Dahlia Festival Primed To Amaze

Mt. Hood Territory is home to the largest display of dahlias put on by one grower in the entire country.

You could say Swan Island Dahlias in Canby is kind of a big deal when it comes to their chosen flower. The grower has been in operation for more than 90 years, and in addition to putting on the massive Dahlia Festival, they ship cut flowers and tubers worldwide. They also create new varieties, going through the years-long process of planting new seedlings, nurturing them and then introducing five to 15 of those unique varieties to the public each year. People who attend the festival always get to see something new.

In addition to strolling through the many acres of countless varieties, guests can take in the more than 15,000 cut blooms and 400 arrangements on display, the largest exhibition from just one grower in the country. The festival runs August to September with classes, music, and local food carts, truly making the atmosphere as festive as it is beautiful.

The farm also expanded their gift shop a couple of years ago. It's filled with a wide array of merchandise from local vendors, they have everything from cute gifts for that hard-to-shop-for loved one in your life to various gardening products to help you grow whatever dahlias you buy from the farm. 

For the full schedule and line up, visit their event page. 

You could easily make a weekend of the visit, touring several other great farm attractions around town with the Canby Farm Loop. If you're a wine lover, Canby has some top-notch producers, including St. Josef's Winery and Whiskey Hill Winery. And of course no trip to Canby is complete without a ride on the historic Canby Ferry, one of the last ferries operating on the Willamette River. And treat yourself to some homemade and handcrafted sweets at Puddin' River Chocolates. 

In downtown Canby, kids will love Bricks and Minifigs, where they specialize in everything Lego, while grownups will want to visit Dahlia Home and Garden, which offers a curated selection of local goods and gifts. And everyone will love the Canby Book Nook. Did the dahlias inspire you to try capture their beauty on canvas? Then visit Art-O-Maddic where you'll find all the supplies, not to mention inspiration, you could ever hope to acquire. There are plenty of nearby lodging options to round out your flower frolicking getaway. 

When you do visit, be sure to take lots of photos and share them using our #mthoodterritory hashtag. We love it when our Instagram feed is filled with gorgeous flower photos.