The Albany Tulip Festival is one of the most popular events in the Albany, New York, area. The festival is on its 70th year and is scheduled for May 12 and 13 of this year. The festival promises entertainment, education, and thousands of tulips.
What You Can Expect to See
While the Albany Tulip Festival features over 140,000 tulips, there is so much more to do and see. You will also find over 100 vendors selling homemade crafts, fine arts, and delicious local cuisines. The festival celebrates the Dutch history of Albany, so you’ll also find many Dutch-inspired events.
It’s important to remember the rules of the festival. Guests aren’t allowed to bring alcoholic beverages or glass containers into the festival grounds. The event doesn’t allow tobacco use or pets of any kind. The festival guidelines also request that guests don’t record the live performances.
Kid-Friendly Entertainment
The Albany Tulip Festival has a dedicated KidZone area that makes the festival fun for children. The KidZone tent is set up for tulip-inspired crafts, children’s book challenges, and games. Children can also attend live events including Melvin the Magnificent, Andy “The Music Man” Morse and others. There’s also a rock climbing wall, bouncy inflatables, and plenty of carnival-style games.
Fun For Grown-Ups Too
You don’t have to bring the children to have a good time at the Albany Tulip Festival. There are many other activities for adults as well, including two stages with live entertainment. The live entertainment is provided by the Community School of Rock, a local school of music and performing arts. A few of the scheduled performances include Jordan Taylor Hill and The LateShift.
Floral and tulip enthusiasts will enjoy the Tulip Tour guided by the city gardener, Jessica Morgan. This free event fills up quickly, so make sure you reserve your space ahead of time. Other events worth checking out include the Dutch street scrubbing ceremony, the Tulip Festival luncheon, and the tulip queen crowning.
Location of the Festival
The Albany Tulip Festival draws a large crowd every year. The event takes place at the 81-acre historic Washington Park. Although there is plenty of parking available, they do fill up quickly. Fortunately, the city does offer a free shuttle bus from the complimentary Elk Street/Eagle Street parking lots. Shuttle pickup spots are clearly marked outside of the parking lots. Shuttles leave for the festival in 25-minute increments.
Attend the Ball of the Season
The Royal Tulip Ball is one of the most popular events during the Albany Tulip Festival. This charitable event will take place on Saturday, May 12 at the Albany Capital Center. All proceeds from the event will go toward the Capital City Fund, a local nonprofit that assists other charitable organizations in the city of Albany.
The biggest and most anticipated event in Albany, New York, is almost here. Purchase your tickets, arrange your transportation plans, and map out all of the exciting events you want to participate in at the 2018 Albany Tulip Festival.
