Canadian Tulip Festival begins in Ottawa
Thousands of tulips are blooming along Dows Lake and the Rideau Canal for the opening weekend of the Canadian Tulip Festival.
The popular festival is celebrating its 70th anniversary with events over the next 11 days at Commissioners Park.
"To say we're excited would be an understatement," festival executive director Jo Riding said about the return to in-person events for the first time since 2019.
The Canadian Tulip Festival celebrates the historic Royal gift of tulips from the Netherlands to Canada following the Second World War as a symbol of international friendship.
"The festival began because of the gift of tulips from a grateful Dutch country to all Canadians. During the war, Princess Juliana came to have a safe haven and she had her third child here," Riding said.
The Netherlands presented Ottawa with 100,000 tulip bulbs after the Second World War in gratitude for the city's hospitality, and the role Canadian forces played in Liberating the Netherlands.
Princess Margriet, who was born at the Ottawa Hospital in 1943, will officially open the Canadian Tulip Festival on Saturday at Commissioners Park.
Events at the Canadian Tulip Festival includes the Tulip Legacy Walking Tour, movies in the park, Tulip Bingo and a new night program called Tulips at Night.
"Right along Dows Lakes, we have 16 tulip planters all lit with UV light. The reason we do that is because that's how pollinators see the tulips," Riding said.
For more information on the Canadian Tulip Festival, visit tulipfestival.ca.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.