Artwork and special order tulips offered in celebration of 80^th Tulip Festival

The Tulip Festival Steering Committee is pleased to announce a commemorative framed artwork set for the 2020 Orange City Tulip Festival, slated for May 14-16.

The artwork selected for the 80th annual Tulip Festival are three framed canvases, each showcasing a different piece of downtown Orange City’s tulip mural located at the corner of Central Avenue and Second Street NE.

“We look forward to offering these art pieces as a celebration of the 80th Tulip Festival,” says Cristi Kelch, co-chairman of the Steering Committee. “We are excited to give residents and visitors of the festival a unique piece of Orange City to enjoy in their own homes throughout the year.”

Though all three pieces coordinate and showcase the full downtown mural, the individual framed canvases can be purchased and displayed separately. One 10.25-inch by 10.25-inch framed canvas costs $50.00, or all three can be purchased for a discounted price of $125.00.

The 21- by 100-foot tulip mural downtown Orange City was painted by Mark Alsum in 2011, and depicts a bed of vibrant red, yellow and purple tulips as well as a Dutch windmill. The mural was inspired by the bright tulips that bloom each year at the annual Tulip Festival. The mural was commissioned by the Orange City Arts Council and the Orange City Betterment Board contributed funds to the project.

“This mural is a great representation of this year’s festival theme of ‘Vibrant Together. Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.’” says Kelch. “The mural itself was inspired and completed by multiple organizations in Orange City that all worked together to make what is now an iconic landmark in Orange City and a beautiful backdrop for our festival each year.”

In order to re-create the mural artwork on canvas, hours were spent color-correcting and making sure each detail of the mural was accurately represented. Ken Fry of Centrum Foto and Taylor Reynolds of the Orange City Chamber in Orange City provided their expertise for this process.

The canvases can be ordered by calling the Tulip Festival office at 712-707-4510.

To coordinate with the canvas artwork, a special mix of tulip bundles are available for purchase. The special 80th Anniversary Special Tulip Bundle include red, yellow and purple tulips. Each bundle includes 20 bulbs for $25. To order the 80th Anniversary Special Tulip Bundle, contact Tulip Town Bulb Company at 712-737-3670.