Beautiful blooming bulbs are back at Chilliwack Tulip Festival

The 17th annual Chilliwack Tulip Festival opens April 19, delighting visitors with fields of spring-blooming flowers for about three to four weeks.

Among the more than seven million bulbs planted throughout the 20-acre farm are 30 tulip varieties, 16 types of daffodils and five types of hyacinths.

Different floral varieties bloom over the span of the festival. The kick-off days feature early-blooming tulip varieties (including the ever-popular World’s Favourite), plus colourful daffodils and hyacinths adjacent to the tulip fields.

The bulbs are part of a year-round working farm. Onos Greenhouses leases land from a local farm, growing the tulips on the Chilliwack field that becomes the annual festival grounds.

After the festival, Onos Greenhouses collects the bulbs and then uses them in their greenhouse operation, which currently supplies 85 per cent of the cut tulips that are sold throughout Western Canada.

“My family and I look forward to welcoming visitors to explore the colourful fields,” says festival founder Kate Onos-Gilbert. “Opening the festival each year truly feels like a celebration of spring.”

Founded in 2006, the event was the first of its kind locally, and a pioneer in promoting agri-tourism and the Fraser Valley’s integral role in B.C. farming.

With between seven and 15 acres of flowers in full bloom at any given time, selfie spots and photo opportunities abound. Seven sets of swings, outdoor lawn games, a 1950s Morris convertible and a 1965 Airstream trailer are among the charming props and settings.

This year, the flower fields are located within 75 metres of the entrance, making the experience easier to access.

The Farm Shop will be open daily, offering treats and refreshments to supplement the offerings from popular local food trucks. The shop also sells fresh-cut and potted tulips, sunflower seeds and tulip-themed souvenirs.

If you go:

• The Chilliwack Tulip Festival runs daily, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. starting April 19, for approximately three to four weeks.
• Tickets are available online only. Prices vary for adults, seniors, children, and bus groups. Book at least one day in advance to save $5 per person. Sunrise tickets (6 a.m. to 7 a.m.) will be available on weekends.
• The fields are located at 41310 Royalwood Dr., just off Highway 1. Parking is free. For complete details, including ticket pricing and purchasing, visit chilliwacktulipfest.com.

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