Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
skagit valley tulip festival tulip festival skagit valley washington state united state held annually spring april april around george gibbs immigrant england moved orca island began grow apple hazelnut nine year later purchased five dollar worth flower bulb grow dug couple year later saw multiplied realized potential bulbgrowing puget sound region contacted dutch grower holland learn business find dutch highly secretive commercial practice however shipped bulb holland impressed dutch grower traveled orca island see tulip could grow outside holland gibbs wrote united state department agriculture regarding commercial prospect bulbgrowing region took interest sent gibbs imported bulb holland grow experiment contract experiment successful united state department agriculture established acre test garden around bellingham proved successful enough bellingham tulip festival begin showcase celebrate success bulb industry bellingham tulip festival discontinued due great depression bulb freeze brought heavy loss grower subsequently grower moved south skagit county william roozen arrived united state leaving behind successful bulbgrowing business spanning six generation holland working several different farm roozen started skagit county purchased washington bulb company making leader among four flowergrowing family area making washington bulb company leading grower tulip daffodil iris bulb north america farm operates public display garden gift shop called roozengaarde alongside degoede family tulip town major attraction tulip festival local tulip grower showcased bulb display garden decade prior formation official festival mount vernon chamber commerce established skagit valley tulip festival threeday event add festivity bloom month event since grown monthlong event coincides street fair art show sporting event festival cancelled march due coronavirus pandemic affected skagit county festival organizer initially planned smaller event limited number people allowed display garden later caronly tour cancelled state government issued stayathome order tulip town major festival venue announced plan use virtual tour flower donation hospital worker recoup lost revenue several tulip field prematurely cut prevent people visiting area festival claim washington largest one million visitor least one news source stated attendance travel leisure put figure festival selected best street fair kingtvs best northwest award tulipmania skagit valley tulip festival official festival guidebook isbn