Spring has arrived in Oklahoma City, and it has brought along nearly 100,000 of its closest, most colorful friends. The Oklahoma City Tulip Festival returns from March 28 through April 5, 2026, transforming downtown OKC into a sea of brilliant reds, pinks, purples, and yellows. Whether you’re looking for a perfect family outing, a gorgeous date afternoon, or simply a reason to get outside after winter, this is the Oklahoma spring event you don’t want to miss.
What Is the OKC Tulip Festival?
Now in its fourth year — and its most ambitious yet — the Tulip Festival is a spring celebration hosted across two of Oklahoma City’s most beloved green spaces: Myriad Botanical Gardens and Scissortail Park. Together, these two downtown destinations are home to more than 100,000 hand-planted tulip bulbs — over 60,000 at Myriad Gardens alone and another 40,000 blooming at Scissortail Park just a short walk away.
The festival is a signature spring tradition for OKC families, drawing visitors from across the metro and beyond. It’s one of those events that genuinely feels special — the kind of outing your kids will remember and your Instagram feed will thank you for. Best of all, strolling the tulip displays is completely free, making it one of the most gorgeous low-cost activities in Oklahoma City all year.
This year also features a brand-new exhibit inside the Inasmuch Foundation Crystal Bridge Conservatory: The Journey of the Tulip, a stunning immersive installation from the Netherlands tracing the tulip’s remarkable path from Central Asia to the gardens of Europe and eventually to Oklahoma City.
Festival Dates, Hours, and Weekend Events
The tulips are on display throughout the full run of the festival, but the biggest action happens on the two festival weekends. Here’s what to know:
Opening Weekend: Saturday, March 28 & Sunday, March 29
Hours: 9AM – 6PM
Expect a lively Tulip Festival Market, live music performances, and a rotating lineup of food trucks on the Sheridan Lawn. This is the weekend for the full festival atmosphere — arrive early on Saturday if you want to beat the crowds.
Tulip Tuesday: Tuesday, March 31
Hours: 11AM – 1PM
Grab your lunch and head to the Sheridan Lawn for a midweek break among the blooms. Food trucks and picnic tables make this a lovely, laid-back alternative to the weekend rush — perfect for a family lunch outing or a breezy afternoon off.
Holland Happy Hour: Thursday, April 2
Hours: 5:30 – 8PM
Adults, this one’s for you. Holland Happy Hour is a ticketed evening event featuring admission to the Crystal Bridge Conservatory plus your choice of beer, wine, or a signature cocktail. Tickets are $25 general / $20 for Myriad Gardens members. It’s a great date night idea in Oklahoma City with a uniquely beautiful setting.
Closing Weekend: Saturday, April 4 & Sunday, April 5
Hours: 9AM – 6PM
One more weekend of live music, food trucks, and tulip-filled views before the festival wraps up for the year. A wonderful way to spend the first weekend of April if you missed the opening.
What to See and Do at the Festival
Beyond simply wandering through rows of jaw-dropping blooms (which, let’s be honest, is plenty reason enough to go), there’s a full lineup of activities to keep the whole family busy. The Tulip Festival Market features local and regional vendors selling handcrafted goods, plants, art, and spring-themed gifts — a great place to pick up something unique for your home or a gift for a friend.
Inside the Inasmuch Foundation Crystal Bridge Conservatory, the new Journey of the Tulip exhibit offers an immersive, educational look at how the tulip traveled from Central Asia through the Ottoman Empire and into Dutch Golden Age gardens. It’s the kind of exhibit that’s genuinely fascinating for adults while still keeping older kids engaged. The Crystal Bridge itself is a beloved OKC landmark well worth exploring — a 224-foot-long tropical conservatory in the heart of downtown.
After Myriad Gardens, make the short walk over to Scissortail Park, where another 40,000 tulips are blooming along the park’s beautiful promenades. Scissortail Park is also a wonderful spot to let younger kids run and play, and the views of the OKC skyline make for unforgettable photos. You can easily turn this into a full morning of walking, picnicking, and soaking in some of the best public green space in Oklahoma. According to TravelOK.com, this festival is one of the top spring events in the entire state.
Tips for Visiting with Your Family
A few tips to make your trip to the OKC Tulip Festival as smooth and fun as possible. First, go early. The festival opens at 9AM on weekend days, and the morning light is absolutely gorgeous for photography — you’ll get the best shots of the tulips before the afternoon crowds arrive. Strollers and wagons are welcome throughout Myriad Gardens and Scissortail Park, making it easy to bring little ones along without worrying about tired legs.
Wear comfortable shoes — you’ll be doing a good amount of walking, especially if you visit both Myriad Gardens and Scissortail Park in the same trip. Bring a light jacket for morning visits, as spring weather in Oklahoma can be unpredictable. The MetroFamily Magazine spring festival guide recommends planning at least two to three hours for a full festival experience between both parks.
If you’re visiting with older kids or teens, encourage them to check out the Journey of the Tulip exhibit inside the Crystal Bridge — it sparks great conversations about botany, history, and world geography. And don’t forget to grab a turkey leg or a funnel cake from one of the food trucks. Half the fun of any outdoor Oklahoma festival is the food.
Admission and Parking
Walking the tulip displays at both Myriad Botanical Gardens and Scissortail Park is completely free and open to the public — no tickets required. The Holland Happy Hour evening event on April 2 is ticketed at $25 general / $20 for members, which includes Crystal Bridge admission and a drink. You can find full ticketing and event details on the official Myriad Gardens Tulip Festival page.
For parking, Myriad Botanical Gardens is located at 301 W. Reno Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73102. There are several public parking garages and surface lots nearby in downtown OKC. The VisitOKC event page has current parking information and directions. On busy weekend days, consider arriving right at 9AM to snag a spot before the crowds build.
Make a Full Day of It in Downtown OKC
The Tulip Festival pairs beautifully with a full day of exploring downtown Oklahoma City. After your morning at Myriad Gardens, grab lunch at one of the food trucks or head over to the nearby Bricktown Entertainment District for a wide range of dining options. The Bricktown Canal is always a fun stop for families, with water taxis and a lively atmosphere.
In the afternoon, Scissortail Park is right around the corner and offers a playground, splash pad (seasonal), walking and biking trails, and those stunning skyline views. If the kids still have energy to burn, the OKC Museum of Art and the Science Museum Oklahoma are both easy drives from downtown. It’s easy to build an entire memorable spring day in OKC around this one gorgeous festival.
For more ideas on spring activities across the state, check out TravelOK’s guide to Oklahoma’s top spring events — it’s packed with inspiration for families looking to make the most of the season.
Have you been to the OKC Tulip Festival before? Drop your favorite tips in the comments below, and if this post helped you plan your visit, share it with a friend or tag a fellow Oklahoma family who needs to see this. We’ll see you among the blooms! 🌷
