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Ottawa Citizen

More than flowers: This year's Tulip Festival will shower Ottawa with photo ops, fireworks and free movie screenings

The Canadian Tulip Festival stems from a gift. Article content Each spring, twenty thousand tulip bulbs are sent from the Netherlands, half from the Dutch royal family and half from growers in the country. Article content The gesture began in 1945 as a thank-you for sheltering the monarchy and helping to liberate the Netherlands during the Second World War. The festival itself followed in 1953, proposed by photographer Malak Karsh, whose tulip images helped shape Ottawa's public image mid-century. Article content Article content It has evolved into an event involving drone shows, heritage installations, themed food stalls, and more than three hundred thousand blooms planted in city parks. Over the decades, it has drawn royalty, Liberace, Alanis Morissette, and several thousand baby strollers. Article content Article content This year's edition, which runs from May 9 to 19, marks the eightieth anniversary of the Netherlands' liberation and includes twenty-six display gardens, nightly programming at Dow's Lake, and a victory party complete with restored military vehicles and swing dancers in uniform. Article content It remains, officially, a celebration of international friendship. Unofficially, it is one of Ottawa's most photogenic exercises in crowd control. Article content Article content The first weekend, which includes Mother's Day, tends to draw the largest crowds. A live Tulip Meter, updated by the NCC, tracks the state of the bloom. As of May 1, roughly halfway to full spectacle, early-season tulips are open, and mid-season varieties are in bud. Article content Article content The main site is Commissioners Park, where over two dozen tulip beds line the path between Preston Street and the Rideau Canal locks. The flowers are grouped by colour, species, and symbolism, with some signage explaining the history behind specific plantings. Article content Article content More blooms can be found at Major's Hill Park, around Parliament Hill, and throughout city-managed and NCC-maintained spaces. In total, more than a million tulip bulbs are planted across Ottawa each year. Article content What's new and what's back Article content This year's festival brings back core programming, including outdoor films, guided walking tours, and the Dutch Pavilion hosted by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Article content The insect-themed Big Bug Boardwalk returns with its usual two-part identity. By day, it's an oversized educational exhibit. After sunset, it becomes a blacklight installation designed for phones and small children. Article content