The Harrison Tulip Festival was once the Chilliwack Tulip Festival. However, 3 years ago the Onos family, pioneers of BC’s original tulip festival, moved their operations East to Harrison. They have since recreated their farm, fields, and attractions to a larger scale.
They are a combination of all the tulip experiences in Abbotsford (that I wrote about previously), but 60 minutes and 58km away. They are currently Canada’s largest tulip festival blooming April through to early May in Agassiz.
They span 45 acres and feature more than 14 million blooms, including daffodils, hyacinths, and 150 varieties of tulips. Visitors are invited to wander, linger, and capture tulips across farmed fields, gardens, and decorative pockets. There are between 20 and 30 acres of flowers are in full bloom at any given time, ensuring there’s always something fresh to enjoy.
Having visited the last year, I can report first hand on all that they are doing this year to grow this venture.
New is the ability to make your own bouquet and/or flower crown at The Bloom Bar. Both make great souvenirs and even better props for your tulip photos. Therefore I recommend doing this first. I wound my own crown with the help of their staff, weaving the likes of tulips, pine sprigs, eucalyptus, leaves, and pussy willows together to create some thing truly ethereal.
Their Show Garden continues to be a centre piece and this years there are two ways to enjoy it. By day as a sea of colourful, curated tulip displays in a range of unique varieties. By night, on select dates, an illuminated evening experience with twinkling light and soft lanterns. You can even have your flower crown laced with twine lights to blend into the scene better.
Also new are vendors set up, much like a farmer’s market. This was a curated selection of soaps, jewelry, sauces, and spreads. Local made goods and their creators to compliment the Tulip Festival’s very own gift shop that you pass through on your way out.
If and when hungry you can grab a bite at one of their three stationary food trucks. New this year is The Dutch Wagon, serving Dutch street food, which I had to try, considering its close proximity to tulips. I had their Dutch oven wing combo which was coarsely breaded, juicy chicken wings. Tasty as is, but there was also a bold garlic mayo aioli to dip into for more pop. This also came with a side of fries, and apparently the traditional Dutch way to have it is with a velvety cheese dip. Together, this combo both served as a terrific outdoor snack.
Not available during my visit, but other ways to extend your Tulip Festival visit is with their sunrise and sunset yoga & pilates sessions. These are held in the fields. There are also floral classes like the Hyacinth Mosaic workshop.
Available all throughout the day are yard games and relaxed gathering spaces for guests to enjoy, with live musicians to appreciate. There are plenty of props and displays around the tulips for the perfect photo op. And the aforementioned Farm Store is stocked with seasonal goods and gifts, including a new selection of imported Dutch treats to shop from and take home as a souvenir
For those travelling from Metro Vancouver, the festival has a new shuttle service from the City of Lougheed – Lougheed Shopping Centre (Burnaby). It will run on select dates, with additional dates potentially added based on demand.
This is definitely the biggest ticket out here for the season, so expect lines and crowds as this can be compared to a tulip themed amusement park.
Harrison Tulip Festival
5039 Lougheed Hwy., Agassiz, BC V4Z OG1
tourismharrison.com
