The Chrysanthemum Festival Parade always is a highlight of the annual Chrysanthemum Festival in Bristol, Connecticut. This year it will step off at 1:30 p.m. September 28, 2014. (The parade is directed by The Greater Bristol Exchange Club.)

The parade is perhaps the flashiest part of the fest, but there’s plenty more for Road Trips Gardeners to enjoy on both September 28 and 29 — including all kinds of entertainment and a classic car show.

Why celebrate mums in Bristol? Check out the history of the now-closed Bristol Nurseries. Each fall, some 80,000 plants put forth their brilliant blossoms from late September through the end of October on Chippens Hill.

(Photo courtesy of Chrysanthemum Festival)