National Tulip Day on Saturday, January 20, 2024, painted the Museum Square in Amsterdam with vibrant colors, heralding the commencement of the new cut tulip season. Traditionally celebrated in the Netherlands, this year’s event, themed ‘Let’s Dance!,’ attracted an impressive estimated crowd of 21,000 visitors from the Netherlands and beyond.
Organized by Tulip Promotion Netherlands (TPN), Dutch tulip growers showcased their creativity, offering surprises aligned with the lively theme. TPN Chairman, Arjan Smit, shared his enthusiasm, stating, “One of the highlights was the opening by DJ Hardwell. The audience was also amazing, with so many happy faces and enthusiastic responses. Which is exactly what we hope for every year. We want to make people happy with a bunch of colorful tulips.”
The festivities kicked off with DJ Hardwell’s captivating opening, setting the tone for a day filled with joy. In a special tribute to the renowned DJ, he received his very own ‘dancing’ tulip, reflecting the energy of his music and live performances. The red tulip, adorned with a yellow, fringed edge, was personally chosen by Hardwell. The unique feature of these tulips is their lively growth, adopting spontaneous twists as they continue to flourish in vases.
As the clock approached 16:30, visitors eagerly participated in the picking garden, culminating in the last few tulips being chosen, marking the delightful conclusion of the festivities on the Museum Square.
The Netherlands, renowned as the world’s largest producer of cut tulips, witnessed an impressive output this season, with over 1.7 billion tulips cultivated by around 375 growers. The primary export destinations for these vibrant blooms include Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Poland. Since 2012, the initiation of each cut tulip season has been celebrated with National Tulip Day on the third Saturday in January. With an array of varieties, shapes, and colors, tulips remain the most popular and cheerful spring flower. The cut tulip season extends until mid-May, marking a celebration of nature’s beauty.
National Tulip Day, spearheaded by Dutch Tulip Growers (TPN), continues to captivate flower enthusiasts, becoming a much-anticipated tradition that unites people in celebrating the enchanting beauty of tulips and the arrival of spring.