Washington State’s Skagit Valley, an hour’s drive north of Seattle off Interstate 5, is a beautiful place any time of the year. Bald eagles soar overhead, you can smell the ocean air on the wind, and immaculate farms dot the landscape. But in spring it comes alive with brilliant color generated by over 700 acres of flowers. The flower viewing season starts with yellow daffodils in March, a rainbow of tulips takes the stage in April, and irises and lilies provide color well into the month of May.

In 1906, when Mary Brown Stewart planted a few tulip bulbs from Holland, she never realized that this small valley would be realizing over fifty million dollars in revenue from daffodils, tulips and iris bulbs before the year 2000. That doesn’t count the money generated by tourists visiting the Skagit Valley Tulip festival, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2008.

The Festival has many special events scheduled throughout the month of April, from parades to street fairs to art and quilt shows. Local wineries also participate. Many farms offer special tours as well as the chance to buy flowers fresh from the field, or invest in bulbs for your home garden.

A festival field map is available online and at many local merchants.