Here’s what you need to know about the 73rd of edition of the Canadian Tulip Festival

The 73rd edition of the Canadian Tulip Festival returns to the capital this month, bringing 300,000 blooming tulips in 26 gardens, alongside a vibrant lineup of events for all ages. May 10, 2025. (Natalie van Rooy/ CTV News Ottawa)

The 73rd edition of the Canadian Tulip Festival returns to the capital this May, bringing 300,000 blooming tulips in 26 gardens, alongside a vibrant lineup of events for all ages.

The 11-day festival kicked off Friday. It was launched with a moment of silence and a cannon salute. The official opening took place on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at the Great Lawn in Commissioners Park, where veterans were welcomed in a tribute including the CAF Central Band, Canadian Remembrance Torch, Army Cadets and a convoy of vintage military vehicles, the organizer said in a news release.

“Marking 80 years of liberation, the 73rd edition of the festival honors Canada’s heroic role in freeing the Netherlands during the Second World War—and the enduring bond that bloomed from it,” reads the release.

During the festival, Canadian Second World War veterans will be honoured, including retired private John Preece and Lieutenant-General Richard Rohmer, who’s the country’s most decorated living veteran.

The festival will include a representation from the embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, including the new ambassador to Canada, Margriet Vonno, who will be carrying a message from Princess Margriet. Meanwhile, daily games, concerts and a Dutch DJ will take place at the embassy’s pavilion in the heart of Commissioners Park, reads the release.

“We were looking forward to hosting HRH Princess Margriet of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, who was born in Ottawa during the war. However, her plans had to be changed due to medical reasons and she had to cancel her Canadian visit this May,” said Ms. Jo Riding, executive director of the Canadian Tulip Festival.

“We wish her highness a speedy recovery and hope she and her husband professor Pieter van Vollenhoven will both be able to join us next year instead.”

Four CF-18 jets fly over Ottawa during opening ceremony

The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) says four CF-18 jets flew over Ottawa Saturday morning during the opening ceremony of the Canadian Tulip Festival. It took place above Dows Lake, between 11 and 11:30 a.m.

Thousands of residents took advantage of the nice weather Saturday, enjoying the festival at Dows Lake.

The aircraft came from 3 Wing Bagotville, in Quebec.

The flyover is part of the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands.

“To ensure public safety, the flyovers of Royal Canadian Air Force aircraft are meticulously planned and closely monitored. They are also dependent on weather and flight conditions,” according to a news release.

This free festival will also include the following events:

• Movies in the Park: Cozy up twice daily for free outdoor screenings in Commissioners Park.
• Chartwell People Mover: Hop on a golf cart ride around the park for a fun and accessible trip through the tulips.
• Pilates in Petals: Start your morning with a scenic stretch at the main stage, led by Club Pilates Westboro.
• The Flower Fun Run: Celebrate spring with this lighthearted run on May 11.
• Tulip Legacy Walking Tour: A revamped, theatrical guided tour ($20/person), telling the story of Canada’s wartime sacrifice and the tulip’s meaning.
• Big Bug Boardwalk: A new whimsical adventure along Dows Lake that highlights the pollinators who make tulip season possible.

The festival will wrap up with a party, Victory Party, including a “war-era victory bash, followed by a modern salute in the sky, taking visitors back to 1945,” reads the release.

The Victory Party will include Canada’s first hybrid drone-fireworks show, and the following:

• Big band orchestra, swing dancers, re-enactors, and military vehicles along Queen Elizabeth Driveway.
• The debut of Canada’s first hybrid drone and fireworks show at 9:20 p.m., commemorating the liberation with lights and sound.
• Festivities wrap by 10:30 p.m., with roads reopening by 11 p.m.

Here’s how to get there:

Organizers recommend the following, citing construction near the festival:

• Parking at Carleton University P7 Lot, with a short walk to the south entrance of the festival, and a short distance to the Carleton O-Train Stop.
• Take advantage of the O-Train Line 2, which now stops at the Dows Lake station, right beside the festival grounds.
• Accessible parking on Dows Lake Road (east side) and drop-off at Dows Lake Pavilion roundabout.

And to make your visit “a full-day adventure,” here’s what the organizers want you to do:

• Park at the Canadian War Museum, explore the Last Voices of the Second World War Exhibit, and use the O-Train from Pimisi Station.
• Park and walk from the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum, stroll through the Ornamental Gardens and Dominion Arboretum and walk 20 minutes to the festival site.
• Park in the ByWard Market and use the Rideau O-Train Station to reach the festival site at Dows Lake Station.
• Park in Little Italy and use the Corso Italia O-Train Station for a quick trip to Dows Lake station.

The 11-day festival warps up on May 19.

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Ted Raymond