The Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival is not your grandmother’s tulip patch! This Oregon tulip festival boasts 40 acres of rainbow tulips set against an astounding background of snow-peaked Mount Hood. Beautiful doesn’t even begin to explain the sights here. If you are looking for visiting Oregon in the spring, or live here and are seeking things to do, look no further!
Spring Kicks off with the Oregon Tulip Festival – Our Adventure
The sun finally emerged after weeks of Oregon rain and days of flooding, and we were itching to get to the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival. I figured a Thursday morning would be an ideal time to visit. Kids would be in school, and most people would be waiting for the weekend to attend, but man, was I wrong! Everyone else (in the whole state it seemed) must have had the same need to enjoy the sunshine, because the road was backed up at least a mile from the entrance.
Despite the crowd, the line was moving the entire time, and before I knew it, I was at the entrance being guided by employees into my parking spot. I had purchased tickets ahead of time on Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm’s website, so my entry was quick and painless.
A friendly parking attendant directed me to park my truck along a fence line that seemed to be an unofficial truck parking spot. I grabbed my camera and our Oregon mascot Kimber and met up with my friend and her cowboy corgi pup, Resi.
We were finally ready to see some tulips!
Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival- Enjoying the Festivities
Considering I did not grow up in Oregon, I had never attended the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival, and I was astounded with what I saw when I first entered. I was not expecting an Oregon tulip festival to draw in such large crowds or to have so many things to do!
As the dogs excitedly pulled us into the crowds, we were greeted by gift shops, restaurants, food trucks, carnivals and a myriad of little shopping tents featuring everything from artwork to clothing.
This area was exciting, but we were there to see some tulips. So, we briskly made our way to the tulip patch while the dogs were already panting on the unusually warm April day.
The walk to the tulip fields of the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival was probably only about ¼ mile at most, but many visitors enjoyed a tractor-pulled wagon ride instead. The fields were full of people bustling with excitement to see the bursting with color.
The first thing we saw upon arriving at the tulip field is of course, tulips! At the entrance to the field is a group of small tulip planter boxes labelled with the names of each variety. This way, when you see a tulip you like, it’s easy to place an order. In front of these, were a few more food trucks and snack stations as well as picnic tables so you could enjoy lunch with a view of the fields.
The Best Part of the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival The Tulips!
Once we made our way past the crowds and fanfare of the entrance to the fields, I got my camera set up and ready to go. When I finally got a chance to look up, I was absolutely astonished.
Rows and rows of tulip varieties, all in different colors, stretched out as far as the eye could see. Snow covered mountain tops peeked out above and behind the tulips, giving it a picturesque backdrop that could not be accurately described with words. Unfortunately, the dogs did not seem to have an affinity for standing still and looking at the scenery, so we knew we were going to have to take in the views while on the move. Amidst the tulips stood décor such as wooden windmills and different colored antique tractors that offered great photo ops and fit in perfectly with the ambiance.
Making our way through the tulips we snapped photos, looked at the different varieties and definitely got our steps in for the day. After a few rows we attempted some dog photography amid the tulips.
A Highly Organized Oregon Tulip Festival
The rows of tulips at Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival 2022 were organized in perfectly straight rows, with wider rows in between varieties to keep the tulips safe and to provide walkways. Each variety had its own row and were labeled with wooden sticks. I had no idea there were so many different types of tulips before this adventure.
Some tulips were solid colored, with every color under the sun being represented, while others had two or even three different colors represented on each flower. I have to say, I think my favorite the dark purple tulip varieties. They seemed to stand out amongst the bright reds and oranges. Plus, I’m a sucker for purple!
Once we had walked through all the rows (a physical inspection is the only way to experience all of the varieties), I saw a tall platform across the field. I wanted to go investigate the view from this elevated perspective, but it was a bit crowded with people trying to get a glimpse or photo of the tulip patch in its entirety.
Although, the crowds nearly scared me off, I am glad I visited this prime spot at Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm. From the top, I could see the full view of the 40 acres of tulips. The colors even seemed to be brighter from up there, and I understood the amount of work put into this family farm.
Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival- Lunch and a Snack
With all the steps we had taken, we were starving. We ordered some barbecue and found a spot in the grass to have a little picnic. Between the hearty lunch and the sunburns setting in, we had our eyes on the giant snow cones we had seen throughout the day. We set off to the snow cone booth knowing that no festival is complete without dessert.
The snow cone shack offered various flavors that you applied yourself. Trying to flavor our snowcones while holding leashes of two excited dogs proved very difficult, and we left with as much syrup on our arms as was in our snow cones (oops).
It’s a special experience to eat a snow cone on a beautiful sunny day while overlooking multicolored tulips at the peak of bloom with begging dogs in the foreground. Since we had been at the festival a few hours now and were feeling the effects of the sun, we decided to head out and excitedly discussed our next adventure, with plans to come back to the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival next year.
Purchasing Tickets for the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival
Tickets must be purchased online for the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival. Tickets are for anyone 13 and over. Children under 12 will receive free admission. You can find information for purchasing here.
Regular admission includes: parking, shuttle from the main building to the tulip fields, admission to the tulip fields, viewing beds, and gardens, the children’s play area, and use of the individual children’s cow wagons.
Season passes are available as well and allow you admission into to tulip patch as early as 5 am and until an hour after sunset for great photo ops! You may also visit as many days as you like, without having to pay again for admission. This is a great ticket option for anyone who wants to photograph the blooms at Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm, or anyone who wants to witness all of the different varieties of tulips as they each emerge throughout the season.
For season pass information and pricing, click here, and scroll down.
Drone operator passes are available for limited hours. You must also clear your drone flight with the farm first as well. Having a drone pass does not mean you can operate a drone at the fields on any day or any time. More info can be found here.
Hot air balloons do operate on some days in the tulip patch, mainly weather depending. For information and booking for a tethered balloon flight, the information can be found halfway down the page found here.
What to Know Before You Go
To find Wooden Shoe Tulip farm in Woodburn, navigated to the following address: 33814 S. Meridian Rd. Woodburn, OR 97071.
The tulip festival at Wood Shoe Tulip Farm runs from March 22 through April 28 in 2024 with hours as follows:
- Monday-Thursday 9am-6pm
- Friday 9am-7pm
- Saturday 8am-7pm
- Sunday 8am-6pm
To view a report of field conditions and peak bloom, click here.
Dogs are allowed onsite if they are leashed and well behaved. A lot of families attend with their dogs, so be sure your dog is okay with crowds and other canines. The festival provides multiple dog water stations to rehydrate your pup. They ask that you clean up after your dog so everyone can enjoy the festival.
Food and shopping is available onsite, and many vendors do take credit cards, but it is recommended to bring cash.
The tulip fields can be muddy, so bring suitable shoes, and keep an eye on the field conditions and weather here. Guests are not permitted in between the tight rows of tulips. Be sure to stay on the wide designated pathways to avoid trampling the flowers.
Rides to and from the far parking lot are included with admission, but cow train rides through the fields are $3.
Additional Things to do at the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival
In addition to tulip viewing, the Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival has many activities. The children’s play area features games and activities for children to do. Additionally, adults can spend their time shopping at the many vendors onsite.
In the 2022 season there will be eight different food cart and dining options around the festival. All but two of them will be operating daily. You can expect to find offerings such as Mexican food, baked goods, lattes, pizza and more!
Wooden Shoe Vineyards Tasting Room is onsite and offers a selection of delectable wines for your enjoyment.
Paid experiences include various wine tours, farm tours, and bungee jumpers for children.
Tulips and bulbs can be purchased onsite in the main red building and in the tent at the tulip fields.
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