What to Expect at the Smyrna Jonquil Festival
The Smyrna Jonquil Festival is one of the biggest spring events in Smyrna, Georgia. Every year, the festival takes over the Village Green and Market Village area with vendors, food, and entertainment. Here’s what you can expect at the festival:
- 150 arts and crafts booths
- 12+ food booths
- Live entertainment throughout the day
- Kids’ activities and inflatable play areas
- Local businesses and community booths
The festival takes place at the Village Green, with more booths and shops available in the Market Village and running along King Street, so be prepared for some walking. It may seem like a small community event, but once you start walking the rows of booths and trying all the different food vendors, it can easily fill an afternoon.
Smyrna Jonquil Festival 2026 Dates and Hours
The 2026 Smyrna Jonquil Festival will take place on April 25–26, 2026. The festival hours are:
- Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission to the festival is completely free, which makes it one of the best free spring festivals in the Atlanta area.
Where to Park at the Smyrna Jonquil Festival
Parking is also free at the Smyrna Jonquil Festival, but it can fill up quickly during peak hours. You can find parking lots around the Market Village, behind City Hall and the Smyrna Public Library, street parking on the neighborhood roads surrounding the area, and all the way down to the Smyrna First United Methodist Church parking lot. When we attend the festival, we usually try to arrive before 11 a.m. on Saturday, which makes finding parking much easier. If you’re arriving later in the afternoon, expect to park a bit farther away and walk. We’ve never had any trouble finding parking for the festival, but when you arrive later in the day you do have to park further out.
Things to Do at the Smyrna Jonquil Festival
Entertainment
There’s always a lot happening at the festival, especially around the main entertainment stage and kids’ areas. Some of the performances we’ve seen include:
- Escape artists performing straight jacket escapes
- Giant transforming robot vehicles walking through the crowd
- K9 sports demonstrations with high jumping dogs
- An educational wildlife show that taught about bear safety (this was my all-time favorite!)
One show that shows up at many Atlanta festivals is Peter Hart’s puppet show, which kids absolutely love. His puppets sing, dance, juggle, and even catapult across the stage. The show usually draws a big crowd, so if your kids (or you) want a good view, try to get there early.
Shopping
Shopping is one of the biggest draws of the Smyrna Jonquil Festival. With around 150 arts and crafts vendors, there’s a huge variety of handmade goods including:
- Woodworking
- Handmade jewelry
- Organic soaps and beauty products
- Local art and photography
- Home decor
One of my favorite parts of the festival is wandering through the booths and finding local artists and makers you wouldn’t normally discover. Many local Smyrna businesses also set up booths and give out samples, coupons, and freebies. You’ll even find pet adoption booths, which always draw a crowd.
Food & Drinks
Festival food is exactly what you’d expect — and honestly, it’s the kind of food I want at a festival. Some of the most popular festival foods include:
- Funnel cakes
- Fried Oreos
- Fried chicken
- Pizza
- Lemonade stands
But there are also a few more unique options like:
- A Jamaican food vendor
- A noodle stand
- New Orleans-style food
In the past, food vendors have been cash only, though many are starting to take cards now. Still, it’s a good idea to bring some cash just in case. If you forget, there are usually ATMs nearby. The festival also sells beer near the food vendor area, and since Smyrna introduced its open container district downtown, you can now walk around the festival and Market Village with drinks from nearby bars and restaurants.
Kids Activities
The Smyrna Jonquil Festival is very family-friendly, and there are usually several areas dedicated just to kids’ activities. The main kids’ area is where you’ll find things like:
- Inflatable bounce houses
- Obstacle course inflatables
- Carnival-style games
- Interactive activity booths
These “rides” and inflatables require activity tickets, which you can purchase nearby. There are often additional inflatables and games near the food vendor area, so if the main area looks crowded, it’s worth walking around the festival to see what else is available. One of the highlights for kids is the live entertainment, especially the puppet shows and animal demonstrations. The puppet shows tend to draw big crowds of families, and younger kids usually love watching the marionettes sing, dance, and perform tricks. If you’re visiting with younger children, I recommend heading to the kids’ area earlier in the day before the afternoon crowds arrive. It makes the lines shorter and gives kids more space to enjoy the activities.
What Is a Jonquil?
If you’re new to Smyrna, the Jonquil City, you might be wondering what the heck a jonquil even is. A jonquil is a yellow trumpet-shaped flower with dark green tube-shaped leaves that belong to the same plant family as daffodils. Smyrna is often called “The Jonquil City” because these flowers bloom all over town each spring. The tradition dates back to 1883, when Smyrna residents first planted jonquil bulbs around the city. Over time, the flowers spread naturally and became a symbol of the community. Today, they bloom throughout Smyrna every spring — right around the same time the Jonquil Festival takes place. Sometimes, there’s a garden club at the festival selling jonquil bulbs so you can pepper your own yard with the blooms.
Smyrna Jonquil Festival Info
- Dates:April 25-26, 2026
- Hours:Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Admission:Free
- Address:200 Village Green Cir, Smyrna, GA 30080
- Parking:Free parking is available at the Smyrna Market Village parking lots, at the City Hall and Library parking lots, and at the Smyrna First United Methodist Church.
Is the Smyrna Jonquil Festival Worth Visiting?
If you’re looking for a fun spring festival near Atlanta, the Smyrna Jonquil Festival is absolutely worth visiting. Between the live entertainment, unique craft vendors, great food, and family activities, it’s one of the most popular community events in Smyrna every year. Whether you’re going for the shopping, the food, or just to enjoy a spring day outside, it’s a great excuse to explore downtown Smyrna.
Smyrna Jonquil Festival FAQ
-
What is a Jonquil Festival?
The Smyrna Jonquil Festival is an arts & crafts and food festival that celebrates the start of spring each year in Smyrna, GA. The festival is named for the many jonquil flowers that bloom around Smyrna during this time of year. -
Are jonquils and daffodils the same?
No, jonquils and daffodils are different plants, but they are part of the same family. Jonquils are typically more fragrant, smaller, have more flowers, and have a smaller range of colors than daffodils. -
Why is Smyrna the Jonquil City?
Jonquils were introduced to Smyrna in 1883 when Samuel Taylor and his wife moved to Smyrna. Their son in Washington sent them a burlap sack of jonquil bulbs. The Taylors shared the bulbs with their friends and neighbors, and the flower flourished with very little care. Planting jonquils each spring soon became a Smyrna tradition. -
Is the Smyrna Jonquil Festival free?
Yes, the Smyrna Jonquil Festival is free to attend!
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Where to Stay in Smyrna, Georgia
- Great Value:Country Inn & Suites Smyrna
- Top Hotel:Hyatt Place Atlanta/Cobb Galleria
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More Things to Do in Smyrna
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Cheers!
Paige
What’s your favorite spring festival in Atlanta? Let me know in the comments! The post Ultimate Guide to the Smyrna Jonquil Festival appeared first on Paige Minds The Gap.
