Overview:
The Coronado Flower Show returns April 12-13 with a variety of family friendly events, learning workshops and city-wide competitions embracing their whimsical theme, “Cirque des Fleur.”
There’s something magical about seeing the tents go up. The floral artist’s twist of a stem, the flourish of the bloom, even the little kids as they create and showcase their bean plates – it’s often their first interaction and introduction to the floral arts.
“It’s all still there; It looks the same; it’s the same white tents that I grew up with and watched come up from the park,” said Coronado Floral Association president, Colby Erickson Freer.
Erickson Freer associates those details, specific to the Coronado Flower Show, with spring.
She grew up in Coronado seeing this event come to life each year.
And now, as someone raising her family in Coronado and working at the local Griffin Funding Agency, she’s part of the next generation growing the event and helping it bloom in this current season.
“I always tell people, I don’t have a green thumb in horticulture. I have like a black thumb in that,” Erickson Freer said chuckling. “But I have a green thumb in innovation, and that’s what’s the most important thing about keeping this … moving forward.”
Rooted in Coronado since 1922
The Coronado Flower Show has been rooted in the Crown City since 1922.
In its early years, the show was sustained solely by donations. Coronado schools loaned desks and typewriters; the Hotel del Coronado provided trellises and tables; and even the local Boy Scout troops camped in the park to provide security for the show and its visitors.
“It’s such a pillar of our community,” Erickson Freer said. “The roots of this flower show remain constant.”
The leaders tending to the event have changed over the years, but Erickson Freer said the mission and heart of the event hasn’t been lost.
“There were women who were leading the charge of this year over year and keeping this tradition alive, and they needed to sort of pass that off to another group, so a different generation of us came in and said, ‘Hey, we can’t let this event crumble,’” Erickson Freer said. “We’re bringing awareness to this horticulture and floral art, and that’s the importance of it — bringing in new generations to appreciate that side of it,” Erickson Freer said.
The Coronado Flower Show is produced by the Coronado Floral Association with support from the City of Coronado. It’s celebrating its 103rd year of gathering together some of the most elite green-thumb masters, floral novices and garden enthusiasts alike.
This event is the largest “tented” flower show in the West and one of Coronado’s longest-running traditions.
Pulling from the tent city
The theme this year is “Cirque des Fleurs.” It pulls inspiration from Coronado’s “tent city” history and the whimsical elements of a vintage Parisian circus.
The show will feature a variety of competitions for entrants, but this year there’s a theatrical twist. Each category draws inspiration from the theme — petite designs are known as “Fortunes & Spells,” floral designs are “Acrobats & Aerialists,” and picture boxes are “The House of Mysteries.”
And the most impressive magic of the show is the Home Front competition.
Home Front Judging will happen March 28-30 — that’s prior to the Flower Show. More than 150 judges will blanket the streets of Coronado judging homes, schools, churches, municipal buildings, parks and businesses.
The judges award individual blue, red or yellow ribbons based on set garden criteria. The judging committee also takes all the results and produces “Best in City” recognitions. That includes best in village, runner-ups, top ten home fronts, best in Cays, best earth friendly, as well as specific commercial recognition.
A self-guided walking tour
The winners of those categories are announced before the Flower Show, so that attendees can participate in the Best In Village Walking Tour.
Attendees can join a self-guided walking tour of Coronado’s stunning home fronts, featuring live music and a local artist live painting the Best In Village winner at that home. This year, the show is rolling out the Coronado Public Art App to help guide the public promenade.
Another new thing to keep an eye out for is a wellness yoga and sound bath in the morning on April 13.
“It’s just a special thing, a moment to take a deep breath and sort of enjoy the quietness before the flower show starts that day,” Erickson Freer said.
There’s a whole host of other events and even workshops attendees can check out. Master gardeners will be giving floral demonstrations. There’s a family friendly night with movies and a picnic. Kids can also create and bring their own floral art creations.
“I have a nine and an almost seven year old here, and they anticipate it,” Erickson Freer said. “They’ve been talking [and asking], ‘What are we going to do for Zoo’s Who?’”
“Zoo’s Who” is a creative activity where the kids make animal creations out of fruits and vegetables.
Local businesses are also going to represent at the event, and some are rolling out their own homages to the Flower Show.
The whole town really comes alive with this beautiful floral experience.
As in years past, the Coronado Brewing Company will have a specialty brew for adults to try in the Flower Show’s biergarten. There will also be a variety of food options from local spots like Clayton’s and Buona Forchetta.
There’s still a few weeks before the show opens. Until April, Erickson Freer said she’s enjoying seeing the community come together to get ready for this annual community gathering, and, more importantly, the competition.
“It’s funny, I see a lot of my friends or people in the community posting pictures of their carts full of flowers at Home Depot and such,” Erickson Freer said. “They’re getting ready for home front judging, and it’s amazing what people do, myself included, to get ready for this.”
Whether they win or not, there’s much more to the event than the competition.
“All your family and friends and your neighbors are out there cleaning up their yards, it’s just a spring cleaning – a spring fresh. The whole town really comes alive with this beautiful floral experience,” Erickson Freer said.
The Coronado Flower Show is happening April 12-13 at Spreckels Park. One-day tickets are $10. Free entry is provided for children under 12 and for Coronado Floral Association members. To learn more about the Coronado Flower Show or purchase tickets, visit https://www.coronadoflowershow.com/attend.
