On the road for April 1: Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
WHAT: Flowers, including tulips, daffodils and irises, are the stars of the 33rd annual festival. The blossoms can be seen from vehicles and bikes, as well as several locations where you can walk among the flowers.
WHEN: Through April 30.
WHERE: There are nearly 50 locations in the lower Skagit River valley where visitors can see flowers or take part in events.
SHOW GARDENS: There are two operations that have show gardens, RoozenGaarde Flowers & Bulbs and Tulip Town-Skagit Valley Bulb Farm. In addition to planted fields, these display gardens include more than 1 million spring flowers.
OTHER ACTIVITIES: There will be a community garage sale, a 4-H petting farm, art displays, a historic home tour, a street fair in Mount Vernon, field tours by helicopter, a Kiwanis salmon barbecue, a quilt walk in Anacortes, a photo contest, a parade in La Conner and more. Go to the festival website for a daily calendar.
VISITING TIPS: If you can, make the trip on a weekday because weekends can be very busy. If can only go on a weekend, try to arrive before 10 a.m. to beat the crowds. Fields can be muddy, so wear appropriate clothes and shoes.
COST: Free, but some locations charge an admission fee.
INFORMATION: tulipfestival.org.
Jeffrey P. Mayor, jeff. mayor@thenewstribune.com
This story was originally published March 30, 2016 at 6:25 PM with the headline "On the road for April 1: Skagit Valley Tulip Festival."