Stop & Smell the Flowers at the TOP Tulip Festivals in the Midwest

Each spring millions of tulips bloom across the Midwest, transforming the landscape into a mesmerizing sea of reds, pinks, yellows, and purples. Tulip festivals in the Midwest offer a unique opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in the enchanting world of tulips while celebrating the arrival of spring.

From the meticulously manicured gardens of Holland, Michigan, to the sprawling fields of Pella, Iowa, these festivals attract visitors from far and wide to witness the stunning displays of tulips in full bloom — strolling through colorful gardens and smelling their enchanting mix of floral scents.

Beyond the stunning visuals of tulips in bloom, the festivals also feature cultural events, live music, delicious food, and traditional Dutch activities, providing a rich and immersive experience for all attendees.

Midwest Tulip Fest | Illinois

Kuipers Family Farm in Maple Park in northern Illinois hosts this annual festival that runs from late April to mid-May.

For the last several years, the farm has planted almost 500,000 tulip bulbs across seven acres, creating a magnificent landscape of color. During the festival, the fields are abloom with tulips and perfect for great photo ops. The farm also has separate fields for visitors to cut and purchase tulips to take home.

In addition to brilliant fields of tulips, visitors can enjoy live entertainment, tasty food truck options, a back 40 for playgrounds, and a pedal tractor derby. The festival also includes toss games, duck races, a mountain slide, and a farmstand where visitors can shop for spring decorations and farm products. 

Tulip Time Festival | Iowa

Pella, in Central Iowa, hosts this annual May festival that celebrates over 300,000 bright tulips and the city’s Dutch heritage.

Thousands of residents get into the spirit of spring by dressing in Dutch attire and many events are free. One of the festival’s biggest events is parades and each day of the festival features two parades each day of the festival — one in the afternoon and one at night.

Attendees can enjoy numerous food options at the festivals, including bologna on a stick, stroopwafels, vet bollen (fried donuts), burgers, and poffertjes (mini pancakes). Visitors can also stop into local restaurants or make reservations at Maria’s Tea Room and for Dutch dinners.

During the festival, visitors can also enjoy historical village and windmill tours, stroll along Tulip Avenue, visit local gardens, live entertainment, and even purchase tulip bulbs to plant at home.

Tulip Time Festival | Michigan

Nestled on the Lake Michigan shoreline, Holland’s annual Tulip Time festival is always a sure sign that spring has arrived. This popular celebration has been a mainstay since 1929 and features millions of tulips, blanketed by many nods to the community’s Dutch heritage.

The seeds for the festival were planted after local officials purchased tulip bulbs directly from the Netherlands in 1928. It’s become one of Michigan’s most well-known spring festivals — one that was even attended by former president Gerald Ford.

The festival includes traditional Dutch Klompen dancing with wooden shoes, several parades where participants dress in Dutch clothing, Tulp Time races, walking tours, a festival carnival, and more.

Tulip Festival | Kansas

Each April, thousands of visitors flock to Wamego in Northeast Kansas to enjoy vibrant, pleasing tulips and a huge craft fair featuring over 150 vendors.

Tulips are usually in bloom during the festival, so visitors can stop by the local historical museum, Wamego City Park, downtown Wamego, and other spots around town to marvel at these colorful flowers.

The celebration also includes a popular beer, cider, and wine-tasting tent, live entertainment, and plenty of fun activities for kids. Youngsters can enjoy a petting zoo, bounce houses, homemade ice cream, face painting, and more.

For shopping enthusiasts, the festival usually features more than 150 craft and artisan vendors selling a variety of unique handmade, homemade goods.

Tulip Fest & Harvest | Wisconsin

Nestled just north of Milwaukee, Happy Day Farm Haus in Germantown Wisconsin has hosted a popular two-day tulip event that is just a few years old. The festival features thousands of hand-painted tulips and harvested tulips available for purchase.

Apart from the tulips, visitors can enjoy a mix of tasty food and beverage options, live music, a local farm stand, a tulip harvest where visitors can get the exact tulips they want, and more.

This is the perfect small-town festival for those looking for a Mother’s Day surprise and a way to enjoy colorful Wisconsin tulip fields.

Orange City Tulip Festival | Iowa

Orange City in Northwest Iowa has hosted an annual mid-May tulip festival for decades, celebrating its Dutch heritage and colorful flowers.

The festival is internationally recognized and features dancing in authentic Dutch clothing, twice-daily parades, a carnival midway, food and beverage options, nightly musical theater, thousands of tulips, and a dozen replica windmills around town.

Visitors can also enjoy wooden shoe-making demonstrations, Dutch street organ performances, tulip tours, horse-drawn trolley tours, and more.

Tulip Festival | Illinois

Spring Grove, nestled north of Chicago, is the site of this vibrant annual spring festival at Richardson Adventure Farm, a private 36-acre farm in a beautiful setting. During the festival, the farm features thousands of tulips in bloom alongside colorful daffodils.

Visitors can enjoy a variety of activities, including food trucks and enjoy meals near the lakefront, free games, live music, beer and wine, and more. The festival is also dog-friendly, so attendees can bring their pooches to join the fun. 

Enjoy a Magnificent Midwest Tulip Festival

From thousands of the most colorful tulips and bustling craft fairs to delicious food truck options and traditional Dutch celebrations, tulip festivals in the Midwest have something for everyone.

Whether you’re a longtime Tulip Festival attendee or you’re going for the first time, it’s the perfect experience to finally welcome spring and look forward to warm, sunny days ahead.