Discover Albany showing off tulips before festival

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Discover Albany, the Office of Cultural Affairs, and the Department of General Services have collaborated to show off the city's tulips before the 2022 Albany Tulip Festival. Residents can take a self-guided Tulip & Garden driving tour available on Discover Albany’s website.

Residents can use the hashtag #518TulipTracker to see new blooming flowers featured across the city for “Tulip Tuesdays" over the next few weeks. The driving tour includes flowers at nearly 40 historic and heritage sites, attractions, and parks. Residents can also share their own photos on social media using the hashtag.

“We are happy that #518TulipTracker has become an Albany spring tradition,” said Jill Delaney, President and CEO of Discover Albany. “We are absolutely thrilled for the Tulip Festival to return in-person this year but are excited to continue to engage those both near and far virtually with #518TulipTracker.”

Discover Albany is also hosting a giveaway to encourage visitors and residents to take the self-guided Tulip & Garden driving tour. Participants can visit five spots featured in the driving tour and take a photo of the tulips at each spot. Email the five tulip photos and locations to info@albany.org by May 12 to be entered into a random drawing to win a prize.

Discover Albany has also partnered with Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) for a “Tulips and Trolleys: A Tour of Historic Albany” tour on April 27 from 10:30 a.m. to noon. The tour will feature Albany’s history and the origins of the Tulip Festival. Tickets are available for $20 on the Eventbrite website.

The Albany Tulip Festival is set for May 7 and 8 at Washington Park. The festival was virtual in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event celebrates Albany’s Dutch heritage and features artisans, a fine arts show, food, the KidZone, live entertainment, and more than 187,000 tulips in 150 different varieties.