Inaugural Cherry Blossom Festival blooms in Milford, supports local agriculture students
MILFORD, Del.- “The Milford Cherry Blossom Festival was just a way for us to kind of bring the community of Milford together,” Edwards said.
Saturday afternoon was rooted in agriculture for the first-ever Milford Cherry Blossom Festival.
The day served as a fundraiser for Milford High School’s FFA students. It’s a youth leadership organization with a focus on career development for students interested in agriculture. “When people in the community come out and support our FFA, along with any other FFA chapter in the state of Delaware, they’re providing opportunities that students wouldn’t otherwise be able to get,” Milford High School Agriculture Educator Abby Edwards said.
Edwards tells 47ABC the event allowed students from different areas of science to showcase what they’ve been working on. “All of the plants behind me here are produced by students in our greenhouses from seed to plant. It’s very nice for them to put in the work and see how plants grow and how vegetables grow,” Edwards said.
There was also a petting zoo where students like Lucy Chorman were focused on educating families. “This lightbulb came on and their faces lit up and they get to see this is what its actually like. This is what animal science is or even a goat looks like. Some of them had never seen it before. It’s so great to get to share that knowledge and information and just be the one who brought that to them,” Milford FFA’s Lucy Chorman said.
Edwards says the day was also an opportunity to highlight the local business community. “Being a small business owner myself it’s important that when we have these festivals, we’re recognizing that when you’re support your neighbor, you’re supporting the community as a whole. When you support them, they give back,” Edwards said.
Money raised will support students for various initiatives, including travel as they compete in future regional and national competitions.
Organizers say Saturday’s strong turnout is a good indicator that they will bring the event back next year.
