WAXAHACHIE, TX (1080 KRLD) - The annual Tulipalooza festival opens today. The festival of brightly-colored flowers from Holland is starting one week ahead of schedule because the recent warm weather caused the tulips to bloom early.
The event features thousands of tulips in a field next to the Waxahachie Civic Center.
"The whole festival is geared toward the picture-taking experience, which is coming at the right time," said organizer Bill Van Houten. "The tulips are actually in full bloom as we speak. They make for wonderful pictures."
The event was started several years ago by John Poston to benefit Daymark Living, which is a school for people with intellectual and physical disabilities. Some of the clients also volunteer at the festival.
"They are wonderful volunteers and really enjoy doing what they do," Van Houten said. In addition to Daymark Living, proceeds from the event benefit several other non-profit organizations - including the YMCA, Goodwill of Dallas and the Special Olympics.
The event runs from Friday, March 10th through Sunday, March 19th and is open between 10:00am and 7:00pm each day. It's next to the Waxahachie Civic Center at 2000 Civic Center Lane.
"We have a professional photography team there, we have food trucks, we have big cutout signs with a big Dutch boy and Dutch girl to take wonderful pictures," said Van Houten. "People take pictures by the hundreds for sharing with parents and grandparents at Easter."
Tickets are available at the gate or in advance through the event's website. Tickets are $15 for adults, $5 for kids between 5 and 12 and free for kids under the age of 5.
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