Bask in beautiful blooms at these flower festivals happening across Iowa this spring and summer.
As winter loosens its icy grip on the Hawkeye State, brightly colored flowers begin to bend their petals toward the sun. Iowans understand that when formerly frozen fields sprout in multi-hued blooms, it’s high time for celebration. And what better way to honor the beauty of summertime than with a festival toasting to flowers?
From family-run farms to local organizations to entire city squares, Iowa flower festivals promise adventure for the entire family. Here are our picks for the best flower festivals happening in Iowa this spring and summer:
1. Pella Tulip Time Festival
When the first Thursday in May rolls around, it’s time to don your best klederdracht and head to Pella’s city square for the annual Tulip Time Festival. Established in 1935, this celebration of blooming tulips paired with Dutch culture offers three days of all-ages programming between May 7-9, including photo opportunities with more than 300,000 tulips planted throughout three Pella city parks, multiple parades, live performances of Dutch songs and dances, food from local vendors, and a craft market boasting more than 100 booths of artisan wares. Hosted by Pella Historical Museums, Tulip Time is free, though select events, exhibitions, and shows charge admission.
2. Orange City Tulip Festival
From May 14-16, Orange City will host its 85th Tulip Festival, a feast for the senses that honors the bright colors of tulip blooms and the town’s rich Dutch heritage. You’ll discover whimsy around every corner of Orange City during this event, from the fully restored Dutch street organ that blares time-honored melodies throughout the Stadscentrum, or city center, to the Fietsen Zangers, a group of cycling singers who ride up and down Central Avenue performing a capella tunes.
Keep in mind that several of the weekend’s events require advance tickets or registration, like tours of the Dutch American Heritage Museum; live performances from The Dutch Dozen, a musical ensemble of local high schoolers; and Klederdracht Tea, a new offering in 2026 in which local costume experts share the history of traditional Dutch dress over tea and bites.
3. State Center Rose Festival
The city of State Center proves just how it got the moniker the “rose capital of Iowa” during its annual Rose Festival, held this June 18-21. Attendees line up for nearly a mile to view the Rose Festival Grand Parade, which hosts more than 100 floats and local marching bands. The aromatic Rose Garden welcomes visitors with a plethora of shades and scents, while the Main Street Market offers crafts, foods, and other homemade goods. When the sun sets each evening, events like the Rose Queen coronation pageant, a fireworks show, a rib dinner fundraiser, and the 25th annual KCBS Barbecue Competition ensure that no attendees leave the Rose Festival without a smile on their face or a full belly.
4. Iowa Tulip Festival at Bloomsbury Farm
Over 30 varieties of tulips—not to mention more than 30,000 daffodil blooms—will be ready for their camera close-ups during the Iowa Tulip Festival at Bloomsbury Farm, tentatively scheduled for late April or mid-May, depending on the weather and crops. This event, held in Atkins, promises fun for the whole family, as a bevy of baby farm animals awaits heart-warming meetings with your youngest, and a tulip bouquet design station helps you assemble the perfect gift for your loved ones.
Make an afternoon out of your visit: Other attractions at Bloomsbury Farm include specialty drinks and wine flights, the Glass Alley Beer Garden, a pizza kitchen, mini golf, and giant yard games.
5. Community Orchard Flower Fest
For the seventh year in a row, The Community Orchard in Fort Dodge is set to host its Flower Fest. Hop on a hayride to the flower patch to view sunflowers, zinnias, and more in all their glory, or stroll at your own pace through the fields of blooms, stopping to take as many photos as you’d like. Channel your inner florist by picking your own flowers to create a bouquet, and don’t forget to check out The Community Orchard’s Apple Orchard Café for a cup of its signature Scarecrow Soup or a slice of freshly baked pie.
The seventh annual Flower Fest will likely occur in August, but be sure to visit the Community Orchard website and Facebook page for updates.
6. PepperHarrow Lavender Festival
Perhaps the most fragrant and relaxing flower festival among this year’s crop of events is the PepperHarrow Lavender Festival, which comprises two days of activities at a family-run farm in Madison County from June 19-20. After a stroll around the fields of blooming lavender, sit a spell while sipping on lavender-infused drinks, peruse unique wares from artisan vendors, or create your own bouquet of fresh blooms. A full schedule of lavender-related demonstrations includes presentations on lavender’s wellness benefits, its uses in baking and breadmaking, and botanical cocktail making and lavender distillation.
Early-bird tickets for the PepperHarrow Lavender Festival are on sale now at $25 a day or $40 for both days, and the price will increase on May 15.
7. Sunflower and Zinnia Festivals at Harvestville Farm
Donnellson’s Harvestville Farm invites guests to bask in the beauty of summertime with a pair of flower festivals set to be held at the end of July or early August, depending on weather and crops.
During the Sunflower Festival, guests will walk among more than 10 acres of sunflowers, while the Zinnia Festival welcomes visitors for a stroll among five acres of the brightly colored blooms. During both festivals, you’ll find plenty of photo prop areas along the way to create the perfect portrait of your loved ones, and you’ll be able to visit the Flower Bar to create your own floral arrangement of freshly cut flowers. Top it off with a visit to the farm’s own Pitchfork Café, where airy patio dining and a seasonal menu of salads, sandwiches, soups, pizzas, and sweet treats await.
8. United Action for Youth Festival of Flowers
Flower lovers with a penchant for giving back will want to arrange their most-prized blooms into bouquets for a chance to win big at the 2026 Festival of Flowers, hosted by United Action for Youth at the Graduate by Hilton in downtown Iowa City at 5:30 p.m. on May 21. This fundraising event, live auction, and floral arrangement contest support United Action for Youth, a nonprofit organization supporting young people and families in Johnson County with programs in art, health, music, and crisis, advocacy, and mediation.
Ready to create your award-winning arrangement? Keep in mind this year’s event theme: “Oh, the places you’ll go.”
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
