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Large display of tulips as a celebration
Tulip festivals
are held in several cities around the world, mostly in North America, usually in cities with a
Dutch
heritage such as
Albany
,
New York
,
Ottawa
,
Ontario
;
Gatineau
,
Quebec
;
Montreal
, Quebec;
Holland
,
Michigan
;
Lehi
,
Utah
;
Orange City
,
Iowa
;
Pella
,
Iowa
;
Mount Vernon
,
Washington
; and
Woodburn
,
Oregon
, and in other countries such as
New Zealand
,
Australia
,
[1]
India
,
[2]
and
England
. The
tulips
are considered a welcome harbinger of spring, and a tulip festival permits residents to see them at their best advantage. The festivals are also popular tourist attractions. The tulips are displayed throughout the cities. In certain years the peak of tulips does not coincide with the actual festival due to climatic conditions.
The world's largest tulip festival is held in
Ottawa
,
Canada
, with tulips sent by the Netherlands to commemorate the
special relationship
resulting from Canadian actions during
World War II
when Canadian forces led the
liberation of the Netherlands
and hosted the
Dutch royal family
in exile.
[3]
[4]
[5]
Asia
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]
Europe
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]
- Spalding, Lincolnshire
, UK, had an annual Tulip Parade that took place on the first Saturday in May until 2013. In its heyday it was a major tourist attraction, comprising a procession of floats on various themes, each decorated with tulip petals, a by-product of the bulb industry. Tulips are no longer grown commercially in this part of Lincolnshire.
- National Tulip Day
, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Tulip festival in Amsterdam. Every year in January.
- Istanbul Tulip Festival
, Istanbul, Turkey. International tulip festival in Istanbul. Every year in April.
America
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]
Canada
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]
- The
Canadian Tulip Festival
, which claims to be the world's largest tulip festival, is a major event held annually each May in
Ottawa
,
Ontario
,
Canada
. During
World War II
, the
Dutch royal family
took refuge in Canada.
Princess Margriet of the Netherlands
was born at
Ottawa Civic Hospital
in 1943, and the Canadian government declared the land to be extraterritorial. This was done to ensure that the princess would have solely Dutch citizenship. Furthermore, Canadian forces led the
liberation of the Netherlands
. Every year since,
Queen Juliana
and the royal family after her death, along with the Dutch Bulb Growers Association, have sent tulip bulbs for the festival to commemorate the
special relationship
.
[3]
[4]
[5]
United States
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]
The tulip-festivals are being held in honour of the Dutch-American immigrants who brought the (then highly expensive) tulips to the Americas.
[
citation needed
]
Eastern US
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]
Central US
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]
- Belle Plaine, Kansas
, home of the
Bartlett Arboretum
has held its Tulip Time Festival on the third weekend in April since 1986 with arts and craft, live music, carnival, and other fun and games. Belle Plaine used to be famous for having the most tulips planted in one spot in the USA.
- Fulton, Illinois
's Dutch Days festival is held the first weekend of every May. It was first celebrated as an "Authentic Dutch Dinner" in 1974 by the local Christian school.
- Orange City, Iowa
's Tulip Festival is celebrated annually on the 3rd weekend in May is held dear by Orange City's inhabitants with a flower show, an evening performance of a Broadway play, afternoon and evening parades, and street dancing by old and young alike. The festival begins on Wednesday for the locals and continues through Saturday drawing over 150,000 people.
- Pella, Iowa
's Tulip Time festival, also celebrated in early May, began in 1935 in celebration of the town's heritage. It is a three-day event that features street washing parades, costumed wooden shoe dancers, wooden shoe carving demonstrations, street vendors selling
poffertjes
and an antique Dutch street organ.
- The
Tulip Time Festival
in
Holland, Michigan
is held in early May and is the largest tulip festival in the United States, boasting over 4.5 million tulips and drawing over 600,000 visitors each year.
Western US
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]
- Lehi, Utah
's
Thanksgiving Point
hosts a tulip festival during April and May. The three weekend festival includes daffodils and tulips, garden tours, performances, and activities. One Friday and Saturday weekend includes Dutch Days with Dutch music, dance, and food.
- Lynden, Washington
's Holland Days festival is held the first weekend of every traditional song and dance, and Dutch markets.
- The
Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
in Washington has been held every April since 1984. Featuring dozens of tulip and daffodil fields as well as display gardens, gift shops, and tour activities, this festival attracts visitors of all ages.
- Woodburn, Oregon
has held the
Wooden Shoe Tulip Festival
every year starting in March 1986.
Brazil
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]
- The city of
Holambra
,
Sao Paulo
, is the largest producer of flowers and ornamental plants in
Latin America
and host the largest spring event in the continent, the
Expoflora
. The event starts late August and finishes on early September (start of Spring on Southern hemisphere) and it occurs every year since 1981. The event also have traditional Dutch music, dance and food.
Oceania
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]
New Zealand
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]
Australia
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]
Gallery
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]
-
Tulips at Dow's Lake during 2005 Ottawa Tulip Festival
-
-
Tulip festival on
Yelagin Island
, 2018
-
Tulip Festival, Albany, NY, 2008
-
Festival of Spring, Nokesville, Virginia - 2022
References
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]
External links
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]