One of the signs of spring in the Coastal Virginia area is the annual Gloucester Daffodil Festival. Anouk loves daffodils (her birthday flowers) and begged to go, and so we made the hour and a half or so drive from Norfolk this past weekend. Worth it! Besides enough flowers to make a horticulturalist (or Anouk) happy, the daffodil festival features a parade, vendors, food, crafts, music, and enough more to keep a couple of kids occupied for four or five hours, give or take a minor meltdown or two.
All three of our kids loved the dog show (so many furry friends to pet!). They also enjoyed peeking into the Gloucester Court House and History Museum, and running around the grass outside. Anouk had a blast working with the Fairfield Foundation as they did archaeological work uncovering the site of a 19th century store. Gus was pretty happy with the giant bag of kettle corn we bought.



 It would have been nice if the kids area had featured more activities that didn't involve waiting in the longest-ever lines, but we are already looking forward to coming back for the Daffodil Festival next year and spending more time in Gloucester in general. It's one of the cutest little towns in the area and there were so many local businesses we didn't get to stop by on this visit. I probably could have spent four or five hours in the used bookstore alone.

The daffodil has a long history in Gloucester County, which I didn't know until the festival, and for centuries was one of the area's biggest sources of income. Super interesting (if you're into that sort of thing, which I am). Read all about it here.

The Sunday before Gus was born, wayyyyy back a whole two weeks ago, we met up with friends in Mathews for the annual Mathews Market Days celebration. It was the perfect way to get ready for the fall season (and to walk a baby out, apparently). Even if it was still almost 90 degrees, the Middle Neck is looking gorgeous this time of year, there are definitely hints of autumn all around, from the beginning-to-brown corn fields to the early morning mists to the fishing and crabbing boats on the rivers and marshes. Plus there is just something fall-like about spending an afternoon in a picturesque small town, where everybody seems to know each other and are glad to welcome you and show off the best of what they have to offer.

Market day highlights: The kids' play area (new this year!), lunch at the Southwind Cafe, browsing the stellar book sale at the Mathews Memorial Library, and watching the dads play the hit-the-anvil strong man game (hubba hubba).

There are a few more local(ish) fall festivals coming up that we have penciled in on the calendar -- I don't know if our baby schedule will allow us to make most of them, but I'm posting them anyway because they really sound too good to be missed.

West Point Crab Carnival (October 2-3) | Fall Festival of Folklife (Newport News, October 3-4) | Phoebus Fall Festival (Hampton, October 10) | Chippokes Harvest and Halloween Festival (Surry, October 17) | Virginia Thanksgiving Festival at Berkeley Plantation (Charles City, November 1) | Urbanna Oyster Festival (November 6-7) |

Am I the only person who is completely taken in by the idea of a crab carnival? It sounds so deliciously festive. The name is a draw in itself, good job West Point tourism board!

Locals, have you been to any of these? What did you think?