How To See The Poppies In Georgetown Texas
Did you know that Georgetown, Texas is known for its red poppies? They’re a beautiful flower that’s not seen very often in Texas, so it’s a very cool thing that GTX has so many of them every spring. The red flowers are so famous that Georgetown even launched their very own Red Poppy Festival every spring so visitors can enjoy the flowers along with other fun tourist attractions. For those of you wanting a few more details on them (and the best places to eat in Georgetown!), here’s how to see the poppies in Georgetown, Texas.
How did red poppies end up in Georgetown?
Georgetown is a city located on I-35 about 30 miles north of Austin. Most of central Texas is known for its spring bluebonnets and the hill country terrain…so how the heck did Georgetown get these gorgeous fields of bright red poppies?
Apparently all of these flowers started at a home in Georgetown at 507 East 7th Street just after WWI. The woman who lived there received a packet of seeds from her son, a young soldier who grew up in Georgetown who sent home seeds from Flanders' Fields. He had served in the American expeditionary forces in World War 1, and and he mailed his mother a packet of seeds from Belgium.
The seeds quickly spread down the railroad track, around the town, and…before long, Georgetown ended up being known as the red poppy capital of Texas.
When can I see the poppies in Georgetown?
The red poppy flower blooms just a little bit later than bluebonnets in Texas. So when you see the bluebonnets along all the Texas highways, know that Georgetown’s poppies are about to be here!
Poppies typically bloom from mid March - late April/early May. I remember seeing them in May when I was younger, but now that the global climate is getting increasingly warmer, the Georgetown poppies are blooming earlier. So be on the lookout for them as early as March.
Where can I see the poppies in Georgetown?
My favorite spot to see the gorgeous flowers is in Georgetown's historic old town near the square. Simply park in the Georgetown square and walk around the homes on the eastern side of the square.
(Keep in mind that these are private homes, so please don’t walk in the front yard or disrupt the local residents!)
The city of Georgetown also made a downloadable red poppy map of the best places to see the poppies.
All about the Red Poppy Festival in Georgetown
The Red Poppy Festival started in 2020 and is still going strong!
It’s 3-day weekend festival that takes place on April 26-28 2024. See live music, check out the local artisans and food vendors on Friday, and enjoy crafts at the Kid's Fun Zone and watch the epic Red Poppy Parade (the star of the whole weekend!) and car show on Saturday. The festival extends through Sunday with more artisan vendors, live music, food, and fun.
There are three stages with 100% free concerts (no tickets needed.) Easton Corbin will be performing at this year's red poppy festival!
The annual Red Poppy Festival really is such a sweet event that the entire family will enjoy. It’s very cool how Georgetown captured the beauty of its poppy season and managed to create an engaging and BIG event over a simple red flower that blooms in their town square.
Citizens of Georgetown are very proud of their red poppy tradition. If you have the time, I highly recommend stopping by "the most beautiful town square in Texas" to soak up the beauty of these wonderful red poppy flowers.
And definitely plan on timing your visit with the three-day festival at the end of April to watch that Red Poppy Festival parade, especially if you're looking for some fun family-friendly activities in central Texas!
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