TULIPS, TULIPS, TULIPS

In 1995, Princess Margaret of the Netherlands, who was born in Ottawa, returned to the place of her birth to officially open the Festival. The Tulip Festival celebrates the "Friendship that Flowered" between the Netherlands and Canada.

In 1998, "A Celebration of Canada's Provinces and Territories" shared the gifts of tulips and friendship with the entire country. First Nations and Inuit programs were introduced. The theme of the 1999 Festival was "Between Friends." The Festival celebrated the on-going friendship between the United States and Canada.

In 2000, the theme was "A Capitol Celebration." The Millenium Tulip Challenge featured a showcase for floral designers of the entire world. Over two million tulips were planted.

The 2001 theme was "Tulips Forever, A Salute to Britain." Included were the Spalding Flower Parade with England's famous gardens and British culture.

This year, the Canadian Tulip Festival celebrates its' 50th Anniversary with "Tulipmania." This celebration is dedicated to Malak Karsh, founder of the Canadian Tulip Festival.

The City of Ottawa encourages all citizens to become involved in the Festival. In the fall of 2001, the city issued a "Plant 50 Bulbs on Every Street" challenge. The Canadian Tulip Festival gave 50,000 bulbs to area schools to ensure that students had a chance to participate.

If you plan to be in the Ottawa area in May 2002, be sure to take in the Festival. There will be tulips, tulips, tulips on every corner, on every street, in every yard - an official sign of spring in Canada.

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