Tulip Time Festival in Holland, Michigan
tour includes an evening visit, there are
nightly illuminations that give a magical
glow to the shrubs, trees and flowers.
Finally, on Saturday nights from July
through Labor Day weekend, groups can
experience what has been called one
of the finest fireworks shows in North
America—a pyrotechnic display choreo-
graphed to music.
Portland, Oregon, is known as the City
of Roses, and nothing says it quite as offi-
cially as the Portland Rose Festival held
late May/early June, when the showy
blooms are at their showiest. (This year’s
event runs from May 25 to June 9). The
16-day festival features a range of rose-
related activities, from a rose show to a
Grand Floral Float showcase.
Sandwiched in between are crowd-
pleasers such as a waterfront City Fair
and a Dragon Boat Race.
If your group prefers tulips to roses,
you will have to take them to Holland—
Holland, Michigan, that is. In early May
(5–13 this year), that city’s Tulip Time
Festival is in full swing … and full bloom.
Millions of colorful bulbs blossom
along six miles of tulip lanes through-
out the city, giving groups an under-
standing of why this has been called the
“best flower festival in the U.S.” by USA
Today and “one of America’s best spring
flower festivals” by Fodor’s Travel.
This year will be the 89th for the fes-
tival, and while tulips are, of course, the
stars of the show, they have plenty of
co-stars in the form of traditional Dutch
food and dancing, a Dutch market,
28
March 2018
R OOMS a B LOOMS
Palace Garden at Colonial Williamsburg
fireworks and headline performances
by the Beach Boys, the Texas Tenors and
the Liver