National Tulip Day marks start of season and Amsterdam’s 750th anniversary
National Tulip Day, marking the official start of the tulip season in the Netherlands, is about to start on Saturday. The event will feature a grand tulip-picking garden set up at Museumplein in Amsterdam, where up to 200,000 tulips will be available for the public to pick for free starting at 13:00.
The event will hold special significance this year, as it coincides with the 750th anniversary of Amsterdam. The tulip season will carry the theme “Celebrate Your Date!” encouraging people to gift beautiful bouquets of tulips to mark personal celebrations.
“We’re thrilled to mark this milestone year with National Tulip Day and honor our city’s rich history,” said a representative for the event. The tulips, which will be available for purchase nationwide starting on National Tulip Day, will be a key feature of the season’s festivities.
The tulip-picking garden will be open to the public, allowing visitors to enjoy the vibrant colors and a variety of scents, which will include a number of different types of tulips.
In addition to the picking garden, this year’s event will introduce a new variety of tulip, named after Dutch singer Yves Berendse. Berendse, who christened his own tulip on Monday, January 13, 2025, will see his new flower, Tulipa ‘Yves Berendse,’ presented to the public for the first time at the event. The new tulip was personally selected by the singer, who is known for his popular music, which have found favor even in the greenhouses where tulips are grown.
“Yves’ music inspires and energizes, and his songs have even motivated the tulips in the greenhouses to grow,” said a spokesperson for TPN, the organization behind the tulip celebrations. “His hits have become a source of energy for the new generation of Dutch-language singers, and we’re excited to have him be a part of the tulip season.” The new tulip variety will be on display at Museumplein and will soon be available for sale.
National Tulip Day will return on January 17, 2026.
