Thanksgiving Point’s Tulip Festival is the Perfect Spring Experience

By Palak Jayswal, Arts Editor

April 10, 2018

Tulips have had a colorful past. This flower — which signifies “perfect love” — originated in Turkey and Persia and slowly made its way across Europe and eventually to the United States. Here in Utah, we have our own share of these beautiful flowers. As spring slowly graces us with her presence here in Utah, the tulips at Ashton Gardens in Thanksgiving Point start to bloom and welcome the beginning of the 14th annual Tulip Festival. Home to over 280,000 tulips that have come directly from their homeland of Holland, the Thanksgiving Point Tulip festival is the perfect activity to kick off spring.

Ashton Gardens consists of nearly 15 different gardens, each of which is decorated according to a specific theme with the hundreds of varieties of tulips that have been brought in. There is even an exhibit for antique tulips: this year the 1595 Duc van Tol Red & Yellow and the 1780 Absalon tulips will be showcased.

Besides the main attraction, the Tulip Festival is home to many different events as well. On May 4th from 6:30-8:30 p.m. there will be a swing dance party with the Utah Swing Orchestra. There is a place for all the kids to have some fun, too, with educational activities as well as a Tulip Tot Playland and bounce houses. On April 28th, there will be the annual Tulip Festival Races for parents and children alike. Jump into spring with a run through the beautiful gardens. On May 5th at 7:30 p.m, the American Heritage Lyceum Philharmonic, along with special guest Lexi Walker will be performing a concert in the most beautiful outdoor venue imaginable.

When the day is wrapped up, take something home to commemorate the bright experience. Stop by the Learning Garden to bring home a bunch of your own cut tulips. One bunch is $10.

The Tulip Festival will be taking place from April 13-May 5 and is closed on Sundays. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets are on sale now online, and keep in mind that to have access to all the above mentioned events you need to buy special passes. Thanksgiving Point members receive free admission. Ashton Gardens is located at 3900 N. Garden Drive in Lehi, Utah.

Check out the following link for ticket packages: http://cart.thanksgivingpoint.org/single/eventlisting.aspx?k=81

About the Contributor

Palak Jayswal, Arts Editor

Palak Jayswal was the arts editor at The Daily Utah Chronicle. She had been a writer for the desk for three years. She graduated with a B.A. in Communication and a minor in creative writing in May 2020. During her time as arts editor, Palak has crafted several series pieces such as "Dine or Dash" and "Pop-Cultured." Palak is a big fan of the arts, but especially music and all things One Direction. She aspires to be a music journalist and to one day write for a publication like The New York Times, Rolling Stone, or Billboard.