Every spring Ottawa turns into one of the great tulip cities of the world. The Canadian Tulip Festival is built around the flower beds of Commissioners Park beside Dow's Lake, where several hundred thousand tulips bloom in patterns of red, yellow, pink, purple and white, and tulip displays spread to parks, roadsides and gardens across the capital. The festival has a heartfelt story: the Dutch royal family sheltered in Ottawa during the Second World War, Canadian forces helped liberate the Netherlands, and after the war the Netherlands began sending tulip bulbs to Canada as a thank-you, a gift that continues today. The festival usually takes place over about ten days in mid-May, depending on the bloom, and includes music, food, markets, family activities and ceremonies that remember the wartime connection. It is a very photogenic event and is easily the busiest and most colourful time of year in the park.
What to expect
The park is a mix of formal beds, avenues of colour and a lakeside backdrop with the canal and the Dow's Lake pavilion nearby. Walking the beds is free, and you can easily spend a couple of hours simply following the paths, finding favourite varieties and taking photographs. Around the beds, festival programming can include stages, food vendors, craft stalls, children's activities and special events, and organisers often add commemorative ceremonies tied to the Dutch connection.
Elsewhere in the city, tulips appear along the canal, near Parliament Hill, in Major's Hill Park and in the gardens of embassies and residences, so you can enjoy the flowers without a long trip. Bike tours and boat trips that take in the tulips are popular, and the canal path is a lovely way to link the sights.
How to build the visit
Timing is everything, because tulips bloom according to the weather and the peak can shift by a week or more from year to year, so check the festival's schedule and bloom reports close to your dates. Go early in the morning or on a weekday for fewer crowds and the best light, wear comfortable shoes and bring a rain jacket, because spring weather in Ottawa is changeable.
Combine the tulips with a canal walk from Dow's Lake toward the centre, a cruise when the season opens, and a day in the museums. Book hotels early, since this is one of the busiest weekends of the Ottawa calendar and rates rise.
Honest caveats
The festival is a spring event only, so it is not something to plan around in November or winter, and a cold or late spring can delay the bloom. Weekends can be very crowded, parking near the park is limited and traffic can be heavy, so walk, cycle or use transit when possible. Some festival activities are ticketed, while the flower beds themselves are normally free, so check what is on offer.
If you are visiting outside the season, the Rideau Canal and Gatineau Park give you the same green and outdoor character at other times of year, and you can come back in May to see the city at its most colourful. If you cannot be in Ottawa for the festival, you can still enjoy early or late flowers in other parks and gardens across the city, though the scale of Commissioners Park is something special.
What to expect
The experience
A free walk through the tulip beds of Commissioners Park beside Dow's Lake, with festival stages, food and events around the park during the bloom.
Best time
Mid-May, usually, depending on the bloom, at a weekday morning for the best light and the fewest people.
How long
Two to three hours for the park and a canal-side walk.
Tips
Check bloom reports, book hotels early, wear comfortable shoes and prepare for changeable spring weather.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Spring visitors, photographers and anyone who loves flowers and a good story.
- Families
- Open paths, food stalls and activities suit children, though weekends are crowded.
- Couples
- A morning among the tulips followed by a canal walk toward the centre.
- Pair with
- A walk along the Rideau Canal, Parliament Hill and the ByWard Market.
- Time needed
- A relaxed half day.
Good questions
When is the Canadian Tulip Festival?+
It usually takes place over about ten days in mid-May, depending on the bloom. Check the festival's schedule close to your dates.
Where are the tulips?+
The main display is in Commissioners Park beside Dow's Lake, with more tulips across the capital, including along the canal and near Parliament Hill.
Is it free?+
Walking the tulip beds is normally free, though some festival activities may be ticketed. Check the festival's schedule.
Why does Ottawa have so many tulips?+
The Netherlands began sending tulip bulbs to Canada after the Second World War as thanks for Canada's role in its liberation and for sheltering the Dutch royal family.
Can I see tulips in November?+
No. The festival is a spring event, and the beds are not in bloom in November. Plan indoor sights or the canal and Gatineau Park instead.
