Ottawa’s Tulips: As Beautiful and Fragrant as the Tulips in Amsterdam

Everyone knows the tulips in the Netherlands are well-known to the whole world. However, did you know that the biggest tulip festival of the world is the Canadian Tulip Festival held in Ottawa? This year is the 65th Canadian Tulip Festival and 150th anniversary of the foundation of Canada.

During the festival, there will be more than 10 spots for you to appreciate tulips, with venue locations throughout the Dows Lake at the south end of the Lido Canal to the municipality hall, Parliament Building, and Gatineau.

To celebrate the 150th birthday, the whole city of Ottawa will hang the special flag “One Tulip One Canada”.

The best places to appreciate tulips

Parliament Hill

To appreciate the tulips in Ottawa, the best place you cannot miss is surely the Parliament Hill where tulips were planted since the very beginning. In this place you will have the best view and enjoy the best scenery. With the spring breeze, you can walk among the sea of one million tulips and enjoy their beauty.

Commissioners Park

The Commissioners Park stands on the bank of the Dows Lake in Ottawa, where about 300,000 tulips are planted. This park is an open area, and you can visit it free of charge.

The park itself is a large grass field where there are different colors and different species of tulips are planted along one side of the garden. In the middle of it is a flagstone walkway for tourists to walk to appreciate tulips. Visitors coming to the park can also have a picnic, have a rest, hold other entertaining activities, rent a canoe or paddle a boat on the lake.

Major's Hill Park

Major's Hill Park is across the river from Parliament Hill and also one of the most famous parks in Ottawa. The city park is serene and the locals love visiting the park. People who come here can also visit the Parliament Hill.

This tulip festival will be held in the Lansdowne Park, Byward Market, Commissioner's Park, Parliament Hill and other places, and there will be some paid activities.

Lansdowne Park Tulip Gallery

As the central exhibition site, Lansdowne is where most activities are held. In addition to a few flowers and artworks, there are also all kinds of international friendship activities, entertainment programs, tulip art celebrations, photography exhibitions, interactive family activities, grand exciting fireworks nights, clean and tidy tulip cafes and so on.

Major activities:

1. Opening Night Vernissage: General Admission

This event salutes Malak Karsh, for he was a world-famous photographer and also the founder of the Canadian Tulip Festival. In 1953, advised by Malak Karsh, the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce held the first tulip festival, and it has lasted for 65 years since then.

This year’s tulip festival not only inherits the previous festival tradition, but it also celebrates to welcome the 150th anniversary of Canada and thank the host---Ottawa Chamber of Commerce, which has experienced 160 years of history.

Address: Aberdeen Pavilion, Lansdowne Park

Time: 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m., Friday, May 12, 2017

Admission: $65 (including tax)

Official website for booking tickets:

http://www.tulipfestival.ca/opening-night-vernissage-tribute-founders/

2. International Friendship Floral Celebration

The content of the activity is like its name: celebrating the everlasting international friendship. During the activity, the local flower designers will exhibit their artwork consisting of 65 bunches of tulips ̶ Tulip Reflection.

Address: Aberdeen Pavilion, Lansdowne Park

Time: 6:00p.m. – 9:00 p.m., Thursday, May 18, 2017

Admission: $65 (including tax)

Official website for booking tickets:

http://www.tulipfestival.ca/international-friendship-floral-celebration/

3. Swing Dance Night

During the night, the Standing Room Only band and Ottawa Swing Dance Association will perform for the opening ceremony of the second-year tulip festival’s Swing Dance gala. Before the start of the activity, there is a one-hour Swing Dance teaching program, accompanied by the SRO band. The Swing Dance’s dancers will be dressed in Second World War attire to expose the culture of that time. At 8:30 or so, the singer Pauline Proulx will come and perform, still accompanied by the Standing Room Only band. There is no age restriction for those who want to participate in the activity, and you can buy alcohol, beverages, and food at the Aberdeen Pavilion where the activity is held.

Address: Aberdeen Pavilion, Lansdowne Park

Time: 7:30 p.m. – 11: 30 p.m., Friday, May 19, 2017

Admission: $15 (including tax)

Official website for booking tickets:

http://www.tulipfestival.ca/swing-spring-swing-dance-event/

4. 65th Anniversary Fireworks – Victoria Day Celebration

During the time when Queen Victoria ruled Canada, people in the country would celebrate the birthday of the queen on each May 24th. Although now Canada is governed by the federal government of Canada, this habit still remains. The day they celebrate it is called Victoria Day. This year, the tulip festival will also join the grand celebration of Victoria Day and will show its fireworks.

Address: TD Place Stadium, Lansdowne Park

Time: 6:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m., Sunday, May 21, 2017

Official website for booking tickets:

http://www.tulipfestival.ca/65th-anniversary-fireworks-spectacular-victoria-day-celebration/ (booking is pending)