Located in Canby, in the Willamette Valley, Swan Island Dahlias Farm has operated for over 93 years. 

This family-operated dahlia farm is the leading dahlia farm in the United States and churns out the most extensive full-color dahlia catalog.

Initially located in Portland, they had production buildings on Swan Island which is how they came to get their name. They then moved to a rented farmland property in Canby in the 1940s before purchasing 20 acres and moving to their current location around 1953. Nick and Margaret's Gifts then purchased the farm in 1963, and it has been in their family ever since, now being owned and operated through three generations.

Swan Island Dahlias grows over 370 varieties, now on almost 40 acres of farmland, open for public display during the blooming season. In addition, they host the largest dahlia festival in the United States, where they feature their own hybridized varieties and showcase over 400 dahlia arrangements in their indoor dahlia display and their outdoor display and test garden.

The fields are open to the public every day except Wednesdays each year beginning August 1st and stay open through September. They encourage you to walk the fields but stay on the obvious paths. Their annual festival is the last weekend of August and the following Labor Day weekend, including Saturday, Sunday, and Monday on both weekends. However, their gift shop is open Monday through Friday, October through July, as well as every day during August and September, except Wednesdays, when the farm is closed for maintenance. Their gift shop carries some local vendors while offering unique and special gifts at reasonable prices.

Parking is free, and they often have someone there directing traffic when it gets busy. There are porta-potties on-site in various locations, as well as portable handwashing stations. I have never seen a diaper changing station or area, but I have always just gone back to my car to use the trunk to change diapers or change them right out on the grass.

They offer a few vendors selling food and drinks and lots of covered picnic tables to sit at. Occasionally there will be live music. 

It can get very hot out in the fields, and if you're like me and don't want to miss one flower, then it can be quite the walk in the direct sun. So I recommend wearing sunscreen and a hat if possible. It can also be pretty dusty, so I recommend wearing close-toed shoes. 

Strollers are allowed as well as dogs on leash. 

Don't forget to check out their indoor display rooms (if open and available) and to grab a dahlia catalog to look through. You can purchase dahlia tubers there, and they will then send you the tubers in the mail the following spring. I have ordered and grown my own Swan Island Dahlias several times, with much success. They are one of my favorite things to look forward to in my yard over the summer. If you can't wait for tubers, you can purchase bouquets there or go out and choose your own in their u-pick field.

If you'd like to help them support The Canby Center, you can bring non-perishable or canned food items to donate when you visit the farm in August or September. 

I love, love this farm and festival, and it has been my very favorite summer activity to look forward to for years now! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!