Iowa in bloom: 10 flower festivals to attend in 2025

Check out these flower festivals in Iowa that showcase a variety of beautiful blooms on farms and in cities across the state. 

Spring has sprung across the state of Iowa. Soon the bright colors of beautiful flowers will be scattered across the countryside and towns alike. While Iowa may be known for growing corn and soybeans, several small independent farms and cities across the state also grow stunning blooms. Their annual flower festivals invite you to wander through the flower fields and bring home bouquets of your own.

Check out this list of ten flower festivals happening throughout the spring and summer months in all corners of the state. We know we picked some beauties!

1. Tulip Time in Pella

Date: May 1-3

The flower festival season in Iowa kicks off in Pella with Tulip Time, perhaps one of the state’s most well-known flower festivals. Held on the first Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in May each year, it is a celebration of the city’s rich Dutch heritage and is a beloved event celebrating its 90th year in 2025. There are some 300,000 tulips blooming all around town, making it particularly picturesque at this time of year. While it is free to visit and wander around town during the festival, some of the ticketed events include grandstand entertainment and museum tours. Of course, the parades that wander around the city center are free to attend. One of the daily parades takes place in mid-afternoon, while the second is a lighted parade each evening.

2. Orange City Tulip Festival

Date: May 15-17

Head to western Iowa, where Orange City is the master gardening city when it comes to the delicate tulip. Their annual Tulip Festival is set for mid-May and is the highlight of the spring. Not only is the city covered in beautiful tulips, but there are also a whole host of fun activities to keep residents and visitors entertained in the name of tulips for the entire weekend. There are two daily parades featuring traditional Dutch costumes and dancing, and musical theater each night. There are also carnival games and delicious Dutch delicacies to enjoy. This year’s celebration is the 84th Tulip Festival, so you know there’s much tradition and beauty to appreciate. 

Tulips pop up all around Orange City to usher in the town’s annual tulip festival. (Orange City Tulip Fest)

3. Spring Fest at Bloomsbury farm

Date: TBD, likely late April

Bloomsbury Farm in Atkins may be known for its pumpkins and fall festival fun. But they don’t miss out on the warm weather and celebrating the early blooms of spring, either. Make plans to visit during Spring Fest. Flower lovers will be particularly interested in the Tulip Festival, a new addition to the farm for 2025. You can snap photos while you wander through the blooming fields of some 200,000 tulips and also meet some of the adorable baby animals on the farm. Who can resist sweet baby goats? They have specialty drinks for the grown ups and fun activities like slides, mini zip lines, and a corn palace for the kids. Tickets should be on sale soon so check out their website for more details. 

4. United Action for Youth Festival of Flowers

Date: May 22

What’s better than a flower festival? A flower festival that’s also a fundraiser for a worthy cause! Stop by the 20th annual United Action for Youth Festival of Flowers in Iowa City. Held at the Graduate Hotel, this event showcases a wide variety (nearly 100 in fact!) of floral arrangements created by community members and professional florists alike. Each item is up for bidding in a silent auction style event and all funds raised support the work United Action for Youth carries out in the community for more than 2,800 young people and their families. The theme for this year’s event is “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” which is sure to inspire some whimsical and wonderful designs. 

5. PepperHarrow Lavender Festival

Dates: June 20-21

PepperHarrow farm in Winterset has grown an adoring following by flower lovers all across the state. Their annual Lavender Festival is set for June 20 and 21 this year. The two-day celebration is beautiful and fragrant as guests wander sprawling fields of blooming lavender. There are lavender-infused drinks to sip and live music. A variety of artisan vendors and crafting demonstrations are on site. You can partake in plein air painting, yoga, lavender soap making, and much more. The team at PepperHarrow says the event is a chance to slow down and savor the essence of summer. Tickets start at $45 for ages 12 and up.

6. Colonies in Bloom

Dates: June 29 and July 27

A trip to the Amana Colonies is always a delightful excursion. But it’s particularly fragrant and lovely in the spring during the annual Colonies in Bloom weekends.  On two different summer days (from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.), visitors are invited to wander the gardens at several private residences and Amana businesses to appreciate the summer blossom bounty. The tour is particularly interesting as it features modern and traditional gardens and a wide variety of annuals, perennials, vegetables, and fruits. The tour is self-guided and completely free! 

7. Zinnia and Sunflower Festivals at Harvestville Farms

Date: TBD in July 

Harvestville Farm in Donnellson has two varieties of flowers they celebrate at their annual flower festival. The Zinnia and Sunflower Festival will take place sometime in July. Attendees can wander through five acres of zinnias buzzing with beauty to snap photos and pick your own bouquet to take home. The height of these popular, colorful flowers is just right for families to explore and take photos in. Then there are ten acres of sunflowers to see as well. It’s truly a special experience to wander through a field of flowers that tower over your head. There’s also a cafe on site so you can grab some tasty eats after you work up an appetite wandering through the fields. Check their Facebook page for this year’s event dates later this summer. 

8. Lavender Festival at Pine Hill Farm

Dates: July 11 and 12

Pine Hill Farm in Walker will host their second annual Lavender Festival in mid-July. From 5 until 9 p.m. each day, attendees can enjoy live music, local vendors, and activities for flower enthusiasts of all ages. You can also take in the alluring aroma as you wander the vibrant purple lavender fields. Admission is just $5 per person for each evening and the memories are sure to linger like the scent of the lavender bouquet you take home. 

Attendees are surrounded by fields of lavender at Pine Hill Farm’s Lavender Festival in Walker. (Pine Hill Farm)

9. Lily Fest 5.0

Date: July 12

If you are a lover of lilies, you won’t want to miss out on Hillsdale Lily Garden’s Lily Fest 5.0. This annual event takes place each July and is a celebration of the many varieties of lilies grown on the farm. You’ll see one and a half acres of blooming lilies, plus enjoy live musical entertainment. Craft and food vendors will be on site so you can make a full day of it. This charming and unique flower festival in Glenwood will leave you astonished at the 240 varieties of lilies growing. 

10. Flower Fest at Community Orchard

Dates: August 2-3, 9-10, and 16-17

The Community Orchard in Fort Dodge likes to celebrate flowers so much that they carry their festival throughout much of the month of August. The 7th annual Flower Fest at Community Orchard is set for August 2nd and 3rd, August 9th and 10th, and August 16th and 17th. Check out fields filled with zinnias and sunflowers. They may also have some other surprise flower varieties blooming as well. You can walk through the fields and enjoy a hayrack ride as well. There’s photo opps galore and you’ll take home your own beautiful bouquet. It’s the perfect way to wrap up a delightful summer. 

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.