Greendale Acres is gearing up for another year of family-oriented fun including an Easter Egg Hunt, the 102nd Chilliwack Plowing Match, Sweet Spring Flower and Animal Festival and more that will take centre stage when the beloved family farmstead located at 41905 Yale Road West in Chilliwack officially opens for the season on Friday, March 29.
Famous for its popular corn maze that attracts thousands of visitors each autumn, the farmstead will spring forth for the 2024 season with an Easter Egg Hunt from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, March 29 through Sunday, March 31 that features a sprawling egg scavenger hunt in the apple orchard, pictures with the Easter Bunny, baby animal displays, egg chutes, fire pit rentals, food specials and more, with every child taking part receiving an Easter goodie bag for their efforts.
The fun continues on Saturday, April 6 when the farm plays host to the popular annual Chilliwack Plowing Match from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. — a good old-fashioned day on the farm that celebrates the area’s rich farming history. Tickets are now available ($12 for guests aged 3-64, $8 for guests aged 65-74 and free for guests under two and 75+) online and at the gate and include access to the full complement of Greendale attractions, animal displays, spectator viewing areas, tractor wagon rides (weather-dependent), a by-donation pancake breakfast to help raise funds for local non-profit Chilliwack Bowls of Hope Society, games and more.
Both events will pave the way for a Sweet Spring Flower and Animal Festival that will captivate visitors of all ages from April 7 through May 6. The Dutch flower festival-inspired event will feature an array of Instagrammable highlights provided by 50,000 hand-planted flower bulbs that form a colourful tapestry thanks to meandering rivers of tulips that lead guests across footbridges and beneath windmills to bask in picturesque gardens in full bloom throughout the property.
New to the farm this year and available Saturdays and Sundays during the Sweet Spring Flower and Animal Festival is Lily’s Barnyard, which offers guests a one-on-one meet and greet with Lily the lamb curated by the farm’s animal care team. Other attractions on the farm will be available to entertain kids of all ages, including a jumping pillow, adventure course, bubble barn, pedal cart track, hay-bale maze, animal displays including ducklings and chicks, duck races, garden and picnic areas, corn sandbox and many, many more.
The roots of Greendale Acres were planted in 1999 when John and Diane Bruinsma teamed up with Lloyd and Wendy Taekema and began transforming the old Bruinsma dairy farm on Connor Road in Chilliwack into Canada’s first corn maze as part of an effort to connect the community with agriculture and farming life and help families experience farm life in a fun and interactive way.
Today, the farm is operated by John and Diane’s three daughters along with their husbands and nine small children who all share in the labour of love and the common goal of reconnecting people with nature and agriculture. The farm and its attractions have since become a popular and beloved destination for families, schools and community groups to cultivate memories and traditions.
For a full list of special events happening at Greendale Acres including Dutch Days, Princess Day, Grandparents’ Day and its annual Plant Swap, visit greendaleacres.ca/sweetspring.
2024 Memberships, gift cards, tickets to the Easter Egg Hunt, Chilliwack Plowing Match and Sweet Spring Flower and Animal Festival and Easter Egg Hunt fire pit rentals are now available by clicking here.
For more information, go to www.greendaleacres.ca, follow @greendaleacresfarm on Instagram or become a fan of /Greendaleacresfarm on Facebook.