Union Square to Offer 80,000 Free Tulips at Annual Spring Event

Tomorrow morning, Union Square Plaza will fill with approximately 80,000 American-produced tulips grown from Dutch bulbs, as the Union Square Alliance hosts its annual Tulip Day Presented by JPMorganChase on Saturday, March 21. The free public event transforms the plaza into a temporary tulip garden and lets each attendee pick up to eight flowers at no cost.

Lines form early: the queue opens at 9 a.m., though attendees are not permitted to begin lining up before that hour. A speaking portion kicks off at noon, and the Tulip Field gates open for picking at 1 p.m. The event is not ticketed, and organizers expect significant crowds, recommending public transit for anyone planning to attend. The Union Square Alliance is also running an Instagram contest to award early-access passes before the gates open.

Mayor Daniel Lurie framed the event squarely around downtown's ongoing economic recovery. "Each year, Tulip Day draws thousands of residents and visitors to Union Square, bringing great energy to the heart of our city," he said. "I'm thrilled for the return of Tulip Day this March as we continue working hand-in-hand with the Union Square Alliance to drive foot traffic, support local businesses and accelerate our downtown recovery."

Sarah Madland, Interim General Manager of the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, described what the plaza looks like at full bloom. "Tulip Day is a spectacle of color, beauty and pure fun in Union Square," Madland said. "When 80,000 tulips fill the plaza, you see the delight on the faces of families, friends, visitors and neighbors who've come downtown to be part of it. The scale is extraordinary, but it's that shared joy unfolding across a public plaza that defines the day."

Nick Harrison, Business Banking Market Manager at JPMorganChase, connected the event to a broader vision for the city's core. "Tulip Day reflects the vibrant spirit and resilience of San Francisco's downtown," Harrison said. "This event is a beautiful reminder of what's possible when we come together to reimagine and reinvigorate the heart of our city."

Tulip Day also serves as the opening signal for Union Square in Bloom, a seasonal initiative in which local businesses follow the event with their own floral displays, food offerings, cocktails and programming through the spring and summer months. The event is held traditionally in honor of International Women's Day and draws on the Alliance's partnership with the Consulate General of the Netherlands in San Francisco.

Beyond JPMorganChase as presenting sponsor, the event is supported by the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development, San Francisco Recreation and Park, Anthos, the Union Square Foundation, the San Francisco Flower Market and the Consulate General of the Netherlands. The tradition itself has roots stretching back to Holland, Michigan, though Union Square's version has grown into one of the city's most visible spring fixtures. Attendees picking their eight tulips are asked to keep moving through the Tulip Field so the flow remains comfortable for the thousands expected to pass through the plaza.