Near village Vad, commune Sercaia, Brasov County, around the Feast of Saints Constantine and Helen, the Daffodil Festival takes place, a holiday dedicated to these flowers found in the Natural Reserve "Dumbrava Vadului". The reserve is no less than 60 km away from the town Brasov and can be reached by the road connecting Brasov to Sibiu, the first European Cultural Capital of Romania. Tourists come especially to the Daffodil Glade (Poiana Narciselor) to admire the flowers, but also to watch an artistic show offered by famous folk groups and vocal singers.
Enjoying tradition every step of the way
The Daffodil Festival has traditions that are tens of years old. Some local people say that in the past this glade, nowadays annually visited around the holy feast, used to be organized with stuffed bears next to which the family members would sit for photos as a souvenir, "ringhispil" (carrousel), swing chair rides loved by children and craftsmen selling their products. These days the event has taken a more environmental protection meaning. Its purpose is to educate people to respect the nature in this Natural Reserve, to receive tourists in a natural landscape, to promote the place and to offer recreational outdoor possibilities in the middle of flowers and authentic folk traditions.
Daffodils all around
Each year the Town Hall of Sercaia takes care of the preparation of the event's setting. They allot funds for land deforestation and ecologization so that daffodils come out to light and be admired by visitors. The tourists are impressed to see so many daffodils all around the place, freely growing in all their splendour. This magnificent place is the only natural reserve of this kind in Europe, covering more than 30 hectares. In some places daffodils even grow 150 pieces per square meter.
Maximum protection
"This is a place blessed by God where daffodils grow naturally without any human intervention. This is why we protect this reserve and provide security facilities all around the year. We also maintain contact with the Environmental Protection Agency and take prompt action when people pick up the flowers. This year, after a rough winter, the flowers bloomed later, yet in large number. The Festival is an opportunity to visit the Reserve in an organized setting with multiple recreational facilities for the visitors," said Mr. Cristinel Paltin, Mayor of Sercaia.
