What To Expect At The Skagit Tulip Festival In Spring
If you missed this year’s Skagit Valley Tulip Festival in Washington State, don’t fret. Tulips will be in full, majestic bloom in time for next year’s festival in April (lasting until early May depending on the full bloom’s duration). Rest assured the sight of fields of flowers is worth traveling to this part of the U.S.
With the next festival still far off, it’s a good time to learn what you can expect at the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. Take these into account when planning your itinerary.
No Single Location
Unlike a typical festival, the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival isn’t held in a single location. Due to tulips being the center of attention, much of festival activity occurs around the county’s 250-plus acres of tulip crops. Leading the event are the county’s five most stunning tulip gardens:
Rozengaarde
Garden Rosalyn
Tulip Town
Tulip Valley Farms
Skagit Acres
At one point, the state’s early tulip festival centered around Bellingham in neighboring Whatcom County. However, the Great Depression and a series of devastating freezes killed its tulip growing industry. The growers who survived this double whammy moved to Skagit County to restart their businesses, and the rest is history.
Then again, in a way, the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is technically held in one place: Mount Vernon. The tulip gardens mentioned earlier are located west of the Skagit River, whereas downtown holds a local fair coinciding with the festival. A local shuttle ferries visitors from the city to the tulip fields and back, though other transport options are available.
Skagit Acres is the only exception, as it’s located south of the city along I-5. It’s the newest addition to the festival’s garden lineup, having only debuted this year.
Lingering Blooms
The festival lasts for the whole month of April. However, it’s known to extend well into early May due to the bloom lasting a bit longer. The festival this year lasted until May 4, granting people an extra half a week to see the beautiful tulips bloom. In some cases, the festival starts early when the bloom starts early.
That said, don’t count on seeing the tulips at the last minute if you can avoid it. There’s no guarantee that the bloom will persist well beyond April, let alone how long the extension is expected to last. Mother Nature is too fickle to give an accurate estimate.
This is why April is the best time to witness the bloom, particularly early and mid-month. At this point, the tulips are beginning to open up. Growers start cutting the flowers toward the latter part of May, restarting the tulip’s growth cycle.
More importantly, festival activities such as the street fair at Downtown Mount Vernon and the tulip photo contest occur in April. The three-day Tulip Festival Street Fair (scheduled for April 17-19, 2026) will feature a slew of local stores and a music festival. If you’re going to Skagit Valley for the tulips, may as well enjoy the tulip culture on the side.
Endless Photo Opportunities
Whether for honing your photography skills or posting on social media, visitors won’t find any shortage of great photo opportunities during the festival. For starters, tulips are some of the most vibrant-looking flowers on Earth thanks to their pigments called anthocyanins.
According to floral experts, tulips tend to produce more anthocyanins when exposed to more sunlight to shield them from UV damage. As a result, the increased production of said pigment results in an abundance of color and vibrant tulip fields.
Bring family and friends to the festival for incredible photos and unforgettable memories. You don’t have to invest in cutting-edge photography equipment, as most smartphones are capable enough to produce stellar pictures. Make sure to organize your festival pictures to help make the memories last for as long as possible.
More Fun Outside Mount Vernon
If you have the money and time, consider exploring the areas around Mount Vernon. Some communities outside the city have their unique way of celebrating Skagit Valley’s heritage, not just as the premiere destination for tulips.
On the western tip of the county is the city of Anacortes, home to the annual Anacortes Nautical Treasure Hunt. Participants are tasked with finding a prize ball hidden in parks and businesses across the city. Each ball contains instructions on exchanging its contents for a prize from artists participating in the larger Anacortes Arts Festival.
If you prefer someplace closer, Skagit’s Own Fish Market in neighboring Burlington is a must-visit for visitors in the area. Explore the region’s maritime roots by enjoying freshly-caught seafood off the coast of Washington State. Although its menu is limited to several items, but each dish is a specialty in its own right.
Conclusion
As the state’s—and the country’s—largest tulip festival, the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival has loads to offer locals and visitors from afar. The next one won’t be until April, so you have a lot of time to prepare.
