Everything to Know for Albany's 2025 Tulip Festival

Wednesday, March 26, 2025 at 9:05 AM

By Terry O'Donnell

Matt Wade, Flickr Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

It's almost time to enjoy live music, food trucks and of course the beautiful tulips!

The city’s signature spring event, the Albany Tulip Festival, returns to Washington Park bringing vibrant blooms, live music, and local flavor.

The 77th Annual Albany Tulip Festival kicks off with a series of traditional and celebratory events. Here's the timeline:

Friday, May 9, 2025

12:00 PM – Street Scrubbing Ceremony: This traditional Dutch ceremony involves scrubbing the streets clean before the festivities. It includes Mayor Kathy Sheehan's opening proclamation and a procession from City Hall. Location: State and Lodge Streets.

Saturday, May 10, 2025

11:30 AM – Mendelssohn Club Performance: Enjoy a performance by the Mendelssohn Club of Albany at the Tulip Court Procession on the 518 Stage.
12:00 PM – Tulip Queen Coronation: Mayor Sheehan and B95.5's Chad O'Hara crown the 2025 Albany Tulip Queen at the Washington Park Lakehouse Stage. The Tulip Queen and her court will engage in community service projects throughout the year.

Sunday, May 11, 2025

11:00 AM – Capital Region's Best Mom Ceremony: Mayor Sheehan and B95.5’s Joe Condon honor outstanding mothers from the Capital Region at the Washington Park Lakehouse.

In addition, a number of local and regional acts are scheduled to perform on stages throughout Washington Park, see flyer below.

The festival is free to attend, but parking can be tricky. Consider using public transportation or parking at nearby lots and walking in. For more, visit AlbanyEvents.org.

feature photo: Matt Wade, Flickr Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0). Changes made: cropped, resized