More than 43,000 daffodils are waiting to blossom across Essex, Centerbrook, and Ivoryton villages to help shoreline residents celebrate spring. The third annual Daffodil Days will take place from Saturday, March 25, to Sunday, April 23.

Area residents are invited to make Essex a daffodil destination with a day trip or weekend to enjoy this natural event, as well as the villages, shops, restaurants, galleries, architecture, and waterfront.

While Daffodil Days runs from March 25 through April 23, Mother Nature (not people) will dictate when daffodils bloom. Follow Essex Board of Trade’s Instagram account, @experienceessex, to track the daffodils from when they peek out of the ground until they are in full-force bloom.

EssexCT.com offers a Daffodil Way Map of participating business locations. Additional information is available on ExperienceEssex on Instagram and Facebook, along with

Key locations will include Exit 3 off Route 9, across from the Essex Firehouse; Sunset Pond, West Avenue; Congregational Church Hill, West Avenue; and Ivoryton Green, in front of Ivoryton Playhouse, Ivoryton Village.