Rachel Barkman, supplied by Chilliwack Tulip Festival, permission granted by Chilliwack Tulip Festival / The Chilliwack Tulip Festival will return for its 17th annual instalment starting next Wednesday, April 19 at 41310 Royalwood Drive, near exit 109 (Greendale). Parking is free. Buy tickets online at chilliwacktulipfest.com.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Chilliwack Tulip Festival opening soon

Chilliwack Tulip Festival opens next week

Apr 12, 2023 | 12:05 PM

CHILLIWACK — A cornucopia of spring colour will summon thousands of visitors to the fields of Chilliwack when the 17th annual Chilliwack Tulip Festival returns for its opening day on Wednesday, April 19.

Founded in 2006, the event was the first of its kind locally and a pioneer in promoting agritourism and the Fraser Valley’s integral role in BC farming, according to a press release from the festival.

The flower farm experience invites guests to smell, admire and photograph a vibrant flower landscape spread across 20-plus acres of fields. Visitors can fix their eyes on seven million bulbs featuring 30 tulip varieties, 16 types of daffodils and five types of hyacinths.

Behind the festival’s dazzle is the integrity 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, ushering in an annual reminder to Canadians that spring has arrived.

“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.”

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Since different floral varieties bloom over the span of the festival and the grounds, repeat visits offer guests a range of delights. For instance, 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. This year, the flower fields are located within 75 metres of the entrance, making the experience easier than ever for patrons to access.

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 beckon to guests hoping to enjoy the charming props and settings to inspire memory-making moments.

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

The Chilliwack Tulip Festival runs daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., from April 19, for approximately three to four weeks. Sunrise tickets, from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m., will be available on weekends. Ticket prices vary for adults, seniors, children, and bus groups. Book at least one day in advance to save $5 per person. Tickets are available online only. The fields are located at 41310 Royalwood Drive, just off Highway 1. Parking is free.

For complete details, including ticket pricing and purchasing, visit chilliwacktulipfest.com.

by Mike Vanden Bosch

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