Agritourism in Full Bloom

Beaver Dam Farm Sunflower Festival— A Testament to the Viability of Agritourism

By Aila Boyd

Little did Candace Monaghan know when the idea of holding a small festival centered around the sunflower on her family’s more than a century old farm came to her in 2016 that she was planting the seed for what would become an enduring regional event.

The first year of the Beaver Dam Farm Sunflower Festival in Buchanan exceeded her expectations when 1,600 people showed up to the one-day event even though she was just hoping for 300 visitors. Now, the festival attracts 20,000 visitors annually from throughout the region to Buchanan.

After running the festival for five years, Monaghan decided to enter The Gauntlet, a regional business program and competition, to try to propel the business to the next level. She certainly accomplished her goal by winning it in 2021.

The exposure received from the win, she said, kept the momentum around the festival going. The billboard included in her award package specifically proved useful and helped open her eyes to the powerful impact advertising could have on the business.

Additionally, the cash she received was used to enhance the festival experience with an interactive app, www.bdfs.com, that visitors can use to identify insects that are on the sunflowers. The app also has a map and history of the farm.

Even though the festival has continued to grow in popularity in recent years, Monaghan isn’t content to rest on her laurels. “You’re never going to get to where it’s perfect, so we’re always going to work to improve things from the year before,” she said.

Despite going to the festival for the novelty of being on a farm, visitors