Tesselaar Tulip Festival in Silvan cancelled because of coronavirus restrictions

One of Mt Dandenong’s biggest events, which brings more than 100,000 visitors to the area has been cancelled in another blow to the already struggling tourist region.

The Tesselaar family have decided to cancel their main festival because of coronavirus restrictions.

Coronavirus has put another nail in the coffin for Yarra Valley tourism with the cancellation of one of the area’s biggest events – the Tesselaar Tulip Festival.

This will be the first time in 67 years the festival, which brings in more than 100,000 visitors, has not run in the Dandenong Ranges from September 12 – October 11.

This is the second major event the family-owned business has had to cancel with the KaBloom festival abandoned days before it was due to run for three weeks from March 28 to April 19.

Tourism in the region has been decimated in the Yarra Ranges, with the brakes put on popular attractions across the municipality during their peak summer season firstly because of bushfire smoke and then coronavirus.

Festival director Paul Tesselaar said the team was very disappointed to have had to make the decision.

“Our tulips are in the ground and the team at Tesselaar have been working hard to ensure we presented Victoria and beyond with another year of amazing colour and excitement both on and off the fields,” Mr Tesselaar said.

“However, with the current Stage 4 restrictions and ever-changing COVID-19 landscape it has left us with no other option than to cancel this year’s event.”

He said Tesselaar would continue to share the colour and vibrancy of its tulip fields through their social media pages during September and October when the blooms were in their prime.

“Personally, I would like to thank all our staff for their hard work and our loyal visitors for their understanding during this extraordinary time in our lives.” Mr Tesselaar said.

“We look forward to presenting a bigger and brighter festival for you in 2021.”

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