After a couple of years of touch-and-go, the annual Tulipalooza returns, hopefully this time without a wrinkle. The 2022 version of this tulip-fest in Waxahachie takes place March 18-27, without pandemic or, fingers crossed, weather to stand in the way.
The event first debuted in 2019 at Poston Gardens, a Waxahachie facility that imports tulip bulbs from Holland and grows them on-site until they bloom, then invites tulip lovers to come and pick their own.
The festival also features live music, food trucks, and vendor tents. In 2021, the event relocated from its original location near Daymark Living Center to Waxahachie Civic Center, to accommodate more attractions.
This year's Tulipalooza will have 300,000 tulips, with 17 varieties from 16 growers.
Tulips do OK in Texas weather, and are not too perishable, with a bloom life of two weeks.
Like everything else, Tulipalooza was affected by the pandemic, shutting down in the middle of their 2020 season and nearly canceling 2021 because they couldn't afford to buy bulbs. But people love the festival and the community rallied around to help raise funds and prop it back up.
Even if you don't love tulips, the event has a charitable component that attracts fans. The concept was created by John Poston, founder of Daymark Living, a community for adults with with intellectual and developmental delays.
Poston took a patch of land next to Daymark's facility and, with the help of a team from the Netherlands, transformed it into a tulip garden where Daymark residents could work.
Poston Gardens also partners with charitable organizations around North Texas to participate in fundraising, such as Rhett Sullivan Foundation, a nonprofit aiding families who experience early child loss; Best Buddies, an organization creating opportunities and offering inclusive living for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities; and Hendrick Scholarship Foundation, which is providing scholarships and support services to Plano ISD graduates who have overcome adversity.
Ticket holders can choose a charity as beneficiary.
Tickets are now on sale. Weekday admission is $15, weekend admission for $20, and child tickets are $5. Note: That fee is for entry only. You must also pay a $2 charge for each tulip you pick.
