ALBANY — No wind and no rain could stop crowds from flocking to Washington Park for the annual Albany Tulip Festival.
The first official day of festivities Saturday, held under rainy skies with temperatures in the 50s, saw the crowning of a new Tulip Queen and a packed slate of live music.
Indie rockers Joywave headlined the mainstage lineup, sharing the stage with Grace Bowers, a teenage blues-rocker from Nashville, and E-Block, the Rotterdam-based rock group. On the 518Stage, audiences enjoyed performances by Keegan James, The Sugar Hold, The Belle Curves with Delaney Hafener and Orlondo Otis Hundley II, aka 97otis.
The Royal Tulip Ball at the New York State Museum traditionally rounds out the first day’s events. The Tulip Festival continues Sunday with the 27th annual Capital Region Best Mom celebration at 11 a.m. at the Lakehouse Stage, where a Mom of the Year will be chosen. The Times Union is a presenting sponsor for the contest.