Lavender blooms on Long Island: Festivals, u-pick and more

Lavender can have a restorative, stress-reducing effect. It also smells great and is lovely to behold.

Several Long Island farms are celebrating lavender with festivals and u-pick experiences this summer. 
Here are a few spots where you can enjoy the fragrant purple flowers at their peak bloom on eastern Long Island.

June 6-7: Lavender Festival & French Market at Waterdinker Family Farm & Garden

663 Wading River Rd., Manorville

The East End farm will host its third annual festival to kick off summer.

"We’re going to have over 50 vendors this year where we’ll do lavender-inspired things, from soaps to sprays to lavender satchels and things of that nature," says owner and general manager Marc Weiss, noting that there will also be fresh baked goods and handmade jewelry.

Lavender lovers can explore raised beds of English, French and Spanish lavender, surrounded by vintage cars, tractors and bicycles, perfect for photo ops, with French music playing throughout.

"It’s not like your typical lavender field," Weiss says. "We bring it all from our greenhouse and then plant them up specifically for the lavender festival."

The family-friendly event features local vendors like Jacolini’s Ceramics of Bohemia, and Sweet Woodland of Hampton Bays, live music, food trucks and photo ops. Families can play on the jumbo jump pads, miniature golf, an obstacle course, a wooden play area and a giant Lego block area. Kids can also see barnyard animals.

"It’s not a petting zoo so you can’t touch or feed them," says Weiss, noting that their menagerie includes Kunekune pigs, sulcata tortoises, alpacas, miniature donkeys, emus, peacocks and Nigerian dwarf goats.

While there, check out Tulip Town, a miniature village where the buildings are kid-size and inspired by the  homes along Amsterdam's scenic canals.

"That’s there so the kids can play and feel like giants," Weiss says. "It’s close by to the beer garden that we have. So, adults can enjoy the beer and it’s more of a fenced-in area where the kids can play."

The new Tulip Tunnel Museum features decorative umbrellas hanging upside down from the ceiling and thousands of lit artificial tulips lining the walkway as you move through a tunnel. Guests can visit Lavender Lane through June offering themed photo ops.

• WHEN 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• COST $20 per person; well-behaved, leashed dogs allowed
• MORE INFO 631-878-8653, water-drinker.com

June 27-28: Lavender Festival at Hoshyla Farms

132 Ryerson Ave., Manorville

Hoshyla Farms' third annual Lavender Festival will feature yoga classes, appearances by local authors and sound healing sessions.

Attendees can pick their own lavender at this event, which is typically Provencal lavender. 

Guests can visit food trucks, wine, beer and artisan vendors, including Queen Bee Bakes of Eastport, which will be incorporating Hoshyla Farms' lavender in its baked goods. Attendees can enjoy live music by local musicians, body henna painting, children's crafts and activities, and the chance to adopt a puppy from North Fork Country Kids Animal Rescue of Riverhead.

You can also hobnob with local writers. "The Long Island Authors Group is going to be joining us this year," says Amy Tangel, marketing director for the 104-year-old farm. "We’re going to have six authors there having book signings and book sales."

Festival guests can register for free yoga classes with Balance with Michelle Yoga at 11:30 a.m. or 12:30 p.m. each day and a mini sound healing session on June 27 with Bobby Rama for an additional $5. There will also be a raffle to benefit Stepping Stone Support, an Eastport-based non-profit that supports cancer patients.

The farm offers u-pick lavender weekends (typically runs through mid-July) and workshops throughout the season.

• WHEN 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• COST $5 ages 11 and older; only leashed service animals permitted 
• MORE INFO 631-975-2432, hoshylafarms.com

Mid-June: Lavender by the Bay 

7540 Main Rd., East Marion and 3536 Middle Country Rd., Calverton

You can frolic this month through the fields at Lavender by the Bay’s two locations, in East Marion and Calverton. 

"Every year is special," says Lavender by the Bay owner Chanan Rozenbaum. "Each bloom is unique." 

The season typically starts at the beginning of June with English lavender. Toward the end of June and early July, the French bloom begins and lasts for two to three weeks, depending on the weather. Fresh lavender bunches are harvested daily and can be purchased at both farms.

Poppies will also be blooming, and sunset hour time slots are available to stroll through the lavender fields on weekends (typically from 7 to about 8:30 p.m.) starting June 27. 

"It’s gorgeous to be in the fields when the sun is setting. The golden hour is just incredible," Rozenbaum says. People can purchase tickets online or in person (check the website for bloom updates before visiting). 

Both locations sell plants, sachets, and bath and body products — all lavender themed — starting at $4 for a simple sachet to handcrafted embroidered pillows and specialty gift items at about $125.

"Not only is lavender beautiful when it’s blooming — the colors and the flowers moving in the wind — it also smells great," Rozenbaum says. "It’s wonderful to help you relax. The fragrance helps with putting your mind at ease."

During bloom season the farm sells lavender-themed treats like biscotti and cookies.

• WHEN In peak bloom season, both farms are open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with extended evening hours offered on select sunset dates, starting on June 27
• COST $14 ages 7 and older;$24 for golden hour; well-behaved, leashed dogs allowed
• MORE INFO East Marion farm: 631-477-1019; Calverton farm: 631-381-0730, lavenderbythebay.com