By Senators Bailey, Honeyford, Fain, Baumgartner, Hill, Ericksen, Ranker, Billig, Cleveland, Dansel, Hewitt, Braun, Hargrove, King, Conway, O'Ban, Padden, Hasegawa, Rolfes, and Hatfield

WHEREAS, Every April, stunning tulips welcome the beginning of another beautiful spring in Skagit; and

WHEREAS, The beautiful Skagit Valley is the Northwest's tulip capital and the premier producer of tulip bulbs in North America; and

WHEREAS, The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival kicks off the festival season in Washington; and

WHEREAS, Nearly half a million people visited the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival last year, participating in the great pleasure of the event and significantly contributing to the economy of the Skagit Valley; and

WHEREAS, This year's 32nd annual festival will run from April 1st through 30th, focusing on the communities of Sedro-Woolley, Burlington, Anacortes, La Conner, Mount Vernon, Concrete, and Conway; and

WHEREAS, Visitors will be welcomed by the millions of tulips reflecting all the beauty of the region and its wonderful people; and

WHEREAS, This year's Tulip Festival Ambassadors, Chloe Cunningham and Graham Rawson, will capably perform their duties as representatives of the festival; and

WHEREAS, Highlights of the event include the Mount Vernon Street Fair, PACCAR Open House, the Anacortes Spring Wine Festival, including many Skagit County wineries and breweries, RoozenGaarde, Tulip Town, the Kiwanis Salmon Barbecue, art shows, bike rides, foot races, and much, much, more;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate salute all the communities of the Skagit Valley, their chambers of commerce, the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival ambassadors, and the Tulip Festival Committee; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Senate commend the community leaders and corporate sponsors for the immense success of this event and encourage citizens from across Washington to take the time to enjoy this remarkable display; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to Cindy Verge, Executive Director of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, who has most aptly served the citizens of Skagit since first joining the festival in 1999, and Chloe Cunningham and Graham Rawson, Tulip Festival ambassadors.