Hundreds of thousands of tulips are planted every year in Ottawa, Canada’s capital. Tulips were gifted from the Dutch following the Second World War to symbolize international friendship and Canada’s role in the liberation of the Netherlands. The annual festival celebrates this friendship. The first official Canadian Tulip Festival was held in 1953 and it has been going strong since! Read on for what to do at the Ottawa Tulip Festival, and where to visit these beautiful blooms.
This year, the festival runs from May 10 to May 20, 2024.
Read more: Ottawa Tulip Festival Photos | Unique Ideas for Amazing Photos
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What to do at the Tulip Festival?
The event is free to visit. The official location for the festival is at Commissioner’s Park (near Dow’s Lake) but tulips are planted across the city. There is more to do at the festival than see tulips, so check out the official website for more information and continue reading below!
Tulip Legacy Walking Tours: a free self-guided tour through Commissioners Park, just download the app!
Shop online at the Tulip Boutique: handcrafted and unique tulip-themed merchandise.
Tulip Bingo: 2pm – 4pm daily and costs $5 per card.
NEW Tulips at Night and Blacklight Boardwalk: 8pm – 11pm daily. The garden beds will be lit at night this year!
Movies & Tulips: Daily from 2-4 pm and 7–9 pm and movies vary by day! Check the schedule online for more information.
Grand Finale Fireworks: Scheduled for Sunday, May 19, 2024 at 8:30 pm, weather permitting.
Tulips Trail: a self-guided tour of public gardens across the city from the Governor General’s residence to the Central Experimental Farm and back to Parliament Hill via Gatineau.
How to get to the Tulip Festival?
Parking is limited around Commissioner’s Park. Visit early or late to find parking on a weekend, especially Mother’s Day weekend. You can park at the Dow’s Lake Pavilion lot on Preston Street, or on side streets next to the park. There is now a Tulip Trolley to make stops throughout the city for a small fee that you can book online. Alternatively, you can bike to the park (but walk your bike through the park) or take OC Transpo!
Ottawa Tulip Festival Locations around the city
Now to the best part: where to find tulips around the city! I highly recommend visiting on evenings or early weekends to get the best photos without people. That being said, having people in the photo isn’t always a bad thing. It does get very busy on sunny days so be prepared if you’re hoping to take photos without a crowd. There are a lot of opportunities to get the perfect photo throughout the day.
Read more: Ottawa Tulip Festival Photos | Unique Ideas for Amazing Photos
Commissioner’s Park (Dow’s Lake)
The official location of the festival, and home to 300,000 tulips is the Commissioner’s Park near Dow’s Lake. It’s still my personal favourite location for the tulips. There are a few beds with stones to walk on to take photos “in” the tulips, but don’t go trampling through the beds for a photo!
Major’s Hill Park
Major’s Hill Park offers an amazing location to get a variety of photos with tulips and iconic Ottawa landmarks. Landmarks include: the National Gallery of Canada, Notre Dame Basilica, Parliament Hill and the Peace Tower, and the Fairmont Chateau Laurier. Wander through the park to get different perspectives!
Parliament Hill
There are a few beds scattered around Parliament Hill, with a prominent one lining the front of Centre Block. Be sure to check online for construction activities on the hill. Centre Block is under construction for 10-15 years and the tulip bed may not be planted yearly.
Rideau Canal
You’ll find hundreds of tulips if you walk along the Rideau Canal, specifically near Lansdowne Park and Fifth Avenue.
Maplelawn Garden
A bit out of the way is Maplelawn Garden but a beautiful garden year round!
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