Richardson Adventure Farm in Spring Grove, Illinois offers family-fun activities throughout the year including a special festival for flower lovers in the Spring! Their annual Tulip Festival is a must-see event! This festival features over one million tulips in a variety of colors, making it one of the largest tulip festivals in the Midwest. New for 2024 are 50,000 daffodils to add a new element to the mix!

Visitors to the festival can stroll through the farm’s five acres of tulip fields, taking in the beauty of the vibrant blooms. The fields are carefully arranged by color, creating a rainbow of tulips that is sure to delight visitors of all ages. The tulips are planted near the Richardson’s private 36-acre lake which provides a stunning backdrop for your photos! 

Throughout the fields, there are adorable photo opportunities where you can get great pictures of your kids or yourself. These include a picture frame, kissing booth, old-fashioned truck, and more! There are also benches throughout the fields where you can stop to rest.

The tulips are planted in a hayfield so the ground is bumpy, but the walkways are a grass / weed mixture that can be accessed by wheelchairs, strollers, and wagons. Please note, if it rains the day of, or day before, some of the grounds will be muddy and may be difficult to traverse.

One of the highlights of the festival is the chance to pick your own tulips to take home. Each visitor gets one free tulip with their admission and additional tulips are $2 per flower picked. Scissors and bags to carry your tulips are provided at the gate. There are so many beautiful flowers to choose from, you’ll want to make sure you see them all before you decide which one to pick!

In addition to the tulip fields, the festival also features a variety of other activities and attractions for visitors to enjoy. On the weekends, there is live music and food trucks offering hot food, delicious treats, and refreshments including wine. There are also yard games like cornhole that families can play together. The gift shop is open during the festival and sells favorites like cider donuts, fudge, warm nuts, and more. The gift shop also has full bathrooms. There are Porta Potties located by the tulip fields.

This year’s Tulip Festival kicks off on April 20th and should be open until May 5, 2024 or later. How long the flowers last is up to Mother Nature, so please check the Richardson Adventure Farm website before you go. The fields are open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 am – 6:30 pm.

Admission to the Tulip Festival is $16 per person on Tuesday through Friday. The cost goes up slightly to $19 per person over 13 on Saturday and Sunday and $16 per person ages 4-12. Kids 3 and under get in free. Photographers are also allowed to do photo shoots in the fields for $100 per day during opening hours. You can find out more about photography sessions here. You can also bring your dog, if they are friendly and on a leash!

Here are some tips for planning your visit:

  • Wear comfortable shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty, as you’ll be doing a lot of walking
  • Take advantage of all of the photo opportunities to get pictures of your kids or whole family
  • Stop by the gift shop and pick up some donuts before you leave. They are delicious!

The Richardson Adventure Farm is a family-owned and operated farm that has been in operation since 1840! In addition to the Tulip Festival, the farm offers a variety of other seasonal events throughout the year, including an adventure farm in the fall and a Christmas tree farm in the winter.

The Tulip Festival at Richardson Adventure Farm is a wonderful way to celebrate the arrival of spring and enjoy the beauty of nature with your family. With its beautiful flowers, family-friendly activities, and delicious food, the festival is not to be missed!

Watch a short video below of our experience at the Tulip Festival this year!