Blooming nice plans in place for first tulip festival

GOING DUTCH: The first Rotorua tulip festival is four weeks away. PHOTO/FILE

Dates and activities have been announced for Rotorua's inaugural Tulip Fest.

The festival will be on the weekend of September 27 and 28 with a special seniors' day on the Friday.

Plans for the festival were announced earlier this month after the Inner City Focus Group, working in conjunction with the Rotorua District Council, said they wanted to promote the city's wonderful spring gardens which produce about 40,000 tulips each year.

Tulip Fest co-ordinator and Rotorua businesswoman Sabine Willemsen said a combined Dutch/Turkish market would be held in Jean Batten Square behind the Rotorua i-SITE on both days between 10am and 2.30pm.

"We want to celebrate the beauty of what's already here in Rotorua and the tulips are very popular with our visitors every year in spring," Ms Willemsen said.

"The Dutch are always associated with tulips, but they are originally from Turkey so we wanted to do something with that."

There would also be tulip walks and talks from former council parks operations manager Walter Miller who was instrumental in bringing the city's gardens to life for almost 40 years.

Several workshops are also being held. Tulip Fest yarnbomb workshops are being held at The Arts Village along with a public art installation where people can make tulips out of recycled materials which will be placed outside The Arts Village for the weekend.

The public are invited to take part in both of the workshops with full details to be found on the Rotorua Tulip Fest Facebook page.

A flower quilt exhibition will also be held at Cottage Flair on Fenton St.

Previously, the council's Open Spaces Operations lead Garry Page said staff were planting approximately 40,000 tulips in preparation for the inaugural Tulip Fest.

Mr Page said tulip planting was concentrated in the city's premier floral display beds, mostly located within the inner city, Government Gardens and Kuirau Park.

"Planting is mainly mid-season tulip varieties that flower from the middle of September to mid-October.

"The main colours this year will be red, white, mauve, yellow and pink," Mr Page said.

To get involved email theorangetable@hotmail.co.nz or brigitte.nelson@rdc.govt.nz. Stay updated with progress on Facebook at Tulip Fest Rotorua.