"The Mission of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is to coordinate and promote a countywide Spring celebration of the tulip bloom, in commemoration of the valley’s annual tulip harvest, and to be an advocate for Skagit Valley agriculture"
In 2013, the festival hosted visitors from all 50 states and 82 foreign countries!
Here in the Pacific Northwest, residence and tourist alike make a pilgrimage to the Skagit Valley as a rite of Spring. The valley floor becomes a quilt of many colors as blooms from millions of bulbs burst forth.
The Skagit Valley Agricultural History (in short)
The Skagit Valley saw its first crop of cultivated potatoes planted in 1853 on March Point. In circa 1870 the first commercial production of oats was sent to markets in Seattle and by 1908 the Skagit Delta was producing more oats and hay per acre than any other place in the United States at the time. Skagit farmland and Skagit farmers have been supplying the region, state and world with nearly every crop imaginable for over 150 years.
Today the Skagit Valley is supplying nearly 95% of the U.S. supply of table beet seed, 75% of the U.S. supply of spinach seed and approximately 8% of the spinach seed used throughout the world. Skagit Valley farmers are producing approximately 25% of the world’s cabbage seed and 50% of the world’s beet seed. More tulips, daffodils and iris bulbs are produced in the Skagit Valley than in any other county in the United States. Additionally, approximately 50 million cut flowers are grown in greenhouses and fields in the Skagit Valley and approximately 95 percent of the red potatoes grown in Washington State are from Skagit County. http://www.skagitonians.org
From April 1 through the 30th visitors can follow a pre-designed tour route. Maps and brochures are available online. How many blooms you'll see on any given day is up to Mother Nature. The day I visited there were plenty of fields and gardens to see in full bloom although the day was blustery with intermittent showers and sun breaks. Not uncommon for the Pacific Northwest!
Although the fields are lovely in themselves, the gardens help you envision how to use bulbs in your own garden. The variety is mind boggling!
Driving along the rural roads, you'll pass by lovely country homes with their pastures of alpaca, cows, horses and sheep grazing lazily or nursing their young. New birth and beginnings of life are all around. That is what's so special about coming here. After the dark winter, the valley is coming alive and people flock here to drink it in. You can feel the energy in the air.
If you're lucky you may get to see flocks of birds making their migration. These are the snow goose on their way to Canada and Alaska to breed.
Photographers gather here for the photo-op as the geese alight in fields close to the rural roadside.
After seeing the fields and gardens you'll be hungry! There are some wonderful spots that you won't want to miss. La Conner is just 10 minutes away where you can dine on the water of the Salish Sea and shop for locally made gifts and foods. Or continue up to highway 20, across Fidalgo Island and Deception Pass to Whidbey Island where you can catch a ferry back to the mainland. There is so much to do and see on this little trip so you'll need to plan a full day!
Before planning your trip refer to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival website for updates on when the blooming begins. Roozengaarde has a map that shows which of their fields are in bloom and you can time your trip from this resource as well. Keep in mind that touring fields and gardens has a small admission fee.
Happy Touring!
Happy Touring!
