Tuesday, March 20, marks the vernal equinox, when the Northern and Southern Hemispheres get an equal amount of daylight—or, more importantly, when spring officially begins. To mark the occasion, we’ve compiled six iconically springy outdoor Seattle events below, which offer flowers in bloom, baby animals, fresh air, and lots of opportunities to soak up our region’s natural beauty. But this is just a taste—you can find ways to celebrate the equinox on our spring calendar, Easter and Earth Day events on their respective calendars, and nearly 100 things to do outside when the weather is nice on our outside events calendar.
THROUGH MARCH 31
La Conner Daffodil Festival
The Tulip Festival isn’t the only display of spring blooms in Skagit Valley; the month of March also brings fields of daffodils to La Conner. To celebrate the fluffy yellow flowers, they’ll have events and activities like wine tastings, a tweed bicycle ride, a daffodil photo contest, and more.
APRIL 1–30
Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
For the 35th consecutive year, flower enthusiasts will flock to Skagit Valley to see sprawling fields covered with hundreds of colorful tulips in bloom. The festival is designed as a driving tour, as there’s no one spot to enter. If you go on the weekend of April 20, there will also be a special Tulip Festival Street Fair, featuring artisan vendors, concessions, nonprofit group displays, and live entertainment.
APRIL 7–22
Daffodil Festival
Pierce County is fertile ground for the fluffy orange flowers, who have had their own festival in the area since 1934. The highlight of the event is its grand parade, where the festival’s royal court (made up of 23 “princesses” from Pierce County high schools) sail down the street on Daffodil-covered floats.
APRIL 19–22
Spring Fair
Welcome springtime at this Washington State Fair event by riding rollercoasters, playing carnival games, watching piglet races, taking in free music and comedy shows, seeing monster trucks in Motorsport Mayhem races, checking out garden displays, and more. There’s also a “Fun on the Farm” area where kids can pet baby animals and learn about agriculture.
APRIL 20–22
Seattle Cherry Blossom Festival
In appreciation of the 1,000 cherry trees gifted to Seattle by Prime Minister Takeo Miki 40 years ago, the annual Cherry Blossom Festival is a celebration of Japanese culture. It’s the oldest in the Seattle Center Festál series, featuring live performances, Taiko drumming and artisan demonstrations, food, and more.
APRIL 26–MAY 6
Apple Blossom Festival
This annual festival, which started in 1919, showcases the beautiful blooms of Wenatchee Valley. It includes a carnival, a golf tournament, a food fair, multiple parades, and more.
