Celebrate Spring and Blooms at the Macy's Flower Show
On Sunday, March 26th, three Macy’s downtown flagship stores will launch “Carnival,” the 2017 version of the Macy’s Flower Show, which will welcome the spring season with lush gardens showcasing all the brilliant colors and whimsy of a carnival.
Macy’s annual floral extravaganza will sprout once again at three flagship locations nationwide including Herald Square in New York City, State Street in Chicago, and Union Square in San Francisco. From Sunday, March 26 through Sunday, April 9, 2017, Carnival, the theme of this year’s exhibition will transport more than a million spectators into a world of imagination, filled with brilliantly-hued flora expertly landscaped into breathtaking gardens that bring the magic of a traveling roadshow to life.
“As we celebrate the renewal of the spring season, this year’s Macy’s Flower Show will take spectators on a trip through a classic fair, where the deep colors, patterns and displays recreate everyone’s favorite carnival elements,” said Susan Tercero, Group VP, Special Productions, Macy’s Parade & Entertainment Group. “From the big top to the fun house with thrilling stops on a rollercoaster and Ferris wheel, ‘Carnival’ will surprise and delight more than a million spectators who step into these floral wonderlands.” 
Each store features thousands of live flowers, plants and trees from around the globe will be carefully cultivated to bloom all at once and retain their lush appearance throughout the two-week show, closing on Sunday, April 9th.
Macy’s Stores Participating in the Flower Show
The three flagship stores staging the Flower Show—Macy’s Herald Square in New York, Macy’s State Street in Chicago and Macy’s Union Square in San Francisco—will construct the show in a unique way that makes the most of the plant materials and the store layout by creatively utilizing countertops, crafted architecture including grand bridges, columns and topiaries and dedicated in-store spaces.
Taking center stage at the show and fostering the funhouse atmosphere, a two-tiered carousel with animated column horses will bloom with thousands of rhododendrons, bromeliads and other exotic flora. Spectators walking through the midway will encounter a kaleidoscope of color through such fair favorites as a roller coaster, bumper cars, a Ferris wheel and games of whimsy, all recreated with over 5,000 types of florals and plants.
Each participating store will sponsor many additional events during the show, including flora, food and fashion demonstrations, and celebrity appearances. Below is a sampling of highlights. For the complete list of Flower Show events, check out our dedicated Flower Show website.
Macy’s Herald Square—New York City
- Flower Show Fun House; Sun., March 26, 2017; 1:00 pm; One Below, Lower Level
Go retro with One Below's homage to the Coney Island of yesteryear. Soak in the atmosphere with bold, colorful artwork and musical performances reminiscent of this classic carnival destination. It's all bound to keep your spirits up, and your head up, too- there will be stilt walkers! It's old timey meets good timey.
- Floral Soil Cake Making With Shirley Bovshow; Sun., March 26, 2017; 1:00 pm; 6th Floor, Bedding
Join Macy's Shirley Bovshow, landscape and garden lifestyle expert on the Hallmark Channel's Emmy nominated show "Home and Family". Guests will follow along and learn how to make floral soil cakes!
- Flower Show Shopping Party With Dallas Shaw; Sun., March 26, 2017; 2:00 pm; Women’s Dept., Level 3
Join fashion illustrator and style icon Dallas Shaw for a look at the season's top trends, featuring a carnival of petal-soft hues, floral touches, and more. Let the author of the new book The Way She Wears It: The Ultimate Insider's Guide to Revealing Your Personal Style be your guide.
Macy’s on State Street—Chicago
- Art Installation—“The Chicago World Fair” by Steven Crissey; Mon., March 27-Saturday, April 8, 2017; All Day; 9th Floor
Throughout the two weeks of Macy's Flower Show, enjoy a commemorative art installation representing The Chicago World Fair by Steven Crissey.
- The History of the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893 With The Chicago History Museum; Mon., March 27, 2017; 12:00 pm; 9th Floor, Event Center
Join a curator from the Chicago History Museum to hear about the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893, which commemorated the 400th anniversary of Columbus's arrival in the New World and was a defining moment in Chicago's history.
- Floral Demonstration With Trablume Floral Design Studio; Tues., March 28, 2017; 12:00 pm; 9th Floor, Event Center
Enjoy a floral demonstration with Trablume Floral Design Studio's Melissa Owen as she shares garland techniques to create unique wreath décor for your home.
Macy’s Union Square—San Francisco
- Look What’s Cooking at Burger Bar!; Fri., March 24-Sun., April 9, 2017; All Day; Level 6
Stop by the Burger Bar for carnival sliders: Seared Ahi Sliders, $3 each; "DaKine" Hawaiian Style Poke, $8; Tacos: Carnival Shrimp, BBQ Salmon, & Seared Ahi Tacos, $4 each; Carnival Street Corn, $3 each
- Hands-On Workshop: “Little Worlds” Terrarium; Tues., March 28, 2017; 2:00 pm; Floral Studio, Level 6
Learn the tips and tricks for creating "little world" terrariums as Emily Dreblow, owner of Soulflower Design Studio, walks you through the process of creating a terrarium in any vessel. After the demo, create your own terrarium to take home. All materials & tools provided.
- Meet Pitcher Hunter Strickland;Thurs., March 30, 2017; 12:00 pm; Mens Building, Main Level
Celebrate the Orange and Black of San Francisco and the start of baseball season by welcoming pitcher Hunter Strickland! Stop by for a chance to meet Hunter, take a selfie and stock up on baseball gear for the season!
Macy’s Flower Show Group Tours and Visitor Savings Passes
Docent-guided tours of the Macy’s Flower Show are offered through the Visitor Information Center in the Chicago and San Francisco stores. Book a tour using the emails provided here and learn all about this year’s flowers and plants.
Chicago: Explore the store, a National Historic Landmark, on a tour that highlights such iconic features as the vaulted Tiffany ceiling in favrile glass, the Burnham fountain and the Walnut Room, which is the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the country. Plus, get the inside scoop on one of the store's modern-day marvels: the Flower Show! Friday, March 31, or Friday, April 7, at 11:30am, starting at the Visitor Information Center on the lower level. Tickets are $12 per person. An optional upgrade includes a group lunch at the Walnut Room for an additional $28. Outside of these times, group tours for 10 or more people are also available. To book, contact 312-781-4483 or [email protected].
San Francisco: Join a complimentary tour to get the behind-the-scenes scoop on the show and learn about its history! Beginning at the Visitor Information Center on the lower level, tours run Wednesday through Friday at 3pm and on weekends at 12pm and 3pm. A 10% Visitor Savings Pass is also included! To reserve your spot, call (415) 954-6271 or email [email protected].
Flower Show Shopping Packages and Visitor Savings Passes
Macy’s Herald Square in New York offers a 10% off Macy’s Visitor Savings Pass at no cost and sells a Macy’s Flower Show Shopping Package at the Visitor Center on the Mezzanine Level. Just $50, the shopping package includes a 2017 Flower Show tote bag, a $25 Macy’s gift card, a 4-piece chocolate sampler, an exclusive Flower Show gift and a Macy’s VIP Passport for 15% off throughout the store. Limit one per customer, while supplies last. Tax does not apply to Gift Card value.
Pick up a complimentary 10% off Visitor Savings Pass and purchase a Macy’s Flower Show Shopping Package for $35 in the Visitor Information Center on the Lower Level of the Macy’s on State Street in Chicago. The package includes a $15 Macy’s gift card, a limited-edition Flower Show tote bag, a 4-piece Frango Mint Chocolate Sampler, a free gift voucher for any $100 purchase and a bonus VIP Passport Savings Booklet, which includes a 15% off Visitor Savings Pass and special offers valid in-store and at local tourism vendors. Limit one per customer, while supplies last. Tax does not apply to Gift Card value.
Stop by the San Francisco Visitor Information Center in the Lower Level of Macy’s Union Square to pick up a complimentary 10% off Macy’s Visitor Savings pass and to purchase a Shopping Package for just $40—it includes a $25 Macy's Gift Card, a 4-piece Frango Mint Chocolate Sampler, a free-gift voucher for any $75 purchase and a bonus VIP Passport Savings Booklet with a 15% Visitor Savings Pass and special offers valid in store and at local tourism vendors. Limit one per customer, while supplies last. Tax does not apply to Gift Card value.
The 10% off Visitor Savings Pass is also available to download and print out here.
Flower Show Gift Shop
Each of the Macy’s stores staging the Flower Show have an official shop. Be sure to visit and purchase some show souvenirs.
