A Guide to Holland Tulip Festival in Amsterdam, Keukenhof and Michigan

Claudia
•
Jul 25, 2024

The Tulip Festival is a spring season celebration in Holland, akin to the Sakura season in Japan. This Tulip Festival in Amsterdam and Keukenhof Gardens in 2025 will draw millions of visitors from around the world. Visitors come to enjoy the spring flowers, walk through blooming tulip fields, take photos, and feel the joyful vibe.

Find out everything you need to know about the Holland Tulip Festival in Amsterdam, Keukenhof, and Michigan in this article.

A Guide to Holland Tulip Festival in Amsterdam, Keukenhof and Michigan
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The Rise of Tulips As a Symbol of Dutch Society

Have you heard the story of Tulip Mania, one of the most famous financial bubbles in history? Those iconic flowers didn't originally come from Holland. Instead, they traveled from the Ottoman Empire (modern-day Turkey) in the 1600s and became extremely popular sparking the frenzy known as Tulip Mania.

During this period, tulip bulbs sold for outrageous prices and became a status symbol for the wealthy. You could buy a house for the price of a single bulb! Tulips went from beautiful blooms to a symbol of luxury.

For many years, Holland has led the world in growing and selling flowers, especially tulips. Its favorable climate, fertile soil, and innovative spirit helped build a thriving industry. As this industry grew, the Dutch government promoted it as a tourist attraction, leading to flower festivals and events across Holland, like the Amsterdam Tulip Festival.

Holland has led the world in growing and selling flowers, especially tulips

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How Did the Holland Tulip Festival or Keukenhof Begin?

The Holland Tulip Festival, called "Keukenhof" or the "Keukenhof Gardens," started in 1949 in the Netherlands. Dutch bulb growers and the mayor of Lisse, a town in the flower-growing region, thought of this event to promote the Dutch tulip industry and show tulips and other bulb flowers in the country.

The gardens opened to the public in 1950 and soon very became popular. Visitors would come to see millions of tulips each spring. The event was a tita success to show the Netherlands’ long history of tulip growing. Today, the festival has over 7 million flowers, like tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths, and attracts people from all over the globe.

Keukenhof is one of the world’s largest flower gardens, also called the Garden of Europe. It sits on land that was once a hunting estate from the 1400s, with the name "Keukenhof" meaning "kitchen garden" for a nearby castle.

The Amsterdam Tulip Festival in Holland

The Amsterdam Tulip Festival began in the 20th century, a more recent initiative in contrast with the Holland Tulip Festival, or Keukenhof. Its goal is to bring tulips back to public spaces by planting them in parks, streets, and museums around Amsterdam. The Amsterdam Tulip Festival adds tulip plantings in parks, streets, and museums throughout Amsterdam.

The Amsterdam Tulip Festival isn’t just a one-place festival, it’s the entire city celebrating the arrival of spring in Holland. Every spring, 800,000 tulips are planted across the city—one for each resident. Flowers bloom in public spots like Vondelpark, Dam Square, and around the Rijksmuseum. Most places are free for all to enjoy.

The Amsterdam Tulip Festival isn't just a one-place festival.

Visitors can learn about the city’s tulip history at the Amsterdam Tulip Museum or join National Tulip Day in Dam Square, where they can see tulip fields and pick free tulips. Also, the floating Bloemenmarkt (flower market) is a popular spot to buy tulip bulbs and flowers.

The Amsterdam Tulip Festival is one of many flower events in the Netherlands, along with Keukenhof Gardens, which also features millions of spring flowers near Amsterdam.

When Will the Amsterdam Tulip Festival in Holland Begin?

The Amsterdam Tulip Festival 2025 will be from April 1 to April 30, 2025. During this time, tulips will bloom across parks, museum gardens, and streets in the city. Key spots to visit are Vondelpark, Museumplein, and the gardens at the Rijksmuseum and other locations.

Be aware that the festival coincides with other major events, like the Keukenhof Gardens (open from March 20 to May 11, 2025) and the Flower Parade Bollenstreek on April 12-13, 2025.

The Keukenhof Tulip Festival in the Netherlands

The Keukenhof Tulip Festival takes place at Keukenhof Gardens (often called the Garden of Europe) in Lisse, Netherlands. It fills a large park in Lisse with millions of blooming flowers each spring, mainly tulips. We're talking about over 100 flower bulb growers and weekly indoor displays. Visitors can see themed gardens, tulip fields, and Dutch features like windmills and sculptures. The festival is also a means to support business and floriculture in the Netherlands, giving growers a place to share new flower types.

In case you are considering a trip to Holland during 2025, this Tulip Festival is the place to visit. Not only you will witness a wide array of tulips, but you can also join the festivities for its 75th anniversary.

The Keukenhof Gardens also called the
Picture by Tabitha in Pexels

When Will the Keukenhof Tulip Festival Begin in 2025?

The 2025 Keukenhof Tulip Festival will take place from March 20 to May 11, 2025. During this time, visitors can see large fields of tulips, attend flower shows in different pavilions, and join events like the Flower Parade and Easter fun. The festival takes place in Lisse, Netherlands, and offers walking paths, bike rentals, and boat tours to enjoy the flowers.

Here’s a fun fact you may not know: the magic of this tulip garden lies in its unique planting style, which ensures a display of tulips all season long. A kaleidoscope of colors unfolds as the tulips bloom in stages. To make visits more enjoyable and peaceful, there is a timed ticketing system. Be sure not to miss it and book your tickets early to reserve your spot and witness nature’s beauty.

Beyond these two famous festivals, many others take place in towns and regions across the country. Here’s one of the most important.

The Holland Tulip Festival In Michigan

The Holland Tulip Festival, or Tulip Time, started in 1929 in Holland, Michigan in the United States. The city, founded by immigrants in the 19th century, wanted to honor its Dutch roots and the beauty of tulips. They planted 100,000 tulip bulbs to create a flower display like those in the Netherlands. The event grew in popularity, as thousands of visitors started coming and parades appeared, Dutch dances, and local arts.

Over time, Tulip Time became one of the largest festivals in the U.S., with many acres of blooming tulips in parks, streets, and gardens. A key part of the festival is the tulip parade, where floats covered in thousands of tulips draw many visitors each year. Guests can visit local sites like Windmill Island Gardens and Veldheer Tulip Farm.

Holland Tulip Festival In Michigan is one of the state's most significant events
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When Will the Holland Tulip Festival In Michigan Begin?

The Holland Tulip Festival, or Tulip Time, in Michigan, United States will last eight days in May starting on May 3, 2025, and ending on May 11, 2025. This yearly event honors Dutch roots and shows millions of tulips in bloom around the city. It includes parades, Dutch dancing, and many other activities in Holland, Michigan.

The festival will offer a variety of events throughout the week, spread across different locations within a short distance. Visitors can enjoy the tulip displays at their peak in parks, gardens, and around town for free.

The Tulip Festival is a spring season celebration in Holland, akin to the Sakura season in Japan.