Tyler Texas Online Tyler Texas Rose Festival, Rose Museum, and the Tyler Rose Garden


Laura Elaine Bryan, 2023 Texas Rose Festival QueenLaura Elaine Bryan, 2023 Texas Rose Festival Queen

Texas Rose Festival

The rose industry has been a major industry in the Tyler area for decades. The Texas Rose Festival is an annual celebration of the rose and its importance to Tyler! Located adjacent to the famous Tyler Rose Garden is the Tyler Rose Museum, which showcases and documents the history of the rose festival.

2024 Texas Rose Festival

The 91st Texas Rose Festival had its kickoff event on January 4, 2024, at the Willow Brook Country Club. The Winter Gala included the announcement of the festival's 2024 theme and introduction of members of the court.

Miss Frances “Franny” Olivia Faulconer was announced as the 91st Texas Rose Festival Queen. She was born and raised in Tyler, and is currently a sophomore at Baylor University in Waco. The theme of the 2024 Texas Rose Festival will be "Fanfare of Festivals".

The Texas Rose Festival will next be held on October 17-20, 2024.

Tyler ... Home of the annual Texas Rose Festival

 

When Was the 2023 Texas Rose Festival?

The 90th Texas Rose Festival was held in Tyler on October 19-22, 2023.

The 2023 Festival Queen and theme were announced on January 5, 2023 at the Festival's Winter Gala at the Willow Brook Country Club. Laura Elaine Bryan is the 90th Rose Queen, and this year's theme was "The Story of Film".

What Events were Featured in the 2023 Texas Rose Festival?

October 19
Thursday
10:00 am

Ribbon Cutting and
Morning Prayer Service

Tyler Rose Garden Center
(free admission)

October 20
Friday

11:15 am

Men's Luncheon
October 20
Friday
11:30 am Ladies' Luncheon
Green Acres Baptist Church CrossWalk Conference Center
October 20
Friday
2:00 pm and
7:00 pm
Coronation of Queen
Cowan Center at UT-Tyler
October 21
Saturday
9:00 am Rose Parade
Free parade viewing along route; reserved seats available on west side of Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium
October 21
Saturday
1:00 pm -
3:00 pm
Queen's Tea
Tyler Rose Garden
(free admission)
October 22
Sunday
Noon-4:00 pm Texas Rose Festival Rose Display
Tyler Rose Garden
(free admission)


Other events include the Palette of Roses Art Show & Sale, and the Rose Festival Arts & Crafts Fair, and more!

For detailed information about events, schedules, times, locations, and tickets, we recommend a visit to the

official website of the Texas Rose Festival at
www.TexasRoseFestival.com or Texas Rose Festival on Facebook

 

The 2019 Texas Rose Festival Court at the Queen's Coronation at the Cowan Center in Tyler
The 2019 Texas Rose Festival Court at the Queen's Coronation at the Cowan Center in Tyler

Tyler Rose Garden grounds during the Texas Rose Festival
The grounds of the Tyler Rose Garden during the Texas Rose Festival
Texas Rose Festival parade float entering Rose Stadium
Texas Rose Festival parade float entering Rose Stadium

Photo op at the Tyler Rose Garden with the Texas Rose Queen and her court (Photo by Travel Texas)
Photo op at the Tyler Rose Garden with the Texas Rose Queen and her court


Where is the Texas Rose Festival Parade Held?

TMolly Louise Berry, 2022 Rose Queen
Molly Louise Berry, 2022 Rose Queen

The parade assembles at Front Street and Glenwood Boulevard, and then follows a route west on Front Street, through the East Texas State Fairgrounds and ending inside Rose Stadium.

The 91st Rose Festival Parade will be held on October 19, 2024.

There is always free parade viewing along the route, and reserved seats can be purchased for the Christus Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium.

The annual parade features more than 100 entries including custom floats for the Queen and her court. It also includes marching bands, walking groups, drill teams, mounted horse clubs, and vintage cars.

The parade is typically televised and sponsored by KETK - NBC56.

In the earlier years of the parade, rose growers supplied hundreds of dozens of rose blooms, and garden clubs worked through the night before the parade to decorate floats using the roses.

Today, rose growers still offer blooms and volunteers still help decorate floats with live roses.

Scenes from the 2023 Texas Rose Festival Parade
2023 Texas Rose Festival Parade 2023 Texas Rose Festival Parade
2023 Texas Rose Festival Parade 2023 Texas Rose Festival Parade


Texas Rose Festival History

The festival is a celebration of the rose industry that thrives in Tyler. Seven Tyler-area companies process and distribute several million roses each year, making the city deserving of its “Rose Capital” title.

Red rose in the Rose Garden, Tyler

About 75% of all roses in the country are handled in Tyler.

The first Tyler Rose Festival was organized by Tyler Garden Club members, local rose growers and the Chamber of Commerce in October 1933 to showcase the importance of the rose industry to Tyler.

The theme of the event was "Festival Fairyland", and included a parade, rose queen's coronation and a rose show.

The first festival was a success, and the decision was made to continue the event, and the 1934 festival had as its theme "A Garden in Venice".

The annual event was renamed the Texas Rose Festival during the Texas Centennial in 1936.


Tyler Rose Museum

The Tyler Rose Museum
The Tyler Rose Museum

Located on the grounds of the Tyler Rose Garden is the 7,500 sqft Tyler Rose Museum, and across the street is the new W.T. Brookshire Conference Center,

The museum is run by a nonprofit organization operated with private donations. Its purpose is to showcase the rich history and tradition of Tyler, the rose industry and the Rose Festival.

Opened in 1992, it been visited by over 300,000 people, and is a major tourist attraction in Tyler. The Rose Museum tells the story of the hardships and successes of the rose-growing industry, and the elegance and tradition of the Rose Festival.

The museum features a large collection of photographs, videos, audio, music, newspaper clippings, rose memorabilia, and of course the jeweled festival costumes, which are changed quarterly.

A gift shop is located adjacent to the museum. Stairs and an elevator for the handicapped take visitors down one level to the Tyler Rose Garden.

The museum is located at 420 Rose Park Drive. For details and hours, call the museum at 903.597.3130. A small entrance fee is required.

Map to the Tyler Rose Museum (Courtesy of Google Maps)

 

Tyler Municipal Rose Garden

All-America Rose Selections at the Municipal Rose Garden, Tyler, TexasAll-America Rose selections in the Tyler Texas Rose Garden

Established in 1952, the Tyler Municipal Rose Garden is the nation's largest rose garden, spanning 14 acres. The gardens include over 38,000 rose bushes and over 600 different varieties, as well as reflecting pools, walkways and fountains.

The Rose Garden is open from dawn until dark, seven days a week. Admission is free.

It is one of 24 All American Rose Selection (AARS) test gardens in the country, and also includes a unique Idea Garden created and maintained by the Smith County Master Gardeners.


About the Tyler Rose Garden, photos, map


Where to Stay When Attending the Rose Festival

Residence Inn, Tyler, Texas, one of the many fine lodging options available to visitors to the city
One of the many fine lodging options in Tyler ... the Residence Inn near South Broadway Avenue (Staff photo)

Tyler offers a variety of hotels, motels, inns, extended-stay suites, RV parks, and other accommodations situated near the major tourist, business, shopping, and medical centers of the city. Bed & Breakfasts around the Tyler area offer exceptional amenities and services.

Many hotels are concentrated in the "South Broadway Avenue Corridor", near Tyler's main shopping, dining and business districts. Here you will find hotels such as the Hilton Garden Inn, Residence Inn, Courtyard by Marriott, Holiday Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, Best Western, Comfort Suites, and others.


Tyler hotel listings, reviews, maps and visitor tips

 


Where to Dine During the Rose Festival

Restaurants and dining ... in Tyler Texas

Tyler has a wide variety of restaurants, cafes, grills and other dining venues, from small local eateries to national chain restaurants.

With over 200 restaurants to choose from visitors will surely enjoy dining while in town for conventions or business meetings.

Cuisine choices include traditional American fare, Mexican, Tex-Mex, Italian, Bar-B-Que, hamburgers, seafood, Asian, Greek, and more.

And don't miss the best of Tyler, like Stanley's Famous Bar-B-Que on Beckham Avenue and Kiepersol at the vineyards.


Tyler restaurant listings, reviews, and maps

Historic Postcards of Tyler Roses

Greetings from the Tyler Rose Festival
Greetings from the Tyler, Texas Rose Festival
Entrance to the Tyler Municipal Rose Garde
Entrance to the Tyler Municipal Rose Garden, Tyler, Texas

 

The Elegance and Color of Roses

The YouTube video lasts only a couple minutes, and has some easy-listening music. So turn up your volume, and enjoy some beautiful roses!

More About Tyler Roses