COMMUNITY: Samantha Bey gives us the scoop on this year’s Flower Show Spring Fling

Spring Fling is Back in Bloom

The return of the sell-out soiree to celebrate a century of the Coronado Flower Show

Story and Photos by Samantha Bey

Trees and flowers all over town are bursting back to life with fresh blooms to the orchestra of chirping songbirds in the sunshine, and there is something about this spring that feels even more refreshing as we emerge from the fog of the pandemic. After a two-year hiatus (and three years later), the Coronado Flower Show is finally back to celebrate its centennial and kick off spring in all its floral glory. And its return means the celebrated Spring Fling party is back, too. It’s time to kick up those (bare) feet!

Each year, on the Saturday night of the flower show weekend, attendees of the Spring Fling get the chance to party under the stars — and on the grass — amid the iconic flower show tents. It’s a locally focused evening filled with fantastic food and drink, live music from a variety of local artists including vocalist and guitarist Tricia Lynn, violinist Jamie Shadowlight, The Mondaze, Robb Huff, Sue Shirey and more, and whimsical decor that makes guests forget they’re right in Spreckels Park. On April 23 this year, guests are invited to “peek through the looking glass” of a century of the Coronado Flower Show. "We are thrilled to offer the community the chance to celebrate this milestone for the Coronado Flower Show and to experience some magic in Spreckels Park at night,” said event co-chair and branch manager of Griffin Funding Home Loans, Colby Freer. “This year's Spring Fling will be filled with delicious food from Buona Forchetta, beer, bubbles and wine from High Tide Bottle Shop and Coronado Brewing Company, and specialty signature cocktails from the locally-owned distillery, Liberty Call Distilling Co. Our committee is hard at work designing eye-catching vignettes and surprises planned throughout the evening.” Proceeds

Samantha and Josh Bey pose in front of one of many whimsical vignettes at the 2019 Spring Fling. This year's event is themed, "Through the Looking Glass."

Partygoers in their best Woodstock attire at the 2019 Spring Fling.

At the 2019 Spring Fling, decorated tables filled the grass so guests could sit and enjoy yummy food and fun entertainment in the gazebo. The Spring Fling is a once-a-year chance to celebrate under the stars amid the Coronado Flower Show tent.

(L-R) Katie Iwashita, Molly McKay, Katie Herrick, Heather Patino, Samantha Bey and Lauren Holman don their best flower power attire at the 2019 Spring Fling.

from ticket sales for the event, which sells out annually, help support programs funded by the Coronado Floral Association (CFA).

In 2014, Spring Fling replaced the annual Flower Show gala that was only off ered to members of CFA. Now, the event, which always has a fun theme that captures the essence of that year’s fl ower show, instead gives the entire community an opportunity to celebrate. “Year over year the event grows and we love the opportunity to create a memorable and unique party to add to such a special weekend,” said Freer. “We are in this fun and exciting rejuvenation period,” said Sara Stillman, who is presidentelect of CFA for 2023 and co-chairing the event with Freer. “The Coronado Floral Association is the oldest institution in Coronado and the annual fl ower show is the largest and longestrunning tented fl ower show in the United States. With brief exceptions during WWII and now the pandemic, it’s been going strong for 100 years and we want to celebrate that, keep this going, and keep this town involved. You can love fl owers, but you can also just really love Spring and being part of the Coronado community. It’s a special, small-town tradition that you don’t just see in other places.”

For tickets and information visit coronadofl owershow.com.

• Samantha Bey is a freelance writer who lives in Coronado with her husband and four children.

Spring Fling event Co-Chairs, Sara Stillman (left) and Colby Freer hope to see you there this year!