WASHINGTON, Ark.-The wet winter appeared to have sent many of this year's jonquils into bloom at just about the right time for the 51st annual Jonquil Festival on Saturday.
Besides the flowers, cool-but-pleasant breezes along with some much-missed and much-needed late winter sunshine brought thousands of residents from throughout the Four States area to the Historic Washington State Park, 8 miles north of Hope, Ark.
On the event's second full day, visitors browsed and shopped through layers of vendors' huts as the weather stayed pleasant throughout the day.
Josh Williams, park curator, said both Friday and Saturday's patron turnout seemed to stream in at a comfortable and steady pace from within about a 125-mile radius.
With last year being the festival's 50th anniversary, the golden occasion brought in about 12,000 patrons over a three-day period-a record number for the event that started in 1969.
"This year, we are hoping to get at least about the same 8,000 to 10,000 visitors that we've usually averaged in recent years," he said. "We're also fortunate to be holding the festival at such a time when Texas kids are just finishing their spring breaks, while Arkansas and Oklahoma kids are just starting theirs spring breaks."
Williams added that the festival used to last a full week before being reduced to a weekend event by the 1980s.
As is often the case, visitors enjoyed eagerly exploring the assorted merchandise items put forth by the event's 130 food and craft vendors-with offerings ranging in everything from salsa, spices, jewelry, candles and pottery, to clothing, woodwork, soap and leather items.
Sisters Hannah Watson and Tessah Singleton said they have been attending the festival for years, but this was the first time that both decided to to be vendors. They were selling Citrus and Sage soap products.
"We both grew up watching our mom (Wendy Harris) make soap, so we have soap, candles and lotion for sale," Watson said.
As for those with more of a taste for carpentry, Jacob Knotts, of Genoa, Ark., said he's spent at least the last couple of years, breaking down wood pallets and re-using the wood to build useful items - like coffee tables and end tables.
"It's a good feeling to get a chance to take apart broken up pallets that people don't want anymore then turn them into something that people do want," Knotts said. "It's also a good hobby to have while I going to college."
Knotts is in his third year of college at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia.
Today is the festival's final day and people can still come to it from 9 a.m., to 4 p.m. Admission is free, parking is $5.