7 Flower Festivals To Get You Feeling Spring Fever
Whether the winter weather has finally disappeared in your neighborhood or is holding on with its last icy claws, spring is officially here. And it’s about blooming time! Here are seven flower festivals to get you feeling the spring fever.
1. Cherry Blossoms in Washington D.C., U.S.
March 17 through April 15
The National Cherry Blossom Festival turns the National Mall pink. This year, the National Park Service predicts peak bloom will hit on March 27 and last through Easter weekend, but the festival will last for weeks after that period.
2. Tulips in Keukenhof, Netherlands
March 22 through May 13
There are more than 7 million tulip bulbs at Keukenhof gardens with 800 varieties. The garden dates back to the 1850s, known as the Romantic Period. Fittingly, this year’s garden theme is Romance in Flowers.
3. Lilacs in Mackinac Island, Michigan, U.S.
June 8 through 17
This year’s Mackinac Island Lilac Festival will be the 70th of its kind, with parades taking over the carless island. You’ll see a horse-drawn parade and a dog and pony parade along with many pretty lilac blossoms.
4. Genzano Infiorata in Genzano di Roma, Italy
June 9, 10 and 11
This unique Italian festival brings flowers to the streets of Genzano di Roma. The tiny village outside Rome becomes a floral tapestry for the Infiorata, with artists creating huge flower murals in the middle of the town’s roads.
5. Roses in Portland, Oregon, U.S.
April 7 through mid-June
Portland’s rose garden is one of the best in the country and to celebrate the growing season, the entire spring and summer is filled with activities at the Portland Rose Festival. The event’s highlight is the Grand Floral Parade on June 9.
6. Sakura Matsuri in Kyoto, Japan
Late March through early April
While the D.C. festival is lovely, those cherry trees are actually from Japan, where the original festival takes place every year. Hundreds of cherry trees blossom and thousands of people come to Kyoto for the spectacle, with celebrations filled with sake and delicious local food.
7. Tulips in Skagit Valley, Washington, U.S.
April 1 through 30
The tulip fields of Washington turn bright colors in April and the state celebrates accordingly. The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival brings in local wineries, restaurants, breweries and craftspeople from around the Pacific Northwest and even has a tulip-themed basketball championship.