Richardson Farm Tulip Fest to open mid-April

Richardson Farm in Spring Grove will be bursting with vibrant color at the annual Tulip Festival, which opens in mid-April.

The exact opening date of the festival is still yet to be determined, as it’s based on when the flowers are in full bloom. The farm estimates the opening to be between April 18 and 25.

“We’re kind of right in line with where we were last year, when we opened April 20,” said George Richardson, who operates the farm along with his wife, Wendy, brother, Robert, Robert’s wife, Carol, George’s son, Ryan and Ryan’s wife, Kristen. “Those who visit can expect an especially brilliant array, with blocks of flowers more densely packed.”

The festival features 10 acres of about 1 million magnificent tulips in more than 30 varieties — from Allison Bradley (red) and Avignon (peach) to Zantuyell (light orange) and Zantupur (purplish pink). More than 50,000 yellow daffodils were also planted and will bloom alongside the tulips.

“The colors are so magnificent,” said Robert Richardson, who first broached the idea of adding the tulip festival to the Richardson Farm lineup of events back in 2019. “It’s so fun to look forward to.”

George Richardson added that the yellow pomponettes are among his favorites.

“They are absolutely gorgeous,” he said. “They have double the petals and a magnificent scent.”

Visitors can enjoy live music on weekends, food trucks, lakeside picnic areas and outdoor games like giant Jenga, giant checkers and bag toss. The gift shop will be open daily throughout the festival, with a wine-tasting bar featuring Prairie State Wines.

New at the gift shop this year will be mimosas for sale in a commemorative glass to sip while shopping, available on weekends, Wendy Richardson said.

She added that the same shop will feature tulip bulbs in the fall that correlate to the ones now emerging in the fields.

“If visitors see a particular flower that they love this spring, they should make a note of the variety so they can come buy some bulbs in the fall,” she said.

Once opened, the fest typically lasts two to three weeks. Hours are expanded this year, opening one hour earlier, at 10 a.m., and remaining open until 6:30 p.m. The gift shop will open at 9:30 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.

Admission will be $16 per person, all ages, Tuesdays through Fridays, and $19 on Saturdays and Sundays for those 13 and older. The cost for those ages 4 through 12 on Saturdays and Sundays is $16. Ages 3 and younger are admitted free. The fest is pet-friendly, so leashed, well-behaved dogs are welcome.

All paying visitors receive one free tulip with admission.

To stay up to date on the latest farm news, visit the Richardson Farm website at richardsonfarm.com, click on the Richardson Tulip Festival button, visit the Richardson “World’s Largest” Corn Maze Facebook page or follow @richardsonadventurefarm on Instagram.