The Ottawa Tulip Festival

Ah! The tulip, a sure sign of spring.

Each May, the Canadian Tulip Festival, with over 1 million tulips in bloom, is held in Ottawa. It is the world's largest tulip festival.

There is a historical connection to this festival.

During World War II, the Dutch royal family fled the Netherlands and lived in exile in Ottawa during the Nazi occupation. The family continued living there until 1945 when the Dutch liberation occurred. In 1943, Princess Juliana, who later became queen, gave birth to her third child, Princess Margriet. In order for the child to be a Dutch citizen, and not affect the child's right to the throne, the hospital where the princess was born was declared extraterritorial to Canada.

To this day, Princess Margriet is only member of a royal family to be born in North America.

After the family left, Princess Juliana gave many gifts to Canada as a show of thanks for their support during their time in exile, and also for the role of Canada's troops in the liberation of the Netherlands. Among the gifts were 100, 000 tulip bulbs. The next year an additional 20, 000 bulbs were given to be planted on the grounds of the Ottawa Civic Hospital where Princess Margriet was born.  A few years later Princess Juliana became Queen of the Netherlands, and until the end of her reign in 1980, thousands of tulip bulbs continued to be sent to Canada.  Even today, the Netherlands still sends 20, 000 tulip bulbs to Canada each year.

In 1953, it was decided to begin the Canadian Tulip Festival. The purpose of the festival was to celebrate the arrival of spring, and also to promote the significance of the tulip and its connection in a piece of Canadian history.

As well as providing a wonderful palette of spring colour, the festival also provides entertainment and activities for all age groups. Commissioners Park is the main focal point for the displays of tulips in Ottawa.

This year the Canadian Tulip Festival is being held May 8 - 18.  Being that this year is the 70th anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands, the festival has a particular significance.

"A Flower in the Fray" is a song by The Life of Pearls to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Tulip Legacy in Ottawa.



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