Sunflower Festival

Sunflowers don't need much help stealing the show. At Red Apple Farm, they're simply the excuse for a day that stretches well beyond the fields. Pick your own blooms, wander the farm with a cider in hand and give yourself permission to linger a little longer than planned. Live music, local makers and fresh food keep the grounds buzzing, but there's never any pressure to rush from one thing to the next. It's the kind of place where families spread out on the lawn, couples disappear into the flowers for photos and everyone somehow leaves with more than they intended to carry. Late summer in New England has no shortage of traditions, but before apple season officially takes over, this one makes a convincing case for slowing down and enjoying what's still in bloom.