful spring, April delivers a lineup of events you won’t want to miss. Flower Art Two of April’s most impressive color events happen during the final days of the month, but are definitely worth the wait. Starting with a sneak peek on Friday, April 29, and continuing throughout May 2, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston (mfa.org) will celebrate Art in Bloom. The highlights of the show, now in its 40th year, are the nearly 70 extraordinary arrangements by New England landscape and floral artists, each inspired by a work in the museum’s collection. Take a free, guided tour of the MFA’s treasures and learn from a full lineup of workshops, demonstrations, and lectures. Floral designer Hitomi Gilliam offers master classes on Saturday and Sunday. If you can’t make it to Boston, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford (thewadsworth.org) takes a page from the same book on April 29 with their popular fundraiser, Fine Art and Flowers, now in its 35th year. During the show, the galleries are transformed with floral arrangements and garden designs by local artists, inspired by works of art. Special events, tours, and a marketplace featuring handmade goods by local vendors make for a memorable day. April Flowers in Connecticut If outdoor color is more your speed, New Haven’s historic Wooster Square is the place to be on April 24, with 72 Yoshino Japanese cherry trees in full bloom for the 43rd annual Cherry Blossom Festival (historicwoostersquare.org). The festivities include an afternoon of musical performances, along with exhibits, demonstrations, kids’ games and activities, and plenty of good food. The following weekend, on April 30 and May 1, more than 600,000 daffodils will be blooming at Hubbard Park in Meriden, where the 38th annual Daffodil Festival (daffodilfest.com) ushers in spring with an exclamation point. The strolls through the park are the highlight, of course, but there’s a parade, fireworks, a craft fair, carnival rides, and food from local vendors to keep you entertained, too. April Flowers in Maine Spring arrives a bit later in Maine, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be waiting patiently. For three days, April 15-17, the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, will be transformed into a “Flower Carnival” (this year’s theme) for the annual BDN Garden Show (bdnmainegardenshow.com). Meet vendors and designers, get garden and flower tips, and bring home some color to jumpstart the season!Associate Editor Joe Bills is Yankee’s fact-checker, query reader and the writer of several recurring departments. When he is not at Yankee, he is the co-owner of Escape Hatch Books in Jaffrey, NH.
More by Joe Bills