THE Tulips of the Valley Festival in Chilliwack is the original tulip festival in the Fraser Valley that started in 2006. It has run yearly since then except last year as the fields were in a different location and the organizers were uncertain as to whether they could run the festival in the new location.
Their 20-acre fields are the largest tulip fields in Western Canada and because their tulips are planted in very wide beds (180 cm) rather than in narrow potato-type rows like other growers there are about 40% more flowers/acre in their fields, they say. Then there are the beautiful valley backdrops.
This year there will be four to five food trucks on weekends and one or two food trucks on weekdays. There will be some children’s activities available on weekends. There will be fresh on-site Dutch Stroop Waffles for the second year in a row and a few other “new” offerings.
Visitors can purchase fresh cut tulips and potted tulips at the fields along with postcards and photo cards.
The tentative opening date is April 12, but they will only open if the tulips are blooming. That is why they won’t open online ticket sales until April 1. The entrance prices are very reasonable with savings when tickets are bought on-line. These prices will be posted late March.