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Bed of tulips at Ottawa Tulip Festivsl
The warm weather paired with a delightful festival made for a lovely afternoon. Images: Hailey Otten/Fulcrum
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A wide variety of tulips were on display at Ottawa Commissioners Park 

From May 13-23, Ottawa Commissioners Park showcased a great deal of colours and flowers through the Canadian Tulip Festival. 

In the 70th anniversary of the festival, the celebration included both daytime and nighttime activities to commemorate the ongoing friendship and peace between Canada and the Netherlands. 

Professionally guided tours were available, offering historical information while taking you through the displays of tulips. 

21 tulip beds were spread through the park, exhibiting various different colours and species of tulips. 

A personal favourite was the Mysterious Parrot Tulip. The prickly petals are definitely an attention grabber.

The festival also offered historical displays, food trucks, a tulip boutique and smaller vendors. You could even purchase bouquets of tulips to take home. 

The Dutch War Bride Exhibit was definitely worth stopping and taking a look at. In this display, Canadian Heritage shared the stories of war brides and their sacrifices. 

Even after a pair of windy and rainy days, the tulips were in great condition. 

Some of the flowerbeds had some hidden gems hiding under the tulips. 

While admission to the festival was free, there were donation stations where the money goes towards upkeep of the festival. Bingo cards were also available, with chances to win prizes donated by community partners. 

After checking out the festival, crossing the street and taking a stroll along Dows Lake was the perfect way to end the afternoon.

If I could describe the tulip festival in a single word, I would have to go with wholesome. It was so wonderful to be in such a beautiful, outdoor environment, and be around all different kinds of people enjoying the event. 

Author

  • After spending four years with the Fulcrum’s sports section, Jasmine has taken her knowledge and experience to the EIC role. Outside of the Fulcrum, Jasmine captains the Gee-Gees women’s ultimate team and represents Ottawa’s competitive scene on Stella. If she’s not creating content for the Fulcrum or on the field, you can find her streaming on Twitch.