2010 World Tulip Summit Agenda

For three days, in April 2010, tulip aficionados from around the world will gather in The Skagit Valley, WA for a three-day symposium. The public is invited to attend all or some of the sessions.

PLEASE NOTE THIS SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AS WE ARE STILL REFINING THE SCHEDULE.

The preliminary schedule is:

Tuesday, April 13

• Morning/Afternoon: Delegates arrive, check in at their hotels and proceed to an afternoon presentation at Padilla Bay Preserve, including refreshments. Padilla Bay Preserve is a part of the nationwide estuary preserve system. Delegates will be treated to interactive exhibits on the marine life in our area and have experts on-hand to answer questions. They can also stroll on the paths and walkways throughout the preserve area. For more on Padilla Bay go to www.padillabay.gov.
• Evening: There will be a private VIP reception with drinks and appetizers at Tulip Town. Guests will be treated to a personalized behind-the-scenes tour with owners Tom and Jeannette DeGoede. The DeGoedes have been working for 4 years creating truly delightful exhibits and sculptures honoring the tulip summit and the World Peace Gardens. They, along with their neighbors, have created a recipe for a delightful evening. Learn more about Tulip Town at http://www.tuliptown.com/.

Wednesday, April 14

• Morning: Delegates will attend a variety of sessions talking tulips - from gardening and landscaping to history and artwork. Featured speakers will include expert nurserymen, veteran landscapers, plus speakers on the history of the tulips in Skagit Valley and master artisans using tulips as their inspiration. Afternoon excursions will include tours of the hundreds of acres of tulip fields and a walking tour of LaConner. Delegates will be invited guests at the Museum of Northwest Art and the LaConner Quilt Museum.
• KEYNOTE LUNCHEON SPEAKER: Ciscoe Morris - a Washington state gardening guru whose delightful sense of humor and expertise will both inform and delight the audience. Session will include refreshments and, of course, lunch. For more information on Ciscoe Morris, see his resume on our Featured Speakers section.
• Evening: Gala VIP Formal Reception Dinner. Celebrate the arrival of spring and meet new international friends at this evening of fellowship, presentations, entertainment and dinner. This will also be the opening gala for the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival.

Thursday, April 15

• Morning: Delegates will attend a behind-the-scenes session at one of the world's largest tulip growing operations. A multi-generation, family-owned business, Washington Bulb Company, grows and harvests millions of tulip bulbs and millions of cut flowers each year. Delegates will get a glimpse of the acres of greenhouses that allow Washington Bulb to supply cut flowers to customers year-round.
• Following the Washington Bulb tour, guests will visit RoozenGaarde, the show garden for the company. RoozenGaarde's three acres of formal pathways feature 300,000 spring-blooming bulbs in plantings designed to showcase the flowers.
• Bulb experts will pass along the best practices for bulb growing, handling, shipping and storage. Attendees will also hear the current research on tulip diseases and learn what is on the horizon.
• Lunch will be a gourmet box lunch.
• Afternoon: Experts from Cornell University and Washington State University will lead a bi-coastal discussion of horticultural issues ranging from weed control in ornamental bulbs to bulb diseases and herbicide and pesticide use in commercial and home applications.
• Delegates will be able to tour the Discovery Garden maintained by the WSU Master Gardeners of Skagit County at the WSU Extension site.
• Afternoon session will end with a trip to the Kiwanis Salmon Barbecue, where local volunteers have fed tulip fans for over two decades.
• Evening: Delegates will gather to give their country presentations, learn about the 2012 summit site, and hear the announcement of which lucky country will host the 2014 summit. The formal meeting will end with a ceremonial hand off, unveiling the commemorative artwork of Monique Martin who has created a beautiful traveling piece destined to go from host country to host country.
• Evening will feature entertainment and dessert at the Tulalip Resort Casino.

Costs

Complete details on all delegate packages and single session tickets are available at the registration page.