Flowers and mud at the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

Posted by Danny Gawlowski

This spring's cool, damp weather delayed the beginning of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival but also created an additional attraction: mud. The flowers are now approaching their peak and, though most of the pathways are now dry, there are still puddles to jump. In other words, it's a perfect time to visit. For more information, read this guide to the festival. For more photos, visit the gallery.

ALAN BERNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Close to 70 varieties can be seen during the tulip festival near Mount Vernon in Skagit Valley. Fields are nearing their peak and should be in bloom through the first week of May.

ALAN BERNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Henrik Arnold, 5, nearly loses his balance making his way through the muddy road between Tulip Town fields Thursday. His mom, Amy, came to his rescue.

ALAN BERNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Amy Arnold helps her son Henrik, 5, across a muddy road between tulip fields when his boots became stuck. Many youngsters found the mud more of an attraction than the tulips which brought adults out.

ALAN BERNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES

Linda Liu of Vancouver, Canada crouches behind a child's height cutout of an angel in the Tulip Town fields in Skagit Valley Thursday for a photograph by friends. The flowers are approaching their peak after having been delayed by cool damp weather. Tulip Town is open daily through May 6. While most pathways are now dry rubber boots were worn by many since the road between fields has puddles.

For more photos, visit the gallery.

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Flowers and mud at the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival