Tulip Festival welcomes festivals from around the world

The Canadian Tulip Festival officially launched its 66th edition with “A World of Tulips” theme on March 22 at Ottawa’s EY Centre with host Landscape Ontario. In the midst of blooming tulips and spring gardens, Henry Storgaard, Chairman, together with the Festival’s new Board of Directors, and local dignitaries, partners and sponsors unveiled plans for 2018.

“A World of Tulips” theme celebrates “A World of Friendship” with a profusion of yellow World Friendship tulips underscoring the significance of the Festival’s global connection to 27 Tulip Friendship countries mutually involved in promoting friendship and peace through the tulip flower.

The Festival’s four key venues offer distinctive experiences for visitors:

• Commissioners Park/Dow’s Lake will showcase Tulip Reflections from New Zealand, a unique mirror installation in the tulips; Dows Lake Pavilion Tulip Boardwalk featuring fun Tulip Chairs from Holland; and Japan’s Tonami Tulip Fair inspired Floating Tulip Gardens.
• Lansdowne Park will include a Turkish Tulip Carpet display created with over 50,000 tulips – a first outside Turkey; the Children’s World of Tulips Art Wall created with artworks submitted by over 5,000 local and international school children will adorn the walls of Aberdeen Pavilion. Visitors can also stroll through a tulip garden comprised of over 100 five-foot tulips, hand-painted by artists representing various countries.
• ByWard Market will feature a “Tiptoe Through a World of Tulips” installation curated by the World Tulip Society’s artist and Festival’s 2018 featured artist Monique Martin, who also created this year’s theme visual. Markets will offer culinary tours by C’est Bon and special menus by participating restaurants.
• Garden Promenade boasts partners like Escape Bicycle Tours and Rentals, Ottawa Walking Tours, Lady Dive-Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus tours and others to make it easy for Festival visitors to enjoy tulip-centric activities across the Capital including the Lord Elgin Hotel Malak Exhibition, “Yoga in the Tulips” at Major Hills Park, and Parliament Hill.

Festival favourites returning include Victoria Day fireworks now at Dow’s Lake and guided tours through the tulips at Commissioners Park. The Friendship Stage, an enhanced Family Tulip Activity Centre, Homage to Malak photo exhibit and Tulip Art Gallery, as well as the third annual Tulip Festival Swing Dance, and Mother’s Day Brunch for Bruyère once again take place at Lansdowne Park.

Tickets for gated events and highlights of the festival can be found online at tulipfestival.ca.