By Elizabeth Kessler

Forty acres of rainbow colored tulips are open to the public. Sun or rain, the Tulip Festival is open everyday until May 1, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., for all to visit and leave with good memories.

The Iverson family originally started cultivating crops such as potatoes, peas, pole beans and hops. As their family grew, so did their fields. It has been more than two decades since they started the festival and the timeless tulips continue to flourish each year.

Besides viewing the beautiful tulips, the farm also includes crafter tents, a kids play area, a gift shop, food, a tour train, wine tasting and a field greenhouse where you can get fresh cut flowers. It is a place for everyone to enjoy. They also have fun days such as 3K and 5K walks and running through the fields for the dogs.

Emily Hicklin, who has been working at the Tulip Festival for 10 years, said, “An estimated two to 2.5 million flowers are planted each year.”

She also mentioned that it takes the tulip fields seven to eight years to grow, and so the fields are rotated every five to six years.

Other special events include the annual photo contest, camera skills classes, art classes in the fields, early morning photography, wine wagon tours, a tulip trail run and a steam tractor spark show.

One visitor said it is a visual feast for the eyes. Many of the other visitors agree in that it is a very peaceful and tranquil place to come and take in the beauty of the nature.

Karen London, who has been going for a couple years with her son, said, “I think it’s important to bring your kids out in nature and get them outside. For sure, it’s fun for families.”

Two other workers at the Tulip Festival said that they were able to meet people from overseas and that its amazing that the festival is known internationally.

One of the workers commented that they try to accommodate for the photographers by letting a group from California go through the fields with their horses and snap some beautiful pictures.

Families can bring their own food for picnics. Young children can ride ponies or jump around in bouncy houses.

This is the perfect opportunity not only for photographers to get amazing photos of the tulips, but is also a great place to start a tradition.