Tulleys Tulip Fest in West Sussex is one of three Sussex tulip festivals. The festival includes over 1.5 million tulip bulbs, with over 100 different varieties of tulips.
If you have been to any of Tulleys other events, you’ll know that their motto very much seems to be Go big or go home, and this festival is definitely about going big. It has a completely different atmosphere to the other two Sussex tulip festivals. There is lots going on and it is a great event for families who could probably spend half a day here or longer.
What to expect
When you arrive, you enter the tulip village, where you’ll find plenty of places to eat (Dutch food is the name of the game but there other choices), tulips and tulip merchandise for sale as well as vintage lorries ladened with … tulips. There is also a big wheel here if you want to see the festival from above.
From the village, set off on the tulip trail. This includes Tulipa lake, a windmill, light tunnels and lots of photo opportunities. Look out for the musicians (in costume) who walk in amongst the crowds and the information boards that tell you more about tulips and their history. This year there is also a night trail when the tulip trail and lake are lit up.
The tulip fields
From the tulip trail, you walk down to the sloping tulip fields and row upon row of brightly coloured tulips. Reds, yellows, oranges, pinks and purples are the order of the day. The organisers are very relaxed and visitors can roam freely up and down the rows and in between the tulips. There are more photo opportunities here in the fields … sit astride a vintage bike with the tulips behind you or catch an Instagram shot through a pair of giant sunglasses. There are 15 photo installations in total if you want to go all out.
In between the fields, there is a viewing platform which has great views of the countryside beyond and in the other direction, you can see the spire of the local church. When you’ve had your fill of tulip blooms swaying in the wind and the vibrant colours, make your way back to to the tulip village.
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