FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tulip Fairies and elves poised and ready to wake the tulips along the Pearl Street Mall
How do the Pearl Street Mall’s 15,000 new tulips come to life every spring? The tulip fairies and elves of course
[Boulder, CO] March 24, 2011 – This year, the much beloved Tulip Fairy and Elf Parade will take place on Saturday, April 23 starting at 3 p.m. Tulip fairies and elves are encouraged to bring their adults and enjoy an afternoon of celebrations. The two block parade will start in front of the marble family gathering area on the 1400 block of Pearl Street and head west along the 1300 block and return.
Upon completion of the parade, the City’s Open Space and Mountain Parks Department will present the annual Waking of the Bear. During this presentation, the fairies and elves will enjoy music by children’s musician Jeff Kagen while also learning what to do if they encounter a bear in the wild.
In the late 70s, Boulder’s then sister city, Meppel, Holland would send 5,000 tulip bulbs annually to be planted along the Pearl Street Mall. A form of this tradition continues to this day when every fall the City of Boulder’s Parks Department plants 15,000 brand new tulip bulbs that are directly imported from Holland. With a little TLC over the winter months, the tulips start to peak out of the ground around the middle of March. By mid May, every block of the Pearl Street Mall is colorfully adorned by the biggest, brightest tulips imaginable. What’s the secret to the tulips size and colors? The tulip fairies and elves of course!
Each spring Downtown Boulder, Inc. (DBI) enlists the help of the beautifully Tulip Fairy to help wake the tulips and encourage them to grow to their fullest potential. With the help of hundreds of pint-sized fairies and elves, the Tulip Fairy leads a parade with much pomp and circumstance and to the delight of parents, locals and visitors alike.
"Of all the events DBI produces, the Tulip Fairy and Elf Parade continues to be the most beloved,” said Anna Salim, DBI’s event manager. “Parents start calling in January wanting to know when the event will happen. The parade is short and the entire event only last an hour but it produces some of the best pictures you can take on the mall all season.”
The event is free and no pre-registration is required. Attendees are encouraged to arrive at the family gathering place (marble animal garden) around 2:45 p.m. (Every Saturday and Sunday, City of Boulder parking garages are free. Public encouraged to park in the garage at 15th and Pearl streets.) The public can learn more at http://www.TulipFairyParade.comor call 303-449-3774.
The Tulip Fairy and Elf Parade is supported by the Daily Camera & City of Boulder Parking Services and produced by Downtown Boulder, Inc.
About Downtown Boulder, Inc. (DBI)
Downtown Boulder, Incorporated (DBI) is a non-profit organization dedicated to continued preservation and enhancement of Downtown Boulder as the heart of the greater Boulder community. We work to maintain downtown as the center of commerce, government, culture, and leisure. DBI members support the overall vitality of downtown through public advocacy, political involvement, and community events that enhance the Boulder experience for residents and visitors. Membership in Downtown Boulder, Incorporated (DBI) is voluntary and open to any interested person or organization. (https://boulderdowntown.com)
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Contacts:
Terri Takata-Smith, Director of Marketing & Communications
Anna Salim, Event Manager
Downtown Boulder, Incorporated
303-449-3774 | terri@downtownboulder.org| anna@downtownboulder.org
https://boulderdowntown.com