Trunnell’s Farm is preparing to usher in spring with a burst of color as it launches its inaugural Tulip Festival, a new seasonal attraction that owner Kevin Trunnell hopes will draw visitors from across the region to Daviess County.
The tentative opening date for the festival is April 3, with hours running from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day Trunnell’s Farm is open. Trunnell said the farm is also prepared to open earlier if weather conditions cause the tulips to bloom ahead of schedule.
The idea for the Tulip Festival has been years in the making. Trunnell said tulips have always held a personal significance, dating back to childhood memories of his parents’ springtime gardens.
“Every spring, they’re just something to look forward to,” he said. “We were trying to think of something we could do in the spring, kind of like when we started sunflowers in 2018.”
After seeing images of tulip fields in Holland, Trunnell began researching whether the flowers could thrive in Kentucky. That research led to working with a grower in Holland to supply the bulbs, and eventually to a full-scale plan.
“It’s actually been about three years in the making,” Trunnell said. “We almost pulled the trigger earlier, but we felt like we weren’t quite ready to move forward.”
One of the festival’s standout features will be the tulip field itself, planted in the shape of a butterfly and featuring 26 tulip varieties.
“We wanted it to be more than just straight rows,” Trunnell said. “Production agriculture is straight and narrow, but when we have guests come out, we want them to explore the field. With all the different colors, that butterfly design is just going to make it even more vibrant.”
Visitors can expect more than just flowers. Because of the timing of Easter in 2026, the Tulip Festival will be combined with Trunnell’s Farm’s Exceptional Easter Egg Hunt.
“There will just be one ticket, one price, and it will include everything,” Trunnell said. “The tulips, all the farm experience activities, and the kids’ Easter egg hunt.”
The egg hunt will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., while the rest of the farm remains open until 6 p.m.
The spring “farm experience” includes more than 30 attractions, such as two animal barnyards, a parakeet aviary, a giant jumping pillow, mini zip lines, a six-lane slide, paintball gallery, apple blasters, and a mining sluice adventure.
“One of the newest and main activities for this tulip fest is just getting some really cool pictures,” Trunnell said, noting Holland-themed photo ops and designated tulip-picking areas where guests can create their own bouquets.
Food will also play a major role, with options ranging from strawberry donuts and funnel cakes to ribeye sandwiches, pulled pork, specialty hot dogs, and dessert “freak shakes.”
“No one will go home hungry unless they want to,” Trunnell said.
Ultimately, Trunnell hopes the festival strengthens ties with the community while attracting new visitors.
“We always want to open our farm up to our local community, as well as the surrounding tri-state area,” he said. “That’s what we would love to see more of, people coming to enjoy our farm and everything we offer.”
