Union Square in New York will be decorated with 200,000 tulips: there is a chance to get a free bouquet
'27.03.2024'
Alina Prikhodko
New York City is welcoming spring, and there's no better way to celebrate this magical period than to take in the beauty tulips in the very heart of the city. For the first time in the history of New York, a unique Tulip Day will be held on April 7 at Union Square. According to Time-out, about 200,000 tulips will be presented at the event.
Tulip Day is organized by Royal Anthos, which represents Dutch companies selling flower bulbs, and the Consulate General of the Netherlands. Organizers hope to make the event an annual New York tradition.
On Sunday, April 7, from 11:30 to 15:00, you will have a unique opportunity to visit the exhibition and collect a free bouquet of ten tulips of your choice.
In the Netherlands, tulip season begins in mid-March and lasts until about mid-May. Although the Netherlands is known around the world for its tulips, it actually first imported these flowers in the 16th century from what is now Turkey.
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At one time, tulips were so valuable in this northern European country that they were traded as currency. According to the data Amsterdam Tulip Museum, more than 75% of all tulips sold in the world are grown in the Netherlands.
Dutch history
This year Tulip Day will be part of the program FUTURE 400 – an initiative of the Consulate General of the Netherlands, dedicated to the 400th anniversary of the Dutch history of New York. The Dutch arrived in what is now the Big Apple in 1624 to found New Amsterdam.
FUTURE 400 hopes to approach Dutch colonial history through a fuller, more honest lens that includes an acknowledgment of the forced removal of Native Americans and the repression of communities of color that occurred as a direct result of the European presence on the continent.
The tulips will only be available for a few hours, so be sure to plan your visit in advance to make the most of the day. To be guaranteed to receive your bouquet, you can pre-register for free here.
