So many people wanted to attend the fourth annual Lavender Festival on Saturday afternoon at Hope Hill Lavender Farm in Wayne Township, that free tickets were limited to 3,500 guests.
Tickets for the lavender festival were sold out by June 5, with about 9,000 people expressing interest in the event on the Facebook page for Hope Hill Lavender Farm.
Pam Marsh and her husband, David, drove 2 1/2 hours from Newark, Delaware, to attend the event for the first time.
“It was worth the trip,” Pam said.
She loves lavender so much that she named her cat after it. Saturday was her first time at the farm and in Schuylkill County.
The event included presentations on what is new at the farm, how to care for pollinators, bees and other topics. Lavender items such as a dried lavender bouquets, lotions, hair products and candles were sold. Nineteen vendors sold items such as pottery, jewelry, rugs and photo coasters. Food was also available for sale. People could walk in the lavender field and take pictures.
Joan Richards, 55, of Fleetwood, Berks County, can cross Hope Hill Lavender Farm off the list of places she wants to visit.
“I have a goal to visit every lavender farm” in the country, she said.
She loves lavender and was wearing purple sunglasses, a sweater, earrings and a necklace at the festival.
“I am a purple and lavender fanatic,” Richards said.
She waited about 25 minutes to park her car for the event but would have waited longer for the experience.
Karen Dilliplane, 56, of Pottstown, didn’t want to be anywhere else Saturday. She came to get a “taste of nature.” She did so by smelling the lavender and taking in the atmosphere.
“It’s so peaceful and relaxing,” she said.
She came with a friend, Donna Noecker, Oley, Berks County. Noecker said she wanted to visit a lavender farm and found Hope Hill on the internet.
Lisa Golle, 58, of Lewisberry, York County, also found the farm online.
“This is just so beautiful,” she said.
Robie Jeffries, 55, of Hershey, Dauphin County, attended to “get in touch with nature.”
Amid the purple-hued flowers, Jessica Simkulet, with the Penn State Schuylkill Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners, talked about landscaping for pollinators like bees.
“The pollinators are in trouble and need our help,” she said.
She said even the smallest changes can help. People can have a pollinator garden to help honeybees and butterflies. Planting a variety of native plants with different colors and shapes can help.
“Just think a little bit differently,” she said.
Troy and Wendy Jochems own Hope Hill farm, which is home to Christmas trees, horses and beehives as well as lavender.