Tulip season is long over in Holland, but spring is just around the corner in Australia. If your clients want to see their favorite flowers before next April, suggest they visit Melbourne, where more than a million spring flowers—including half a million tulips—will be on show at the annual Tesselaar Tulip Festival (September 15 to October 12).
The festival, located at Silvan in the Dandenong Ranges, an hour’s drive from Melbourne, features live entertainment, a garden sculpture exhibition, multi-cultural food and beautiful garden displays.
One of the highlights of the Tulip Festival is a multi-cultural program of events which includes:
Turkish Weekend
September 17-18
A celebration of the tulip, which originated in Turkey. The Tesselaar Tulip Festival’s Turkish Weekend is a showcase of Turkish culture and features more than 100 performers.
Dutch Weekend
September 23 - 25
This weekend celebrates all things Dutch when the Tesselaar Tulip Festival turns into a mini-Holland with Dutch food and traditional Dutch folk dancing in clogs.
Food Wine & Jazz Weekend
September 30 - October 2
Flower lovers can sample regional food and wine including free beer and wine tastings from local wineries and breweries.
Irish Weekend
October 7 – 9
Guests can wander among the tulip fields and enjoy a pint of ale or sing along to their favorite Irish songs;
Children's Days: September 27, 28, 29 and October 4, 5, 6
Children under 16 get free entry. Enjoy child-friendly entertainment, activities, petting zoos and fairies.
Another festival highlight is Sculpture in the Tulips competition, Victoria's third richest annual sculpture prize. Run in conjunction with the Association of Sculptors of Victoria the competition attracts entries from renowned sculptors from across Australia. Visitors can choose their favorite sculpture for the People’s Choice Award. The winning sculpture becomes a permanent feature at the Tesselaar Gardens.
For more information, visit www.tulipfestival.com.au