Mark Your Calendar for the Indiana Peony Festival

UPDATE: This event has been rescheduled due to weather and will be held same place and time, just oe day later - Sunday, May 17.
 

The Indiana Peony Festivalwill be Sunday, May 17, 2026 celebrating its sixth year at the historic Seminary Park in Noblesville. The event is free to attend and open to the public from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The festival is organized by the 501 (c)(3) Indiana Peony Festival Inc., Noblesville Main Street and Noblesville Parks and Recreation Department. 

Additional ticketed events include Peonies in the Park VIPP (Very Important Peony People) Event on Friday, May 15 and Brunch and Blooms on Saturday, May 16.

Activities include peony judging, floral arranging, bouquet contest, peony growers, food trucks, art vendors, floral vendors, fashion vendors, plants and more. Attendees can buy peony plants.

There will be numerous floral installations both in the park and downtown Noblesville. 

Peonies in the Park will be hosted the evening before the festival on Friday, May 15 from 6-9 p.m. at the historic Seminary Park. This is a 21+ only event and tickets can be purchased here. This annual fundraiser invites guests to enjoy tastings from high-profile chefs in the Indianapolis area and enjoy sips from a local brewery, distillery, and winery accompanied by live music and other floral fun!

The peony festival’s Brunch & Blooms brunch and retail crawl includes 50+ participating locations happening in conjunction with the festival on Saturday, May 16 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Restaurants will be serving peony-inspired cocktails and bite-sized brunch foods in outdoor areas with live music and alfresco dining with the tables adorned with peonies. Retailers will be having peony specials and selling wonderful peony-inspired items.  

As attendees, you have the chance to vote in the annual Window Decorating Contest, awarding the winning merchant with $1,000! Beginning Saturday, May 9 until the end of the festival on Saturday, May 16, explore all of downtown Noblesville’s window displays and vote on your favorite.

The festival is meant to inspire Hoosiers to celebrate the state flower, learn about horticulture and gardening, raise proceeds for future beautification projects and peony gardens in Hamilton County, and attract visitors to Noblesville in the month of May – which just happens to be peony bloom month and the Indianapolis 500.

For more information, visit IndianaPeonyFestival.com.

Governor Eric Holcomb has declared the third Saturday in May as Indiana Peony Festival Day in honor of the festival.

In 1957, the peony became the Indiana state flower in honor of Laurence D. Baker, a distinguished Indiana politician who operated four peony farms throughout the state, mostly to keep up with the demand for peonies each May. Baker even sold peonies at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893, and he presented a bouquet of peonies to Amelia Earhart. Today, his legacy lives on through his grandchildren, who are still in the flower business at Baker Flowers and Gifts in Kendallville, Ind. Ancestors of Laurence will be in attendance and he will be honored at the festival.

Historically, the peony has been used for “Decoration Day,” to decorate the graves of loved ones on Memorial Day.

Peonies bloom toward the end of May in various shades of red, pink, yellow and white.

Peony petals are edible! Make sure they are grown organically or without pesticides before taking a bite.

Both deer and bunnies do not like peonies, so they won’t eat them from your garden.

Peonies can bloom for over 100 years with the right care.