News
April 4, 2017Lineup Announced for the 2017 Albany Tulip Festival
The City of Albany hosts the 69th Annual Albany Tulip Festival on Saturday, May 13 and Sunday, May 14 in Washington Park.
The Tulip Festival is Albany’s signature spring event featuring annual traditions rooted in the city’s rich Dutch heritage. The event includes nearly one hundred artisans selling their handmade crafts, a fine arts show, delicious food, the KidZone family fun destination, two stages of world-class live entertainment and more than 140,000 tulips in 150 different varieties. It all takes place in historic Washington Park, the 81-acre “crown jewel” of the City.
Since Mayor Erastus Corning II read the first Tulip Festival Proclamation on May 14, 1949, the Mother’s Day weekend celebration has grown into one of the Northeast’s biggest and most beloved yearly events. Featuring area vendors, businesses, community organizations and original local artists on every stage, the Tulip Festival continues to honor Albany’s four centuries of history while looking ahead to its future. As always, this event is free and open to the public.
For more information, call 518.434.2032, visit www.albanyevents.org or follow albanyNYevents on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.
Read on for the full schedule of events or view online at www.albanyevents.org.
SATURDAY, MAY 13
TULIP QUEEN CORONATION CEREMONY
Washington Park Lakehouse Stage
Nominations accepted through April 1. Visit www.albanytulipqueen.com for more information.
11:30 a.m. – The Mendelssohn Club of Albany
11:45 a.m. – Tulip Queen Procession (Begins at formal Tulip Beds by Moses Statue)
2016 Tulip Queen Adaviah Ward, Mayor Kathy Sheehan and the Dutch Settlers Society lead the 2017 Tulip Queen finalists to the Lakehouse Stage.
12:00 p.m. – Tulip Queen Coronation (Lakehouse Stage)
Mayor Sheehan and MC Chad O’Hara of B95.5 crown the 69th Albany Tulip Queen in this traditional highlight of Tulip Fest weekend.
MAIN STAGE
Washington Park Parade Grounds
Media sponsor: 102.7 WEQX
4:30 p.m. – Minus The Bear
3:00 p.m. – The Palms
1:30 p.m. – Wild Adriatic
LOCAL 518 STAGE
Washington Park Lakehouse Stage
Presented by WellCare
Media sponsor: Exit 97.7
4:45 p.m. – Dryer
3:30 p.m. – Cannon the Brave
2:15 p.m. – Jasper
1:00 p.m. – Maurizio
SUNDAY, MAY 14
MAIN STAGE
Media sponsors: 98.3 TRY, 99.5 The River & PYX 106
4:30 p.m. – The Delfonics
3:00 p.m. – Erin Harkes
1:30 p.m. – Holly and Evan
LOCAL 518 STAGE
Media sponsor: Exit 97.7
4:45 p.m. – Ramblin’ Jug Stompers
3:30 p.m. – Dyer Switch Band
2:15 p.m. – Sydney Worthley
1:00 p.m. – Andrew Wheeler & Donna Marie Tritico
12:00 p.m. – 19th Annual Mother of the Year Award
Mayor Sheehan and B95.5’s Joe Condon recognize the Capital Region’s most outstanding moms. Presented by St. Peter’s Health Partners, Times Union & B95.5, with support from Fidelis Care.
KIDZONE
Presented by Price Chopper & Market 32.
Enjoy pony rides, a rock climbing wall, inflatables, facepainting, games and more fun for the whole family!
PRICE CHOPPER KIDZONE STAGE
Continuous entertainment for all ages, all weekend long.
Noon – Artpartners/Tsehaya & Co.
12:15 p.m., 3:15 p.m. – Park Playhouse
1:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m. – Andy “The Music Man” Morse
1:45 p.m., 4:45 p.m. – Stephen Gratto
2:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. – Ruth Pelham of the Music Mobile
ALBANY MEDICAL CENTER KIDZONE ACTIVITY TENT
Saturday: Albany Public Library’s pop-up secret garden library reading room offers games, crafts and activities for the whole family. You never know what hidden treasures will be in the secret garden!
Sunday: Join the Boys and Girls Clubs of Albany for physical fitness activities and hands on crafts with the newly crowned 2017 Albany Tulip Queen and Court!
GREEN MARKET
This area highlights energy-efficient resources, “green” demonstrations and more.
SCHOOL OF ROCK TENT
Young up-and-coming musicians enrolled in the School of Rock program perform throughout the weekend! Catch the stars of the future here first.
CULTURAL HERITAGE TENT
Learn more about Albany’s Dutch heritage, its Sister City connection with Nijmegen, Netherlands, and the 70th anniversary of the city-wide humanitarian effort that helped inspire the very first Tulip Festival.
TULIP WEEK EVENTS
FRIDAY, MAY 12
TULIP TOURS
10 a.m., 1 p.m. & 5:30 p.m., Washington Park tulip beds
Learn more about the vast variety of flowers planted for Tulip Fest with City Gardener Jessica Morgan. Free. Spaces are limited and reservations are required; call 518.434.2032 to reserve your place. (Weather permitting).
CARILLON CONCERT
11:30 a.m. – noon, outside Albany City Hall
Amy Heebner performs a special Tulip Festival musical program on Albany City Hall’s historic 1927 carillon, a unique instrument consisting of 49 bells that range in size from 27 to 11,200 pounds.
STREET SCRUBBING
Noon, State & Lodge Streets
The traditional Dutch ceremony of scrubbing the streets clean before a big celebration has served as the official kickoff to Tulip Festival weekend for 69 years. This unique Albany event will include Mayor Kathy Sheehan’s Tulip Festival opening proclamation and a procession with the Dutch Settlers Society (in full traditional Dutch dress), local scout troops and the 2017 Tulip Queen finalists.
TULIP FESTIVAL LUNCHEON
12:30 p.m., Hilton Albany
Immediately following the street scrubbing, the Tulip Festival Luncheon is a farewell and thank you to 2016 Albany Tulip Queen Adaviah Ward and her Court. Proceeds from the Tulip Festival Luncheon will benefit the Tulip Court’s educational programs via the Tulip Fund at the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region. Tickets are required; email tulipluncheon@gmail.com or call 518.225.9785 to purchase.
SATURDAY, MAY 13
DRAWING UP CENTRAL
10 a.m. – 2 p.m., 283 Central Avenue (between N. Lake & Quail)
The City of Albany and the Central Avenue Business Improvement District present this community-wide event featuring artists from all over the region competing for cash and prizes in a sidewalk chalk art contest in the heart of Central Avenue’s Midtown Grid. For more information, call 518.462.4300. To register, please visit www.centralbid.com.
ROYAL TULIP BALL
6:30pm, Albany Capital Center (55 Eagle St, Albany)
An elegant evening of dining and dancing to honor the new Tulip Queen & Court. Proceeds benefit the Capital City Fund. Tickets are required; to purchase, contact Sarah Kampf at 518.209.1000 or tulipball@albanyny.gov
PARKING & SHUTTLES
FREE CDTA shuttle runs continuously to Washington Park from Eagle Street Garage (at Eagle & Madison Ave) & Elk Street Parking Lot (at Elk & Hawk Streets) throughout the festival.
Handicap parking available at Albany Medical Center lot at Robin & Morris Streets. A free, accessible CDTA shuttle runs to and from the Madison & New Scotland entrance to the park throughout the festival.
Find more parking options at www.parkalbany.com.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
This event is produced with the help of hundreds of volunteers. Sign up to be a part of this great experience by visiting www.albanyevents.org/volunteer or calling 518.434.5411.
Presented by generous event sponsors:
GEICO, Price Chopper & Market 32, Bud Light, Saratoga Eagle, Albany Medical Center, CDTA & Wellcare.
Barefoot Wine, Comfort Windows, House of Air, Hilton Garden Inn, New York State Lottery, Softub Express, Wild Bill’s Soda.
AAA Hudson Valley, School of Rock.
Media Partners:
WEQX, Exit 97.7, B95.5, 98.3 TRY, PYX 106, 99.5 The River, Albany.com, The Alt, Empire Broadcasting, Fly 92, Jamz 96.3, NYS Music, Rewind 105.7, Parent Pages, Spot 518, Spiral Design, WGNA, WSG & WVCR 88.3 The Saint, Yelp.
Special ground rules in effect:
No alcohol outside of designated beer garden area
No glass containers
No animals or pets (excluding ADA-defined service animals)
No recording of performances
All City of Albany parks are now tobacco-free.
