Aren't you glad the whole "virtual" thing is over, for now?

While the City of Albany made a valiant attempt during the pandemic to preserve a long-running Upstate NY tradition, this is one thing you must see in person to fully appreciate.

Due to the pandemic, the City of Albany was forced to cancel many events in Washington Park, but none bigger than its annual Tulip Festival, a tradition in Albany that dates back to 1949.

A virtual Tulip Fest in 2020 -  and again in 2021 -  was appreciated but left something to be desired as organizers created videos and images for the event and showcased them on Albany Events YouTube and Facebook pages, as well as on public access TV.

But in 2022, a return to normalcy means a return to a Spring tradition that needs to be experienced in person, not online - Tulp Fest.

And with that came this announcement by the City of Albany about the weekend celebration in historic Washington Park, the "crown jewel" of the City:

The Tulip Festival is Albany’s signature spring event. Featuring annual traditions rooted in the city’s rich Dutch heritage, nearly one hundred artisans selling their handmade crafts, a fine arts show, delicious food, the KidZone family fun destination, two stages of world-class live entertainment and more than 140,000 tulips in 150 different varieties, the Tulip Festival is a sparkling showcase of local culture and business. -City of Albany Events

In addition to a weekend full of activities and events, the City of Albany offers tours of the Tulip beds - while they're in bloom - in the days leading up to the festival.

Tours are on Monday May 2th – May 6th 2pm & 5:00p.m., Thursday May 9th 1p.m.,3p.m. 5p.m., Friday May 10th 10a.m.,1p.m., 5:30p.m.

Spaces are limited and reservations are required; call 518.434.2032 to reserve your place. For more info, click here.

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