April 19th - May 5th 2024

Tulip Festival Noordoostpolder

The answers to...

Frequently asked questions

About the Profytodsd Tulip Festival

When does the Profytodsd Tulip Festival take place?

The Profytodsd Tulip Festival starts on Friday the 19th of April and ends on Sunday the 5th of May 2024

For what purpose is the Profytodsd Tulip organized?

By organizing the Profytodsd Tulip Festival, we want to introduce visitors from the Netherlands and abroad to a beautiful product and a unique part of the Netherlands.

How important is the tulip to the Noordoostpolder?

The Noordoostpolder is the primary place when it comes to the cultivation of tulips. About 2,000 hectares of tulips are grown here every year. That is about 5% of the total agricultural area. There are about 150 companies involved in the cultivation of tulips. In addition to tulips, other flower bulbs are also grown, such as lilies, gladioli and grape hyacinths.

Who organizes the Profytodsd Tulip Festival?

The Profytodsd Tulip Festival is organized by StEP NOP (Foundation Events and Promotion Noordoostpolder). StEP is a foundation dedicated to the promotion of the Noordoostpolder. The implementation of this event is in the hands of a large group of volunteers.

Routes

What routes are there?

Click here for an overview of the routes.

What is the best place to start?

If you are driving the car route, you can start anywhere along the route. You can see how the route runs on the map. Then follow the signs that are places along the route.

At the following points you can go for toilets and coffee and lunch to go:

  • Holiday park Eigen Wijze, Schoterpad 1, Bant
  • Renne Streekproducten, Domineesweg 11, Nagele
  • Tulip Experience Field, Creilerpad 14, Creil

In which direction should the route be driven?

For road safety reasons, 1 direction has been chosen. This is indicated on the map with arrows. And if you follow the signs, you know you are driving in the right direction.

Are there more tulip routes in Flevoland?

Yes of course! In addition to the Tulip Festival in the Noordoostpolder, there is also a Tulip Route in Dronten, Lelystad and Zeewolde in the same period every year. More information about these routes and activities can be found at: Tulip Route Flevoland.

Activities

What activities are there?

Click here for an overview of the activities.

What else is there to do in the Noordoostpolder?

Check the website of VVV Noordoostpolder to see what else there is to do in the Noordoostpolder. A visit to Urk is incredible as well! Click here for more information.

Practical issues

Are there any costs attached?

The car and bike route are completely free to drive.

Some of the activities along the route cost money, for example the helicopter ride or balloon flight.

Where can I pick up the Noordoostpolder tourist map?

The Noordoostpolder tourist map is available at the three Tulip Festival locations, and at:

Am I allowed to enter the tulip fields?

It is not permitted to park in the yard of growers/residents and/or to enter the tulip fields. This may result in damage to the flowers and bulbs. Please respect our crops! Thank you!

Do I have to apply anywhere?

This is not necessary. The route is free to drive whenever you want.

Can I get to the tulip fields by public transport?

Unfortunately, it is difficult to get to the tulip fields without a car or bicycle.

Are there bicycles for rent?

You can rent bicycles at the following places:

Where can I spend the night during the Tulip Festival?

Book a room in the cozy Hotel ‘t Voorhuys, centrally located in Emmeloord: https://www.voorhuys.nl

Or hotel Van der Valk Emmeloord: www.hotelemmeloord.nl

Holiday park Eigen Wijze in Bant: www.eigenwijze.nl

In addition, there are various hotels, bed and breakfasts, RV parks and campgrounds where you can spend the night. These can be found on the Visit Noordoostpolder website.

Where can I eat and drink something?

During the Profytodsd Tulip Festival, coffee and lunch to go is available at the following points:

  • Bij Ons in de Wellerwaard, Friesepad 4a, Emmeloord
  • Renne Streekproducten, Domineesweg 11, Nagele
  • Tulip experience field, Creilerpad 14, Creil

You can also check the Visit Noordoostpolder website for other restaurants. Some of them have a take away or to go service.

Are there toilets available?

During the Profytodsd Tulip Festival, they will be present at the following points:

  • Bij Ons in de Wellerwaard, Friesepad 4a, Emmeloord
  • Renne Streekproducten, Domineesweg 11, Nagele (incl. toilet for disabled)
  • Tulip experience field, Creilerpad 14, Creil

Can I bring my pet?

They can come, but only if they stay in the car. It is not allowed for yourself and therefore also for your pet to enter the tulip fields.

About the cultivation

How long has the tulip been in the Netherlands?

In the sixteenth century, the tulip came to the Netherlands from Turkey. The botanist Carolus Clusius played an important role in this. Through his network, the tulip ended up with many well-off families in our country. In the seventeenth century the tulip became so popular that a real trade started, with a lot of money being paid for a single tulip. After the trade, the tulip remained popular in the Netherlands. Commercial cultivation expanded from Haarlem to the Flower Bulb region in the nineteenth century and also ended up in other parts of the Netherlands in the 20th century.

How long has the tulip been in the Noordoostpolder?

The polder officially fell dry on September 9, 1942. After that, the Noordoostpolder was set up and developed at lightning speed. This created a unique agricultural area. The first tulips were planted in the polder in the early 1960s. The land in Noordoostpolder is particularly suitable for this.

Why are tulips doing so well in the Noordoostpolder?

The agricultural land in the Noordoostpolder is very fertile. The former seabed is full of minerals that the tulips use as nutrients.

During which period do the tulips bloom?

When the tulips bloom depends on the weather. There are also early and late varieties. During the Profytodsd Tulip Festival, we mention on the home page of this website what percentage of the tulip fields are in bloom.

What are those big white heaps that I see near the tulip fields?

Tulips can be grown on light soil and on heavier soil. They are grown in nets to enable cultivation on somewhat heavier soil. Those white heaps that you see are the nets.

What are those people I see walking across the land doing and what are those white carts?

Those people are engaged in selection work. They check whether there are deviating varieties in the plot, or tulips with a virus. These tulips are taken out, or are touched with a substance that causes these tulips to die. This keeps the batch clean and virus-free. Sometimes selection cars are used. When you are in such a cart, no sunlight falls on the plant, which makes it easier to distinguish certain viruses.

Why are they topping tulips?

When the selection has taken place and the plot has been found to be clean, the flowers are removed with top machines. This ensures that no more energy goes to the flower. All the energy that the plant takes by the sunlight, water and nutrients from the soil go only to the bulbs.

When will the bulbs harvested?

The bulbs are harvested with harvesting machines at the end of June. They then go to the shed to be rinsed or vibrated and also sorted by size. Some of the bulbs are large enough to be sold to growers with a greenhouse who turn them into tulip flowers. The smaller ones will be replanted in the autumn for a new crop.

Where can I get more information about the cultivation?

The Tulip Varieties garden will be ‘staffed’ by a team of growers and other tulip experts. During the Tulip Festival, they will be present on the weekend and on April 27th from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. to show you around and to answer questions about the cultivation.