As the last of the blooms fade and the tulips begin to shift into their next stage, we’re officially closing out another Skagit Valley Tulip Festival season.
To everyone who visited, thank you. Whether this was your first trip or a tradition you return to each year, it means so much that you chose to spend your spring here. Your visit supports not just the festival, but an entire community of farmers, small businesses, artists, and local organizations.
“It brings people together”
“What I love most about this festival is the way it brings people together,” said Nicole Roozen, Skagit Valley Tulip Festival Executive Director. “You’ll hear different languages, see different traditions, and watch people from all over the world experience the same fields in their own way. It really becomes this beautiful mix of cultures, all connected by something simple and special.”
To our sponsors and partners, thank you for showing up year after year and believing in what this festival represents. Your support allows us to continue growing and evolving while staying true to our roots.
And to our growers, whose work starts long before the first bloom and continues long after the tulips fade, we are endlessly grateful. This experience begins and ends with you.
So… What Happens Now?
One of the questions we hear all the time is, “What happens after the tulips are done blooming?”
Even though the fields may look like they are winding down, this is actually one of the most important times of the year, especially for bulb growers like RoozenGaarde. While tulips are enjoyed as fresh cut flowers, the bigger purpose is bulb production for future seasons.
The next step is something called “topping.” Farmers use a machine to remove the flower from the plant. It may seem a little surprising, but this step is essential. It redirects the plant’s energy back into the bulb instead of the flower, which helps produce a stronger, healthier bulb for the future.
Another important part of the process is carefully removing any petals that have fallen onto the plants. If they are left, they can trap moisture and lead to disease, especially Botrytis, which is a fungal infection that can dramatically impact the plants. It is detailed, hands-on work, but it plays a big role in maintaining the quality of the crop.
So while the colorful fields may be gone for now, there is still a lot happening behind the scenes.
2026 Tulip Festival Art Exhibit People’s Choice Award
As we conclude the season, the votes are in for our People’s Choice Award from our 2026 Tulip Festival Art Exhibit, presented by The Skagit Casino Resort. This new addition to the festival quickly became a standout experience, inviting visitors to slow down, connect with the artwork, and play an active role in celebrating the talent on display. We’re so grateful to everyone who took the time to vote and help bring this part of the exhibit to life, it truly added something special to the season.
We’re pleased to announce 2026’s People’s Choice winner, Aleta Critchley.
Aleta, who grew up in Anacortes and still lives in the Skagit Valley, draws much of her inspiration from the surrounding landscape and everyday moments in nature. As she shared, her work is rooted in noticing “those magical moments” that often go unseen.
It’s a perspective that clearly resonated with many of you.
Thank you to all of the local artists who participated in this year’s exhibit. Your work added depth and creativity to the festival experience, and we look forward to continuing to grow this program in the years ahead.
Looking Ahead
While the tulips take a well-earned rest underground, we don’t.
Planning for 2027 is already underway, and we’re taking everything we learned this year to keep improving and evolving the festival. More ways to experience the valley, more reasons to stay a little longer, and more ways to support the people who make it all happen.
And if you’re wondering whether the Skagit Valley is worth visiting outside of tulip season, the answer is a very confident yes. Different season, different kind of magic.
