Sunflower festival canceled due to severe drought conditions, deer intrusions

MONONGAHELA, Pa. (KDKA) -- Owners of a farm in Forward Township have canceled their annual sunflower festival days before it was supposed to start.

Jay Schwirian is heartbroken to see his farm in its current condition.

"The deer came in and just ate the tip, and that would have produced the flower," Schwirian said.

About 20 acres of nearly one million sunflower plants by Williamsport and Wall Roads will remain green and brown because of a severe drought and deer that consumed the buds of their crop.

"That's never happened to me in the 15 years I've been planting sunflowers," Schwirian said.

The animals have always eaten small bits, but never to this extent, leaving the Schwirians with nothing for their fifth annual sunflower festival, which was set for Aug. 2-11.

"We just feel bad for all the people who were planning to come and enjoy it," Schwirian said. "We're really devastated. It impacts so many people."

Every year, families visit the fields to buy sunflower oil, honey, and other goods from local farms, and to take photos of the beautiful scenery.

Photographers like Amanda Buttermore of AK Buttermore Photography look forward to the experience, as do their clients.

"This is a once-a-year occurrence, and it's a huge festival that just gets bigger and bigger," Buttermore said.

While she's sad to miss out this year, she does photography part-time and feels more for the full-time businesses and the Schwirians.

"I'm sure it's even harder to get everything rescheduled and to figure out what the next steps are," Buttermore said.

She even told the farm to keep the funds from their photography pass.

"We just thought it would be nice to give back and try to support them in their time of need," Buttermore said.

As for the Schwirians, they appreciate the help and have high hopes for 2025.

"We're going to, hopefully, plan for it for next year," Schwirian said.

While the festival won't take place, the owners will still sell honey and sunflower oil from last year's crop at their farm stand.