The Albany Tulip Festival returns for its 76th year with a weekend of music and flowers.
The yearly celebration of the city’s Dutch heritage begins on May 10 with the customary State Street cleaning. The actual Tulip Festival, which takes place in Albany’s Washington Park on May 11 and 12, will include traditional Tulip Festival activities like the Royal Tulip Ball, the Tulip Queen coronation, and the 25th Capital Region Best Mom ceremony.
New Jersey indie rock band The Front Bottoms and popular Albany party band New York Players will headline his May 11th and His 12th main stage concerts, respectively. Other local music artists include Prince Daddy & the Hyenas, Off the Record, Of the Atlas, Funk Evolution, Side B, Camtron 5000, Insolent Willies, Girl Love, The E Block, and Reese Fulmer & the Carriage House Band , Oobleck, Sophia Corts.
In the weeks leading up to the festival, weather permitting, city gardener Jenna Comerford will be conducting tulip tours of Washington Park’s flower beds. Space is limited for these free tours and reservations are required at 518-434-2032.
There are still nominations available for the Capital Region’s Best Mom and Tulip Queen. April 19 is the deadline for the 2024 Tulip Queen, while April 6 at noon is the deadline for Best Mom nominations.
The full schedule for the Tulip Festival can be found below. Most events are free. For more information, call 518-434-2032, visit albanyevents.org or follow @AlbanyNYevents on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Friday, May 10
- 12 p.m. at State & Lodge Streets: Street scrubbing, opening proclamation and official kick-off of the festival
Saturday, May 11
- 9 a.m.: Yogafest with The Hot Yoga Spot at the Washington Park Main Stage
- 12 p.m.: Belly dancing class with Sisters of the Rising Moon at the KISS 102.3 Wellness Stage
- 12 p.m.: Tulip Queen coronation at the Lakehouse Stage
- 1 p.m.: Kids yoga with The Hot Yoga Spot at the KISS 102.3 Wellness Stage
- 1 p.m.: Side-B at WEXT 518 Stage
- 1:10 p.m. Andy “The Music Man” at Price Chopper’s KidZone
- 1:30 p.m.: Of the Atlas at the Main Stage
- 2 p.m.: Playhouse Stage Company presents previews of “The Marvelous Wonderettes,” “Legally Blonde” and “Disney’s Finding Nemo, Jr.” at Price Chopper’s KidZone
- 2 p.m.: Salsa and bachata dance class with Simply Ballroom at the KISS 102.3 Wellness Stage
- 2:15 p.m.: Sofia Corts at WEXT 518 Stage
- 2:45 p.m.: Melvin the Magnificent at Price Chopper’s KidZone
- 3 p.m.: Prince Daddy & the Hyena at the Main Stage
- 3 p.m.: Hip-hop dance class with ARTpartners at the KISS 102.3 Wellness Stage
- 3:30 p.m.: Ruth Pelham of The Music Mobile at Price Chopper’s KidZone
- 3:30 p.m.: Camtron5000 at WEXT 518 Stage
- 4 p.m.: Andy “The Music Man” at Price Chopper’s KidZone
- 4:30 p.m.: The Front Bottoms at the Main Stage
- 4:45 p.m.: Melvin the Magnificent at Price Chopper’s KidZone
- 4:45 p.m.: The Insolent Willies at WEXT 518 Stage
- 5 p.m.: Zumba with Move Fitness by Lenny at the KISS 102.3 Wellness Stage
- 5:30 p.m.: Ruth Pelham of The Music Mobile at Price Chopper’s KidZone
- 6:30 p.m.: Royal Tulip Ball at the Albany Capital Center,55 Eagle St.; this is a ticketed event
Sunday, May 12
- 12 p.m.: 25th annual Capital Region’s Best Mom ceremony at the Lakehouse Stage
- 12 p.m.: Belly dancing class with Sisters of the Rising Moon at the KISS 102.3 Wellness Stage
- 1 p.m.: Yogafest with The Hot Yoga Spot at the KISS 102.3 Wellness Stage
- 1 p.m. Girl Love at WEXT 518 Stage
- 1 p.m. Off the Record at the Main Stage
- 1:10 p.m. Andy “The Music Man” at Price Chopper’s KidZone
- 2 p.m.: Playhouse Stage Company presents previews of “The Marvelous Wonderettes,” “Legally Blonde” and “Disney’s Finding Nemo, Jr.” at Price Chopper’s KidZone
- 2 p.m.: Salsa and bachata dance class with Simply Ballroom at the KISS 102.3 Wellness Stage
- 2:15 p.m.: The E-Block at WEXT 518 Stage
- 2:30 p.m.: Funk Evolution at the Main Stage
- 2:45 p.m.: Melvin the Magnificent at Price Chopper’s KidZone
- 3 p.m.: Hip-hop dance class with ARTpartners at the KISS 102.3 Wellness Stage
- 3:30 p.m. Reese Fulmer & The Carriage House Band at WEXT 518 Stage
- 3:30 p.m.: Ruth Pelham of The Music Mobile at Price Chopper’s KidZone
- 4 p.m.: Andy “The Music Man” at Price Chopper’s KidZone
- 4:30 p.m.: New York Players at the Main Stage
- 4:45 p.m.: Melvin the Magnificent at Price Chopper’s KidZone
- 4:45 p.m.: Oobleck at WEXT 518 Stage
- 5 p.m.: Zumba with Move Fitness by Lenny at the KISS 102.3 Wellness Stage
- 5:30 p.m.: Ruth Pelham of The Music Mobile at Price Chopper’s KidZone