Here’s what you need to know about the Skagit Tulip Festival after the storm
Wind and rain blew through the Skagit Tulip Festival on Monday, April 4, but Executive Director Cindy Verge said only a few bulbs were lost.
“We were really fortunate,” Verge said in a telephone interview with The Bellingham Herald. “We might have lost a couple of blossoms, but there was no great storm damage.”
Since the storm passed during the early stages of bloom, peak bloom shouldn’t be impacted. April 7 to April 14 is still expected to be the best time to see the most tulips in bloom.
“It happened at a time when our tulips were pretty green so they were still pretty tight,” Verge said. “Many of them hadn’t even started showing any color yet. They were just starting to bloom when it hit, and that’s when they’re very sturdy. Now, if we had that wind when our tulips were in full bloom, we would’ve lost a lot of blossoms.”
With more rain in the forecast, Verge implores people to pay attention to the weather before they visit.
“You always need to be aware that our springtime weather changes a lot,” Verge said. “Be prepared for wet, windy conditions. We suggest you dress in layers and be prepared for conditions where you can encounter some mud and some slippery field conditions with the rain.”
Even though the tulip fields remained strong, off-road parking was greatly affected.
“With the rain we’ve had thus far, we aren’t going to have very much off-road parking by the actual crop fields,” Verge said. “Because you can only do that when the soil will support the weight of the vehicle.”
Verge said there will probably be one or two off-road parking areas open near the crop fields, however, there will still be lots of parking available at each of the gardens and other locations as shown on the Skagit Tulip Festival printable map from their website.
Garden details
▪ Garden Rosalyn’s 13 acre complex is new to the festival with six acres of tulips planted in geometric designs at Kamb and Jungquist roads in Mount Vernon. It is the only garden in the tulip festival that allows leashed, well-behaved dogs to attend and have their pictures taken.
Tickets are available for purchase at the gates for $12, children 5 and under gain free admission and parking on location is free. Garden Rosalyn will be open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day through May 2.
▪ Tickets for Tulip Town can be purchased on its website for $15, ages 12 and up; $7, ages 6-11; and free, ages 5 and younger. Tulip Town is open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day through May 2 at 15002 Bradshaw Road, Mount Vernon.
▪ RoozenGaarde tickets are also available for purchase on its website for $15, ages 3 and up; free, ages 2 and down. RoozenGaarde is open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekends through May 1 at 15867 Beaver Marsh Road, Mount Vernon.
This story was originally published April 7, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
CORRECTION: The spelling of RoozenGaarde was corrected April 25, 2022.
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