Ultimate Guide to the Smyrna Jonquil Festival
Every spring, thousands of bright yellow jonquils bloom across Smyrna, and the city celebrates with one of its most beloved community events: the Smyrna Jonquil Festival. This beloved local event brings together arts and crafts vendors, local businesses, delicious food, and plenty of family-friendly fun.
Held each year at the Village Green in Downtown Smyrna, the festival is one of the city’s most popular spring traditions — and best of all, it’s completely free to attend. As a Smyrna local, this is one of my favorite spring events in the city. We make sure to attend every year since it’s such an easy way to get outside, enjoy some good food, and discover local artists.
The 2026 Smyrna Jonquil Festival will take place April 25-26, 2026. Here’s everything you need to know, from where to park and what to eat to the best activities for kids and some insider tips locals know.
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.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.
Want to learn all about Atlanta? Check out my new book, What’s With Atlanta?: The Quirks, Personality, and Charm of the ATL. Whether you’re a local or are just passing through, this entertaining guide will answer all of your Atlanta questions.
Things to Do at the Smyrna Jonquil Festival
Planning your first trip to Atlanta?
Get your FREE Welcome To Atlanta Kit, complete with a budget guide, hidden gems, travel planners, and more!
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!
Ultimate Atlanta 5 Day Itinerary
Your Atlanta vacation — planned for you.
Don’t spend any more time stressing about planning your Atlanta getaway. Get this done-for-you, fully planned itinerary!
Save on Atlanta’s Top Attractions
Want to save big on Atlanta’s top attractions? with the Atlanta CityPASS, you can save up to 50% on the cost of entrance tickets to 5 top Atlanta museums and attractions!
Get admission to your choice of 5 from the Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola, and Zoo Atlanta, the Fernbank Museum of Natural History, the College Football Hall of Fame, and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.
Top Atlanta Tours
A guided tour is always a good way to get to know a city! Check out these top Atlanta tours.
- 90-Minute Guided Sightseeing Tour by E-Car
- Atlanta’s Black History and Civil Rights Tour
- Midtown Atlanta Food & Cocktail Tour
Where to Stay in Smyrna, Georgia
- Great Value: Country Inn & Suites Smyrna
- Top Hotel: Hyatt Place Atlanta/Cobb Galleria
- Unique Stay: Peaceful Log Cabin
More Things to Do in Smyrna
- 23+ Best Things to Do in Spring in Atlanta
- Biking the Silver Comet Trail: Everything You Should Know
- Georgia Hikes: Heritage Park Trail
- 4 Best Pumpkin Patches in Smyrna, GA
- 10 Incredible Spring Destinations in Georgia
- 14 Best Spring Break Destinations in the South
- 10 Best Parks in Atlanta for a Picnic
Ready to visit Smyrna, Georgia? Plan your trip with these tips.
- Book Your Flight: Find the cheapest flights using Skyscanner, my favorite flight search engine.
- Find Accommodation: You can find top hotels in Smyrna using Hotels.com.
- Save on Attractions: Save 48% on admission to Atlanta’s top attractions using the Atlanta CityPASS.
Cheers!
Paige
What’s your favorite spring festival in Atlanta? Let me know in the comments!
What a charming place and celebration! It sounds like small-town England Fête where there is so much to do, and you don’t realise when the day has gone!
That’s absolutely what ends up happening!