Tulip Fest set to bloom in Rotorua

There will be plenty of events taking place as part of Tulip Fest Rotorua 2015 in October. Photo / File

More than 40,000 tulips will be on display and dozens of events are planned around Rotorua as part of Tulip Fest Rotorua in October.

Event organiser Jill Marshall said one of the highlights of the 10-day festival is a half-day bus tour taking in Plenty Flora, Tyburn Monastery and the Rotorua Tree Trust on Saturday, October 10.

"The bus takes around 35 to 40 people out to Plenty Flora at Horohoro where they have planted 1500 tulips as a tribute to the Tulip Fest. Then we are heading to Tyburn Monastery in Waikite Valley and people can experience the monastery's gardens and the nuns will provide a cup of tea. We are asking people to bring their own lunch," she said.

"Then we are going to stop at the Centennial Gardens, or the Rotorua Tree Trust at Tihiotonga. There is a peace garden up there and they have a beautiful display of cherry trees which should hopefully be blossoming. It looks amazing in the spring."

Mrs Marshall said this year's festival was going to be "massive" in comparison to last year.

"Last year it was a two-day event and we had a very short lead-in time and small budget. Our committed committee did really well to make things happen and we got a lot of good feedback. As a result we were asked to run the festival over two weekends, with events during the week which opens up the opportunity to attract more visitors," she said. "We have the Dutch Ambassador, Robert Zaagman, coming to to mark the final day of the festival."

Because of the large scale of the event, Mrs Marshall said they were seeking more volunteers. "We estimate that we will need around 40 more volunteers to ensure the events run smoothly over the 10 days."

The Tulip Fest runs from October 2, to October 11. The bus tour will depart from Te Runanga Tea House, Government Gardens at 9.30am and arrive back at 1.30pm on Saturday, October 10. Bookings are essential as numbers are limited and tickets can be purchased for $15 at Rotorua Lakes Council. To volunteer for the Tulip Fest, contact
volunteer co-ordinator Cheryl Campbell at lavega@clear.net.nz or call (0274) 955 137.

Tulip Fest Events:

Friday, October 2

-Tulip crafts at the Museum
-Plant, tool and gardening goodies sale
-Gardening book sale and swap
-Mitre 10 Mega DIY demonstration

Saturday, October 3

-Age Concern Rotorua - Positive Ageing Expo
-Tulip crafts at the Museum
-Guided tulip walk with Mark Paget
-Opening of the Green Corridor cycleway
-Turkish themed light lunch
-How to optimise space by creating a hanging garden

Sunday, October 4

-Tulip crafts at the Museum
-Guided tulip bike tour
-Drive yourself tulip/gerbera tour
-How to optimise your space by creating a hanging garden
-Themed morning tea at Mitre 10 Mega's Columbus Cafe
-Guided tulip walk with Lynda McBride
-Honey bees in your garden

Tuesday, October 6

-Zumba Gold demonstration
-Guided tulip bike tour
-Tulips, Tours and Travel with Maree Kinder

Wednesday, October 7

-Drive yourself tulip and gerbera tour
-Tulips, Tours and Travel with Maree Kinder
-Guided tulip walk with Lynda McBride

Thursday, October 8

-Children's cupcake decorating competition
-Tai Chi demonstration
-Frocks on Bikes
-The Rotorua Night Market

Friday, October 9

-The world of living colour
-Morning tea for inner-city Tulip Fest businesses
-Winners of Rotorua Weekender colouring competition announced

Saturday, October 10

-13th Ekiden Relay
-Tulip bus tour guided by Mark Paget, horticultural adviser, Rotorua Lakes Council's Open Spaces team
-Dutch market
-Quilting display
-Tea and Talk, Blue Baths
-Guest speaker Ruud Kleinpaste on "Bugs in the System"
-Performance by Adam McGrath, front man for The Eastern

Sunday, October 11

-Bus tour of Rotorua's community gardens
-Quilting display
-Cirque Tulip Market
- Visit, walkabout by Dutch ambassador
-Dutch-themed morning tea
-Guided tulip walk with Rebecca Cray
-Guest speaker: Walter Miller
-Family picnic (weather dependent)
-Mediaworks scavenger hunt (rain or shine)
-Performance by Pragmatique
-Mayoral concert for elderly

Daily During Festival:

-City tulip displays
-Tulip Pathways Project
-Display of entries from the Rotorua Weekender colouring competition
-Instagram photo competition
-Spring in watercolour art exhibition
-Living tulip frame
-Dexter's Deep Sea Discovery
-Yarn bomb walls
-Tulip Fest photo display
-Tulips in the Garden

Visit www.tulipfestrotorua.co.nz/itinerary/