Travel Destination Event – Skagit Valley, Washington Annual Tulip Festival

If you are looking for a gorgeous scenic place to visit in the springtime, with lots to do, you must consider visiting the Annual Tulip Festival, held in Skagit Valley, Washington State. Skagit Valley is straight up I-5, about an hour and a half north of Seattle, making it a wonderful day trip for the Pacific Northwest. Another alternative if you plan ahead, make it a weekend getaway by staying at a beautiful local bed and breakfast inn.

Skagit (pronounced Ska-jet) Valley is comprised mainly of 2 mid-sized towns, Mount Vernon and Burlington, and several other smaller communities known as Sedro Woolley, Concrete, LaConner, Anacortes and a few other areas. This area is known for its acres upon acres of tulip fields. Tulips are exported to Holland from the SkagitValley, and a major source provider in the United States. One can also find large fields of daffodils blooming right before the tulips bloom. To see these fields in person is a wonder beyond words.

Every year thousands of people from around the world flock to the tulip fields of Skagit Valley to behold their splendor. The tulip festival started in 1984, then being only 3 days in length, progressing to now a full 30 day festival, due to not being able to predict every year when the tulips will actually be blooming. Currently, it runs each year from April 1 – April 30^th.

Each year offers plenty of activities in addition to the tulip fields. Among those are:

A Tulip Run – a 2 or 5 mile course, for the whole family.

Historic home tour

Tulip Pedal – a bike tour on your own, 20, 40, or 60 mile routes.

Anacortes Quilt Walk

LaConner Quilt Show

Anacortes Wine Festival - 30 regional vintners and 6 restaurants participate.

Several art shows:

Art in a Pickle Barn

Art Bash

Art in the Schoolhouse

Burlington Art Walk

Children’s Museum

Several major tulip farm events at nurseries and tulip field growers.

Burlington Scrapbooking Swap Meet

Chili, Chowdah’ & Chocolate Cook-off

DeceptionPass boat tours – see the San Juan Islands and whale watching.

Exclusive helicopter field tours

Art and Craft Show – downtown Mount Vernon

Kiwanis annual salmon BBQ

LaConner sculpture tour

PACCAR open house

PadillaBay National Estuarine Research Reserve

Peoples Bank presents a gala celebration

Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs: A tulip festival concert

Tulip Festival lacrosse jamboree

Tulip frolic

Parade

Woodfest

Of course there are many wonderful restaurants, wineries, bed and breakfast inns, shopping and more that can be found as well.  Check out also the sheer joy of traveling cost savings tips.

Be prepared for any kind of weather. If you plan to see the tulip fields, wear shoes or boots that can get muddy, sometimes there can be a lot of rain and wind. Bundle up as well, the fields are in areas known as the “flats”, and wind can really kick up there. Here is a map of the fields.

Parking is very difficult and limited, out in the tulips fields, especially on weekends. The Burlington Outlet malls usually have buses that people can catch to the tulip fields and are recommended. If you want to avoid the crowds when viewing the flowers, early morning and late afternoon on weekdays are your best bet. Pay close attention to signs regarding parking in the fields, adhere to them, and be sure not to block private residential driveways.

Two major tulip farms are Roozengaarde’s and TulipTown. They both charge a small admission fee, and have amazing fields and display gardens to see. Both have stores where tulip and other flowers and bulbs can be purchased. They both also offer the public other attractions as well. A person could easily spend several hours at each place.

Every year the Tulip Festival holds an art contest and a special tulip poster is chosen to showcase for the year. The styles year to year vary a lot, making an interesting collection throughout the years. If you’ve never been to the tulip festival of Skagit County Washington, it’s a trip worth the effort; you’ll see sights of nature you won’t forget.

Also, found in Skagit County at an earlier time of year, and some remaining during tulip time, is Travel - The Winter Birds of Fir Island, WA