Tulips of the Valley

The Abbotsford Tulip Festival features one of the largest displays of tulips in Canada! The Fraser Valley spectacle happens at Lakeland Flowers.

The Abbotsford Tulip Festival is a massive flower show that features 35 acres of fields, including 28 for tulips. This flower showpiece marks the start of the Abbotsford Summer Flower Festival which runs continually for about six months, making it the longest continually running festival of its kind in the Lower Mainland (and maybe even all of Canada).

The Abbotsford Tulip Festival opened for the season on April 6th, 2024. The tulips will likely be around until sometime in mid-May (weather permitting). After that, there will be other field flowers to see, plus sunflowers later in the summer. For an idea of what the state of the flowers are like towards the end of April, see the video just a little ways below.

For tickets and the event’s official website, visit lakelandflowers.ca.

This article contains the following information about the Abbotsford Tulip Festival:

The Abbotsford Tulip Festival

Last year the Abbotsford Tulip Festival featured over 70 different varieties of tulips on 27 acres of land. In 2024 it’s even bigger, with over 100 types of tulips spread across 28 acres of fields over the course of the season! There are an additional seven acres with other field flowers this year too.

Abbotsford Tulip Festival Video

For a peek at what the flowers look like, check out the following video. It was taken in mid-April in 2023. As you’ll see, even early in the season and on a rainy day, the flowers look beautiful! There were more flowers in bloom later in the season, but visitors could still go at this early stage to admire the fields of tulips!

Note: Last year the tulip season started later than usual because of a colder than normal spring. In 2024, the fields will likely be full of colour much earlier.

Abbotsford Tulip Festival Location

The Abbotsford Tulip Festival happens at a farm called Lakeland Flowers at 3663 Marion Road in Abbotsford. Lakeland Flowers isn’t far from Exit #99 on the Trans-Canada Highway, which is about a 60-minute drive from Vancouver.

The farm offers six months of flower festivals, beginning with the Tulip Festival in April. There’s also the Abbotsford Summer Flower Festival with sunflowers, phacelia, lavender and more to check out from July to September. There are flowers to admire between May and June too.

Dates for the Abbotsford Tulip Festival in 2023 were April 14th to May 14th. During that time the festival was open almost every day, except for three days. The 2024 festival opened on April 6th and will continue daily until the end of the season.

For tickets and full details about the event, visit the Abbotsford Tulip Festival at Lakeland Flowers website.

Fields at Abbotsford Tulip Festival

What is the Tulip Festival?

The Abbotsford Tulip Festival is at a farm with thousands of tulips and field flowers spread over a 35-acre area. It’s a beautiful place to admire millions of flowers. There are also food trucks and live music on select nights.

The Tulip Festival is an amazing spot to go for a short stroll and to see gazillions of gorgeous tulips. It’s a fabulous place to take photos, walk around and enjoy a picnic. The festival is a true celebration of spring!

The festival features five kilometres of pathways through fields showcasing over a hundred varieties of tulips in a wide range of shapes and colours. There are also unique photo opportunities with cute and picturesque displays including baby grand pianos, gigantic shoes, a swing set and more. It’s a sight to see (and smell)!

The Abbotsford Tulip Festival is part of the Lakeland Flowers Abbotsford Summer Flower Festival which lasts until early fall. It begins with the start of the tulip season and ends with the Abbotsford Sunflower Festival.

Tulips in Abbotsford

Hours & Admission at the Tulip Festival

Beginning on April 6th in 2024, daily hours are from 8:00 am until dusk. The festival’s closing date is to be confirmed, but will likely be around mid-May if similar to last year. That being said, even after all the tulips are gone, Lakeland Flowers will continue to be open and a place to admire field flowers for months to come.

Admission costs vary depending on when you go, your age, and how you buy your tickets. See below for information about prices.

For full details about the event, visit the Lakeland Flowers website.

Tulip Festival Prices

Below is the price list for the 2024 season. It’s pretty much the same as the year before. As you’ll notice, tickets range from $8 up to $25. The best prices are available online in advance. Weekdays are also less expensive than weekends.

(Note: Prices and other details are subject to change.)

Weekdays: $8 online in advance, $10 online on the day, and $12 at the gate
Weekends: $15 online in advance, $20 online on the day, and $25 at the gate

There is also an Early Light Special for folks wanting to visit between 6:00 am and 8:00 am. Tickets cost $15 but have to be purchased before 6:00 pm of the previous day. The special rate is available every day of the week except for Saturdays in 2024.

Note: Children ages 3 and under enter for free, and free parking is available on-site at 3663 Marion Road. If you want to take a drone to take pictures, you can do so for an extra $10. Drones, however, are only permitted between 6:00 am and 10:00 am.

In addition to there being flowers to see, there are also flowers to purchase. A bunch of five stems costs $5 this year, or 25 for $20.

Season Passes in 2024

There are two types of seasons passes in 2024. There is the regular season pass which costs $50 (plus GST). This pass gives you access to the farm every weekday during the tulip festival season, plus any day during the Summer Flower Festival later in the year. You can also get five sunflower stems every time you visit during the sunflower growing season. This pass does not include weekend visits.

The other season pass costs $60 (plus tax). The benefits are the same, except that with it you can also attend the festival on Mother’s Day.

Abbotsford Tulip Festival — Tulips at Lakeland Flowers

Live Music & Food Trucks

On a number of days there are food trucks and live music at the festival. Thanks to the folks at the Greater Vancouver Food Truck Festival, food trucks are on-site every Saturday and Sunday as well as on weekdays between April 22nd and the last day of the season (which will likely be May 12th, weather permitting). On weekdays there might be just one or two food vendors. On weekends, however, there might be between two and five.

Below is the tentative schedule for food trucks on the various weekends in 2024 (the last of which includes Mother’s Day).

April 6th & 7th – Rolled West Coast & G’s Donairs
April 13th & 14th – Big Red’s Poutine, ShawarmaTime & Ogopogo Mini Donuts
April 20th – Munchu Picchu, Big Red’s Poutine & Ogopogo Mini Donuts
April 21st – Munchu Picchu, Roasted Revolution & Ogopogo Mini Donuts
April 27th & 28th – G’s Donairs, Street Dogs & Ogopogo Mini Donuts
May 4th & 5th – Baba’s House, Rosies BBQ & Smokehouse, ShawarmaTime, & Ogopogo Mini Donuts
May 11th & 12th – Melttown Grilled Cheese, Roasted Revolution, Rolled West Coast, Street Dogs, & Ogopogo Mini Donuts,

Live music takes place at the festival in the afternoon and early evening on the last three Fridays of the festival. On each of those days the musician is Ryan McAllister (who is really good). He performs at the following times:

April 19th – 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm
April 26th – 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm
May 10th – 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm

Ryan McAllister (Performing at Abbotsford Agrifair)

Tulip Festival Tips

Here are some suggestions on how to make your trip to the Abbotsford Tulip Festival as good as possible.

TIP #1: If going within a few days of rain, wear rubber boots! The grounds can get pretty mucky.

TIP #2: In a typical year, go between the second and last week of April when the flowers are at their peak. The place is pretty throughout the festival, but especially in the middle of the season.

TIP #3: Try to go on a weekday if possible. Weekends are convenient, but if it’s a sunny day you’ll find the millions of flowers being admired by an equal number of people!

TIP #4: Take a picnic and your camera. Also, to get your money’s worth, plan to stay a while. Dogs on leash are also welcome.

TIP #5: Check the Field Report to see the status of the flowers before going. This will give you an idea of the state of the season and how much of the fields are actually in bloom on the day of your visit.

Great places to visit while in the Fraser Valley include the Greater Vancouver Zoo if you like animals and/or are with children. Other interesting places in the region include Harrison Hot Springs, which is beautiful any time of the year, and the Fort Langley historic site.

Also in the Fraser Valley, for children there is Maan Farms in Abbotsford, and for adults the Wineries and Wine Tours in Langley. And finally, on Saturdays when it’s running, make sure to check out the Farm and Country Market in Abbotsford.

Dog at Abbotsford Tulip Festival