At best 2020 was a very unusual, one-of-a-kind year.  Residents decorated their homes in the theme of “The Valley of Flowers Celebrates The Saint Louis Zoo” to keep the spirit of the 2020 Festival alive.  In spite of the best efforts and multiple attempts to reschedule, the Valley of Flowers Festival was cancelled for the first time in the history of the event due to the restrictions required to slow the spread of the Covid-19 virus.  Regardless of the difficulties, the Queen and her court were installed in the fall of 2020.

This is a pivotal year for the Festival.  The theme is “The Valley of Flowers Celebrates: Missouri’s Bicentennial ‘Past, Present, Future.’ ” Many of the restrictions in place in 2020 are still in place for 2021.  The Festival Committee began work on 2021 activities in conjunction with the City of Florissant and the Saint Louis County Department of Health.  It became apparent that the ongoing issues and restrictions of Covid-19 would cause the Festival activities to be drastically reshaped.  After an initial meeting with the Saint Louis County Department of Health, we were informed that they will not authorize the Grand Parade for 2021.

In subsequent meetings with the County Department of Health, the Health Department has indicated that the restrictions of social distancing, of requirement for masks and of limits on the number of attendees will have to be enforced if a Festival is to be approved by them.  As a result, the Festival Committee and the City of Florissant regret that the Valley of Flowers Festival for 2021 has to be cancelled for the safety of the community.

The Festival Committee is not deterred by this setback.  The slogan on signs around town say: “Together We Are Florissant Strong” so the Festival Committee will move forward with plans to install a Festival Queen and her court.  The committee encourages high-school-aged young ladies who are Florissant residents to apply to become members of the Queen and her Court for 2021.  These young women will represent Florissant in many activities in the Saint Louis area.  Interested girls should fill out an application available at www.florissantvalleyofflowers.com or from the Festival office.  If any girl is held back due to the lack of a sponsor, they may contact the Festival office for help. Likewise, if you would like to become a sponsor of the festival, forms are available on the website from which you may pick a sponsorship level.  The festival could not exist without the support of our sponsors and the community.

Over the next two months the Festival committee will work with the City of Florissant to determine whether there are opportunities for “virtual Festival events” so that the spirit of the Festival weekend can be kept alive in the face of the pandemic limitations.

Please watch this website (www.florissantvallyofflowers.com) and our Facebook page for more updates as the committee finalizes the particular details for the Festival.