Sunflowers in bloom: It's prime time to visit Dix Park

If you are looking for a good photo opportunity or just want something to do on a summer day, the sunflowers at Raleigh’s Dix Park are for you. 

The sunflowers started blooming July 9, and the time to see them at their peak is a relatively short two weeks. With that in mind, Dix Park celebrated July 11 with a Sunflower Celebration.

The family-friendly event kicked off on Saturday with special events starting at 10 a.m. People enjoyed the blooms alongside live entertainment and special happenings. Local food and drink vendors will also set up shop at the park to make the most of the annual event.

More than 100,000 sunflower seeds were planted in mid-May. Earlier this week, the buds looked ready to pop -- and pop they did. Dix Park took this photo on Thursday of the blooms beginning to cover the field:

If you are heading to Dix Park: There are a few rules to keep in mind to make sure everyone can enjoy the sunflowers. The park asks people to stay on the paths that run along the rows in order to prevent the sunflowers from being trampled.

Of course, people should also not try to pick or cut the flowers. Should you have a hankering for sunflower seeds: Definitely do not attempt to eat these sunflower seeds because they are planted on top of a former landfill.

Also be sure to keep your pets on leashes. If you'd like to get an aerial view of the sunflowers, drones will only be allowed to fly on the Big Field just south of the sunflowers.

"Please also plan for hot weather by bringing water, wearing sun protection, and taking breaks as temperatures and the heat index may be very high," the park said.

This event typically draws in large crowds of people wanting to see the flowers, so plan ahead because the wait times for shuttles and just about everything else are expected to be longer. You can find the full Dix Park map at this link with a list of parking spots and shuttle stops.

This summer, there will be multiple locations, including the Sunflower Field in Dix Park, where people can see the sunflowers. You can find a full map of all the destinations here.

Dix Park is free to visit and open seven days a week from sunrise to sunset.