Tulip Festival weekend set to kick off in Albany

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Tulip Festival returns to Washington Park in Albany this weekend. The 76th annual event featuring live music performances, over 100 vendors and gorgeous floral displays will get started with a series of opening ceremonies on May 10.

The festivities will begin with the yearly street scrubbing ceremony on State Street at noon, between Eagle Street and Lodge Street. Paying homage to Albany's heritage, the Dutch tradition of scrubbing streets clean before a celebration has kicked off the city's Tulip Fest since its inception.

Following the street scrubbing will be the Albany Tulip Luncheon at the Blake Annex, which benefits the Tulip Queen and Court literacy programs through the Capital City Fund. The event's Mistress of Ceremonies will be none other than NEWS10's own Giuliana Bruno!

"KeyBank is proud to support the Tulip Festival, a tradition that is part of the fabric of the Capital Region," said Fran O’Rourke, Albany Market President and Regional Executive of Key Bank. "This festival, a sign of spring that so many look forward to, brings joy and excitement to our region. It’s one of many initiatives and organizations that we are honored to support in the communities we serve."

Albany Police announced multiple road closures and issued parking rules in anticipation of the festival. The CDTA will be offering free shuttles to Washington Park throughout the weekend.

Tulip Festival will run from May 11 through May 12. You can find the full Tulip Fest lineup of entertainment and activities on our website.