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“We’re still big smilin’ even though the bloom is done for the season,” said Tulip Town’s May 14 Instagram post. “Such a great year sharing color and creativity with all our guests and digitally connected friends!”

Cindy Verge, executive director of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, estimates between 250,000 and 300,000 people visited the valley this year. In dollars, “my sense is we did really well,” she says.

Verge says asking visitors to book visits to Tulip Town and Roozengaarde in advance was a very positive move. Reservations spread out traffic evenly throughout th...