One of the earliest tulip festivals this spring takes place in the Skagit Valley, north of Seattle, Washington. Official dates for the 28th annual event are April 1-30, 2011, but of course as we Road Trips Gardeners know, the flowers arrive on their own schedule.

There’s lots more on the agenda than just tip toeing through the tulips, including a couple of runs (2 and 5 miles), bicycle jaunt, quilt show, arts festival and even a basketball tournament. (Pictured is the 2011 Tulip Festival poster by John Ebner.)

There’s a field map online to help you plan your drive among the tulips.