Daffodils, in all shapes and sizes, are on display this weekend at the First Lutheran Church, 43 West Washington Street in Chambersburg. The Chambersburg Garden Club and Tuscarora Daffodil Group are hosting the 87th Flower Show on Saturday, April 22, 2 PM to 5 PM and Sunday, April 23, Noon to 4 PM. The show is free to the public and is the oldest continuously running show in the United States.
The 2023 show is called “In The Beginning” and each arrangement is inspired by the show’s name. The public gets to be part of the show, too. They select the People’s Choice.
The Chambersburg Garden Club and Tuscarora Daffodil Group are steeped in history—a history that preceded the founding of the American Daffodil Society (ADS) in 1954. According to the “First Fifty Years” by the American Daffodil Society, the Chambersburg Garden Club and Tuscarora Daffodil Group are collectively one of three groups that preceded the ADS and represents the first cooperative effort of a garden club and daffodil society.
The first recorded Chambersburg Daffodil Show was held in 1935, with 235 specimens exhibited by 31 members. Twenty-nine members exhibited in the arrangement classes. Over the years, many outside daffodil growers have been attracted to Chambersburg. Dr. William A. Bender was an honorary member of the Chambersburg Garden Club, and through his leadership, the Tuscarora Daffodil Group was organized, working with the garden club. Together each spring, the two groups produce an outstanding show, a premier example of a garden club and a daffodil society working together to stage a beautiful event for the exhibitors and the public.
Not only does the Franklin County PA area anchor the early history of honoring and sharing daffodils, but is home to the ADS Gold Medal Winner. At 2023 American Daffodil Convention in Atlanta, Robert Darling of Fayetteville PA, was awarded this year’s top award for his enjoyment of daffodils and his photographic art with daffodils as a subject. Darling’s work opened another gateway to daffodils and another way for people to enjoy them.
Join the Chambersburg Garden Club and Tuscarora Daffodil Group to experience creativity and beauty at the 87th Flower Show.