Topeka Tulip Time includes festival today at Lake Shawnee

Jerold Binkley Tulip Time 2021 lasts from April 9-25. The event features nearly 100,000 tulips and flowering bulbs in Shawnee County Parks + Recreation’s three featured gardens – Ted Ensley Gardens at Lake Shawnee, Old Prairie Town/Ward-Meade Botanical Garden and Doran Rock Garden and surrounding areas in Gage Park. In 2021, the event will once again be named for its founder, Jerold Binkley who passed away in 2019.

Tulip Time began nearly 30 years ago in the home gardens of Jerold and Joan Binkley. Mr. Binkley desired to create an ongoing and beautiful county-wide event with Tulip Time. Today the event draws visitors from around the nation.

There are two special events in addition to regular self-guided tours through the gardens:

Tulips at Twilight features 35 lighted displays with more than 20,000 tulips illuminated by candle light and lighted displays. The displays include 15-foot tall illuminated tulips and larger-than-life illuminated flowers, illuminated mushrooms tall enough for patrons to walk beneath them, rivers of blue lights and floating lanterns in the Asian garden. Patrons may enjoy live music and Old Prairie Town building tours on Friday and Saturday evenings. Tulips at Twilight is set for 7-10 p.m. April 9-25. Admission is a $5 donation with children five and under free.

A ribbon cutting will be held during the Tulip Festival at the Lake April 17 to dedicate a special section of Ted Ensley Gardens in Mr. Binkley’s honor.  The event is from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. A $5 donation for the day gains guests entry to the gardens, live musical performances, vendors, classic car show and fun for the kids.  The festival will include vendors, a car show, live music and an appearance by the Topeka High Drum Line.

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Tulip Time has been attended in the past by people from 68 cities in Kansas, multiple states and visitors from the United Kingdom, India, Russia, Australia and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Tulip Time is an annual destination popular with everyone from area residents to out-of-state visitors on bus tours. A $5 donation is suggested at Ted Ensley Gardens and Old Prairie Town/Ward-Meade Botanical Garden to help cover the cost of the event and enable Tulip Time to continue in future years. Guided tours for groups of 15 or more with advance reservations are available at Ted Ensley Gardens and Old Prairie Town/Ward-Meade Botanical Garden (785) 251-6865.

Following the blooming season for the tulips, the bulbs are removed and sold to the public. Tulip Time is a combined effort of Friends of Ted Ensley Gardens, Friends of Ward-Meade, the Parks For All Foundation and Shawnee County Parks + Recreation.

For more information watch the various event pages on Facebook.

–Lee Hartman | Metro Voice

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