Newport goes Daffy this Week with 250,000 Blooms

Newport’s now blessed with over 250,000 perennially blooming daffodils, 98,500 of which were planted last fall by volunteers, schools, organizations, businesses and residents. That’s now 1/4th of the goal set by “Daffodillion,” a community wide organization working to beautify the city by the sea with one million daffodils.

To celebrate their arrival and recognize Earth Day, lots of fun “daffy” activities are taking place throughout town beginning today, logical extensions of Newport’s Arboretum Week. www.newportarboretum.org/home/events/newport-arboretum-week-2014

Today, Tuesday, April 22 (National Earth Day itself), Daffodillion will be holding a cocktail reception with Governor Lincoln Chafee from 5:30-7pm at The Chanler on Cliff Walk to thank the many supporters of Daffodillion. This event is now sold out.

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 25,26 & 27, the first annual “Newport Daffodil Days Festival” will take place throughout town. Free, all family events at Bannister’s Wharf in downtown Newport will feature live music, a “Daffy Doggie Parade,” daffy food items and special sales.  Look for the Daffodil Days Festival flags at other participating shops throughout town. Visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=521273614659429

On Saturday, April 26, Bike Newport will have a special Bike Tour of the Daffodils departing at 11am from Touro Park. More information on their Facebook page at Bike Newport. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=199809370043121&ref=br_tf

Also on Saturday, April 26, The Annual Newport Storm Craft Beer Festival will be taking place at the Great Friends Meeting House. The hundreds of daffodils now in bloom will greet beer aficionados on the Meeting House lawn.

http://www.newportstorm.com/view_event.php?id=292

On Sunday, April 27, The 2014 Neighborhoods of Newport House Tour will benefit St. Michael’s Country Day School and the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center. Many of the houses on tour will feature beautiful beds of hundreds of daffodils, including the gardens of Ronald Lee Fleming’s Bellevue House and Susan Ruff’s Hillside. www.newporthousetour.com/2014-houses

Also on Sunday, April 27th, the 2nd Annual Newport 10 Miler run benefiting the Fort Adams Trust will be held starting outside the east wall of historic Fort Adams. The course will prominently feature Newport’s scenic coastal views around the famed Ocean Drive and will pass many Bellevue Avenue mansions. The finish line will be truly unique, as participants will pass daffodils as they enter the Fort through the north gate and finish on the parade field. More information at www.newport10miler.com/

So don your bright yellow bonnets and bow ties, and get down to Newport to welcome the daffodils.