_1742465454624_thumb_1200.jpeg?w=1200&q=75&fm=webp)
Snapshots
Ottawa has one of the world's biggest public tulip displays! According to the National Capital Commission, nearly one million tulips will be on exhibit around Ottawa-Gatineau at the Canadian Tulip Festival! The Ottawa Tulip Festival will be on display at Commissions Park, the Rideau Canal, and Major's Hill Park. At the Canadian Tulip Festival, the centrepiece is Commissioners Park, home to more than 300,000 tulips in many hues and forms—so make sure you do not miss this venue!
Curious about the Canadian Tulip Festival? Here are all the details about the history and venue and which venues you should shortlist to have the best experience at the Ottawa Tulip Festival
Canada Tulip Festival: Here are all the details
When: The Canadian Tulip Festival takes place annually in May, usually around Mother's Day (the second Sunday of May) and the Victoria Day Long Weekend. The timing is ideal for a Mother's Day gift or a weekend getaway to the Canadian Tulip Festival.
Where: Although the Commissioner’s Park is completely unmissable, other venues simply cannot be missed! The Major’s Hill Park is one such view. The Ottawa River and Parliament Hill can be seen from this park, making it an ideal location for tulip viewing in Ottawa. Great flower photo options abound with fewer crowds and lots of open space. Plus, as an added treat, these images also include the Parliament buildings and the lovely Notre Dame Cathedral in the backdrop
How to get there: The Canadian Tulip Festival offers a shuttle service that travels between Commissioners Park and several downtown hotspots. We strongly suggest using their shuttle bus service if you do not have a car. Compared to public transit and ridesharing services like Uber and Taxify, it's far more convenient and affordable. On weekdays, the shuttle bus operates every hour; on weekends, it runs every half an hour. If you're interested in farm animals, you can even visit the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum, since it is a stop on the bus route!
Things to do: Immerse yourself in the vibrant garden beds for photo ops and selfies. Discover the festival's origins in the historic tulip gift at the heritage display. Pick up some fresh-cut flowers, arts and crafts, and more at the tulip boutique. Bring the kids to the Tulip Town activity area. And after dark, enjoy the illuminated garden beds and a blacklight boardwalk experience.
Duchesses, diplomacy & daffodils? Nope, just the tulip festival’s history!
The Canadian Tulip Festival, the biggest of its type in the world, has been held in Canada's capital city since 1953. Over a million tulips cover the Ottawa region during this popular yearly festival, which draws hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world. The festival's origins, however, go beyond the lovely spring flower; they reflect timeless themes of friendship and perseverance. The Canadian Tulip Festival has a history that could rival the plot of Bridgerton! Keep reading to know more!
During World War II, Ottawa became associated with tulips. Ottawa became a haven for Princess Juliana and her two young children, Beatrix and Irene, after the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands. Margriet, Princess Juliana's third daughter, was born while her mother was in exile in Canada. Part of the Ottawa Civic Hospital was officially designated as Dutch soil when the baby was born so that the new princess may only have Dutch nationality. Ottawa also participated in the festivities surrounding the princess's birth by hoisting the Dutch flag atop the world-renowned Peace Tower and conducting Dutch music on the carillon atop the same tower. Before their 1945 return to the free Netherlands, members of the Dutch royal family lived in Ottawa. The liberation also relied heavily on the contributions of Canadian forces.
_1679552185991_thumb_300.png)
How a royal gift blossomed into Canada’s biggest tulip party!
Princess Juliana wanted to show her gratitude to Ottawa and the Canadian people when she returned to the Netherlands, so she sent several presents, one of which was 100,000 tulip bulbs. The "Tulip Legacy," an annual gift of tulip bulbs handed to Ottawa by the Dutch royal family, is said to have inspired the celebration. The Gift of Tulips and the conclusion of World War II were both celebrated 75 years apart in 2020. They cultivated a unique Liberation 75 tulip to symbolise the bond between the Netherlands and Canada in recognition of this momentous occasion and enduring friendship.
Following the recommendations of renowned photographer Malak Karsh, the Ottawa Board of Trade organised the inaugural Canadian Tulip Festival in 1953. Photographs taken by Karsh have preserved the tulip for all time, and he is widely believed to have been the festival's originator. This city's official flower, the tulip, was chosen in 2001.