On Saturday, March 22, San Francisco's sixth annual Tulip Day returns, turning Union Square into a massive, flower-filled garden where visitors can pick their own bouquet free of charge. But be warned — it's an influencer magnet, and if previous years' massive crowds are any indication, you'll want to get there early.
Officially, the tulip-picking starts at 1 p.m. and runs until 4 p.m., but people typically start lining up hours beforehand. In 2023, over 35,000 people showed up, and lines stretched around the square well before the first tulip was plucked. Last year, the number grew to about 40,000, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Organizers recommend arriving as early as 9 a.m. to secure a good spot. Once in the plaza, each visitor can gather up to eight tulips to take home.
The event, inspired by Amsterdam's National Tulip Day, is made possible through a partnership between the Union Square Alliance and the Consulate General of the Netherlands, which supplies the bulbs. The Netherlands exports over $120 million worth of tulip bulbs to the U.S. each year, per a press release from the Union Square Alliance.
Beyond the flowers, the day is a part of a larger push to bring more foot traffic back to Union Square. In a press release, Mayor Daniel Lurie said he is excited to show through Tulip Day and other events "what makes San Francisco so special."
Read more at SF Gate