This year’s New York City Free Tulip Festival took place in Union Square, with over 170,000 tulips to pick from. Hosted by Dutch trade association Royal Anthos, the free tickets were sold out in seconds on Mar. 17.
The event was a great start to a vibrant celebration of spring and community spirit. This annual event invited residents and visitors to experience the beauty of thousands of blooming tulips in one of New York City’s most iconic parks. Attendees were able to pick from 1-10 tulips each, with different varieties to choose from such as pink, yellow, orange, white and so many other beautiful colors.
Not only were attendees able to pick the tulips, there were other activities such as guided tours that educated participants about the different tulip varieties. On the sidewalk, right next to the park entrances, there were many vendors who set up their booths for people to walk by and see a variety of clothing, jewelry, handmade items, and so much more. There were local artists and musicians to play live music, as well, throughout the event.
The event ran from 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Those who were there were given a paper bag to put their tulips. However, it was not the most organized event. There was a single file line wrapped around the whole entire park, towards the entrance there was just a whole group of people rushing to get in. Many flowers were stepped on and people were shoving. Some people even had to wait for more than an hour to get in. However, once they were able to get in, the event was a beautiful experience.
This floral event has been going on for quite some time, starting in May 1949. The festival, however, didn’t take place in New York City at first. Instead, it first started in Albany. The main point of this festival was to trace back to Dutch roots — especially by calling the Dutch city of Nijmegen, its Sister-City. This connects all the way back to World War II with its mayors. The tulips are historical because it was after the war when Queen Wilhelmina sent 2,000 tulip bulbs to Albany. However, as the festival became more popular, it eventually moved to New York City, although it still occurs in Albany, too.
Different color tulips hold different meanings, as well. Pink expresses affection and care, similar to red being love and passion. Yellow emanates cheerfulness and joy, while orange represents appreciation and understanding. White showcases innocence and even forgiveness, as well. Many people chose colors based on their understanding of the meaning behind them.
Despite the chaotic experience that was made during the event, happy faces were seen all around, from young to old. Everyone in New York City had collectively gathered together and made this event memorable.
