Hundreds of floral businesses across the world united Oct. 15 to spread happiness through flowers during the Society of American Florists' annual Petal It Forward event.
Now in its 11th year, the goodwill initiative included about 500 participants in all 50 states, as well as Colombia, Ecuador, England and India.
"There's something incredibly special about handing someone a flower — their face lights up, and for that moment, you've made their day a little brighter," says Stephanie Navas, owner of Flowers on Broadway in Rocky Point, New York. "It's a small gesture, but it creates real connection and joy."
The concept remains beautifully simple: Each recipient receives two bouquets — one to keep and one to give away. The collective impact has grown exponentially, uniting florists, wholesalers, importers, and growers with one goal: to make the world smile.
From bustling city corners to quiet rural towns, floral professionals turned sidewalks, office parks, and main streets into centers of joy. The message — that flowers are scientifically proven make people happy — once again resonated with thousands of unsuspecting recipients and countless followers online.
Haentze Floral Co. in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, celebrated the day in collaboration with local firefighters, police officers, and medical workers, handing out bouquets from DV Flora around town. The fifth-generation, 167-year-old business had been teasing the event all month on social media, asking fans for flower suggestions and favorite giveaway spots.
On Wednesday morning, they shared a reminder that captured the spirit of the day: "You get a bouquet and a smile … Then you give a bouquet and share a smile. Simple, sweet, and full of heart. Our mission? To spread a little joy, brighten someone's day, and remind folks that kindness is contagious … Let's make the world smile, one flower at a time!"
Florists leveraged partnerships
Across the country, collaboration remained at the heart of the initiative.
In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Patti Fowler, AIFD, owner of Flowerama, teamed up with the Ross Township Police Department to hand out bouquets. A short Facebook video showed officers and Flowerama staff with signs that read "Pull Over for Free Flowers" and "Share the Power of Flowers." In a short video, Social Services Coordinator Jordan Sager thanked Flowerama for inviting him to participate in the fun. "We created a lot of smiles today," he said. A past recipient commented on the post that she "still thinks about that day" and the flowers she received.
Across the state in Easton, Flower Essence, Flower & Gift Shop partnered with Minsi Mountain Flower Farm, which supplied locally grown dahlias. Wrapped in butcher paper, the blooms were available for pickup at three neighborhood businesses — Piscitello's Home Center, Something Different Boutique, and Palmer Nursery — to encourage spontaneous sharing throughout the day. "We love that participation in this mission is full-circle local," the shop wrote.
Construction work near Broadway Blooms didn't deter the Jackson, Ohio shop from participating. A charming flower cart outside the storefront, accompanied by a hand-drawn window mural proclaiming "Positivity in Bloom," invited pedestrians to take part in Petal It Forward.
© Society of American Florists
Details Flowers Software in Ormond Beach used social media to remind followers that flowers aren't just beautiful — they're beneficial. "Feeling the pressure lately? You're not alone," read the caption on an Instagram reel the day before the event. "Studies show that flowers can actually reduce stress, boost mood, and bring a moment of calm into our busy lives."
The Details team, supported by Rosaprima, Alexandra Farms, and Jet Fresh Flower Distributors, handed out 200 bouquets at a beachfront intersection, drawing smiles from beachgoers, joggers, and commuters alike.
Further up the coast in Charleston, South Carolina, Tiger Lily Florist celebrated with a high-energy giveaway outside the Francis Marion Hotel, across from a busy city park. Owner Lisa Hays Holmes captured the moment in a Facebook reel tagged to fellow SAF members nationwide. "There's just something so fun about giving away flowers for free," she wrote, thanking Syndicate Sales and Mayesh Charleston for helping make it happen.
And in Colombia, Asocolflores, the association of Colombian flower exporters, surprised female farm workers for Petal It Forward. Along with their flowers, recipients received a card that read, "Today we celebrate your hands that cultivate life and hope. May these flowers remind you how valuable and joyful it is to receive flowers today and always."
See more highlights from Petal It Forward here.
For more information:
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