SHELBURNE FALLS — Marking the end of the popular attraction’s repairs, volunteer gardeners from the Bridge of Flowers Committee opened the gates for visitors to explore on Friday.

Shelburne Falls resident Andree Duval said it was an exciting day for the village.

“I feel like there’s lots to celebrate in the village today. How lucky we are to have this beautiful bridge and have many days cruising over it ahead of us,” Duval said. “And we’re lucky to have such a dedicated group of volunteers working to maintain it.”

The visitor logbook on either side of the bridge documented that, in just the first few hours of being open on Friday, the bridge saw more than a dozen visitors, including Shelburne Falls residents, people from the nearby communities of Northfield and Turners Falls, and even visitors from as far away as Argentina.

Anna and Dory St. John, who live in Connecticut, were visiting Shelburne Falls resident Maureen Stewart when they heard the Bridge of Flowers was open. The three rushed over to cross the bridge, then stopped at a nearby cafe to get iced tea.

“I saw the post on Facebook that it was open and we told them we had to go,” Anna St. John said.

“We came running down,” Stewart joked.

Visitors crossing the bridge said it looks great so far, and they anticipate the bridge’s beauty will only continue to grow as more flowers are planted and bloom.

“Even though we’re some of the first ones, it looks gorgeous. Not everything is planted, but it’s placed in a beautiful spot so you can kind of visualize what it will look like,” Dory St. John said. “And the colors are exquisite.”

The bridge will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Reach Madison Schofield at
413-930-4579 or mschofield@recorder.com.