Philly Flower Show comes up roses for Visit Williamsburg
Plus, VMFA traveling Artmobile rolls into town this Sunday in partnership with VA250
As America counts down to its 250th anniversary, destination marketing organizations are getting creative about how they reach potential visitors. Visit Williamsburg’s recent presence at the Philadelphia Flower Show offers a glimpse into the mix of marketing, partnerships, and incentives being deployed to put the Historic Triangle on travelers’ radar.
The Philadelphia Flower Show, the oldest indoor flower show in the United States dating back to 1829, attracts more than 200,000 visitors annually, making it a prime venue for reaching engaged audiences, according to Visit Williamsburg President and CEO Ed Harris. During a recent conversation with the Williamsburg Independent, he also noted that the event aligned with the region’s own horticultural identity.
Indeed, Colonial Williamsburg’s 301-acre living history museum is home to more than 30 carefully maintained gardens, ranging from intimate backyard pleasure gardens to the grand Governor’s Palace Gardens and Grounds. That commitment to horticultural scholarship extends beyond just maintaining the grounds themselves, as the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation will host its 79th Annual Garden Symposium in April.
Visit Williamsburg’s booth highlighted both the anniversary theme and the gardening connection with a life-sized quilt square made entirely of flowers, representing the organization’s “Great American Birthday Quilt” initiative. A miniature replica of the Governor’s Palace anchored the display of celebrated garden spaces.
Regional collaboration was also significant at the flower show, according to Harris. For example, Amtrak Virginia and Busch Gardens Williamsburg participated alongside Visit Williamsburg, each bringing their own promotional angles. Busch Gardens featured a wolf-shaped topiary referencing their newest roller coaster, while Amtrak highlighted a group travel discount program called Share Fares — offering up to 60% off for parties of eight traveling together from Philadelphia to Williamsburg. A travel giveaway contest ran alongside the fare promotion.
The multi-partner approach suggests a coordinated effort to lower barriers to visitation, particularly for travelers in major Northeast markets like Philadelphia. Harris wrote in a follow-up email that “the response from Philadelphians was incredibly enthusiastic. It was a powerful opportunity to position Williamsburg as an accessible and memorable getaway.”
Behind the marketing push, some encouraging numbers provide context. Transient tax collections in the Historic Triangle — widely considered the most reliable indicator of overnight stays — grew a combined 11.3% over the past two years, suggesting the destination is gaining traction heading into the anniversary year.
With the 250th celebration still building momentum, events like the Flower Show may become an increasingly common tool for destinations competing for national attention.
The VMFA’s traveling Artmobile brings free fine art to the Lodge at Colonial Williamsburg on March 15–16
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is bringing art and history directly to Williamsburg when its Artmobile parks at the Williamsburg Lodge on March 15 and 16. The climate-controlled, Wi-Fi-equipped traveling museum offers free, no-registration-required access to “Virginia as America: Navigating ‘Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness,’” a rolling exhibit featuring 14 works from the VMFA’s permanent collection, including paintings, prints, and decorative objects. Selected to celebrate VA250, the exhibit traces Virginia’s central role in shaping the nation and reflects on the ongoing pursuit of a more perfect union. Educational resources aligned to Virginia Standards of Learning make it a meaningful stop for K-12 students as well.
VMFA Director and CEO Alex Nyerges said the exhibit is intended to spark a broader civic conversation. “With this exhibition, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts aims to engage our visitors in an important and unique conversation about the Commonwealth’s role in American history, emphasizing founding principles, current challenges and future aspirations,” Nyerges stated in a recent press release. “We encourage everyone to visit this timely Artmobile exhibition and to experience authentic works of art from the museum’s collection up close and in person.”
Founded in 1936, VMFA is one of the largest comprehensive art museums in the United States, with a permanent collection of more than 50,000 artworks spanning 6,000 years. Through its Artmobile program, the Richmond-based museum aims to bring its world-class resources within an hour’s drive of every Virginian.
After Williamsburg, the Artmobile continues to Randolph Macon College in Ashland (March 18–20), before appearing at the Independence Day Celebration in Leesburg (July 4), NASCAR Weekend in Richmond (August 14–15), and the State Fair of Virginia in Doswell (September 25–27). The tour runs through December 31, 2026.
The Artmobile's Williamsburg stop is part of VMFA's 2026 statewide tour and coincides with the Virginia Association of Museums (VAM) Annual Conference, running March 14-17 at the Lodge at Colonial Williamsburg. The conference brings together museum professionals from across the state for workshops, panels, and networking events, including evening receptions at the Muscarelle Museum of Art, the Art Museums at Colonial Williamsburg, and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. With the Historic Area and Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg just steps away, the timing makes Williamsburg an especially rich destination for history and arts enthusiasts this weekend.
No compensation was received for this post.
The writer used AI tools and these source:
Slides and data provided by Visit Williamsburg
Press Release - VMFA on the Road Artmobile Exhibition Coming to a Location Near You
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