Before October 7, 2023, the Darom Adom (“Red South”) wildflower festival was one of the biggest annual events in southern Israel, specifically in the Western Negev, where the majority of the Hamas atrocities took place over a year ago.
The festival was staged each year from mid-January until the end of February, during the anemone blooming season. It provided a major boost to local businesses, particularly those related to agriculture, drawing visitors from across Israel.
With the area ravaged beyond recognition by the terror attacks on October 7, and the subsequent war, the festival has been on an indefinite hiatus.
No more emphasis on festivity
This year it’s back. But it’s no longer called Darom Adom because the organizers felt the original name carries way too many negative connotations.
Now it’s called Darom BaLev (“South in the Heart”) to express solidarity with the families of the hostages and victims of the terror attacks, as well as to support local business that have been hurting since the attacks.
“Also, please don’t call it a festival,” Doron Ashtan Nachmani told reporters on a press tour ahead of the event. Ashtan Nachmani is the CEO of Shikma-Besor Tourism Association, which is organizing the rebranded event, established in cooperation with KKL-JNF, the TKUMA Directorate and Bank Hapoalim.
Alongside farmers’ markers, workshops, guided tours and culinary events, Darom BaLev also includes “the march of the poppies” in memory of those who have fallen and those still held captive. You can find out more about the march on this dedicated app.
Ashtan Nachmani doesn’t rule out staging the event in its original format in the future. But for now, “we will not be able to celebrate and rejoice in our annual festival until all our brothers and sisters are returned safely from captivity.”
She emphasized the importance of bringing back the event as part of the Western Negev’s rehabilitation. “It’s not a given that we still even have businesses in this area,” she said.
“There are a lot of free attractions here, and it’s beautiful; what’s even more beautiful is to enter local businesses when you come and help restart the economy of this area.”
Nova festival memorial site
A poignant reminder of why the event was rebranded is the Nova music festival, where over 300 people were murdered on October 7.
Kibbutz Re’im and the adjacent forest, where the festival took place, used to be one of the most prominent stops for tourists attending Darom Adom.
In February, the area normally blooms with anemones, and one of Darom Adom’s biggest farmers’ markets used to take place in the forest.
Now, the forest is covered with memorials of young people murdered by terrorists, making it look eerily like a cemetery. The memorial site attracts approximately 5,000 visitors every single day, according to KKL.
The KKL official who manages the forest says the anemones are not as plentiful this year, likely due to the worst drought in the past decade, but visitors can still see wildflowers.
The area has also been equipped with information stops that give a brief explanation of what happened that day, including original artifacts from the massacre, such as a garbage truck container where dozens of festivalgoers were slaughtered.
“I’m not here to tell you whether it’s ethically correct or not; the bottom line is that the connection between [the victims] and this site is eternal,” one official told reporters.
Notable mentions
There are hundreds of small businesses in the area, and it’s impossible to visit them all in a day.
But a few notable ones exemplify the resilience of not only the Israeli spirit, but the spirit of Otef Aza (the Gaza Envelope), the communities bordering the Gaza Strip.
One of these businesses is Uri Tutim (Uri’s Strawberries) in Yesha, an agricultural moshav. According to the owner, Uri Patkin, the fact that the farm is still functioning is nothing short of a miracle.
“By October 8, all Yesha residents, with the exception of the emergency squad, were evacuated; a day later, all foreign workers followed,” recalls Patkin.
“We thought, ‘At least we’re alive and healthy; we’ll give up on agriculture. But three days later, an army of volunteers showed up at our door, telling us they’re here to save agriculture.”
The farm invites visitors to pick strawberries by hand. The strawberries are especially tasty due to the unique growing method that avoids direct contact with the soil. Admission is 50 shekels per person; children under three years old can enter for free.
The Derech Hazait nursery is another example of agricultural resiliency. The 25-year-old nursery boasts the largest collection of ancient olive trees in the country, alongside a huge selection of plants, trees, flowerpots, gardening tools and designer urns.
During the first months of the war, the business was abandoned and the indoor space was used by reserve soldiers serving in and around Gaza. Now the nursery is open Sunday to Thursday from 9-5, and Friday from 8:30-1:30.
Oren Winery, located in Moshav family of Major (res.) Oren Stern, killed on October 7 while protecting the moshav. The winery offers an assortment of wines, beers and picnic baskets.
Originally posted on israel21c.org