Skagit Valley Tulip Festival director: estimated 450,000 visitors, $51 million in local spending last year

Nicole Ruzin, executive director of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, briefed the county commissioners on March 30 about this year’s festival, telling the board the event remains a major local tourism driver and introducing new outreach and evening activities.

Ruzin said the festival saw an estimated 450,000 visitors last year and that data from the tourism bureau show an average spend of about $113 per person. "If you take that by the number of estimated visitors, that's about $51,000,000 of estimated revenue that was generated," she told the board as she outlined how visitor spending supports lodging, restaurants and other county businesses.

Ruzin described several new initiatives for 2026: a commemorative poster and a curated art exhibit split between Anacortes and downtown Mount Vernon; a new evening series called “Petals and Pours” that pairs flower-arrangement classes with local restaurants to encourage overnight stays; itinerary pages aimed at different visitor types (dog owners, art lovers, outdoor enthusiasts); and a bloom-status landing page on the festival website that helps visitors decide when to come.

Commissioners praised the festival’s outreach and marketing and asked about traffic mitigation. Ruzin said midweek visitation messaging and detailed alternate-route guidance are part of the communication plan, and she credited local volunteers and the tourism bureau for helping manage crowds and visitor services.

What’s next: Ruzin said the art exhibits begin in early April and that details, schedules and bloom-status updates will be posted on the festival website and social channels.