Everything you need to know about the 2025 Canadian Tulip Festival

The festival opens with a cannon salute, a moment of recognition for Canadian veterans, a parade by the Central Band of the Canadian Armed Forces, and the lighting of the Canadian Remembrance Torch.

Screenings include Finding Nemo, Wall-E, and The Chronicles of Narnia. Viewers can bring lawn chairs or blankets. The full movie lineup is available here.

Run by the Netherlands Embassy, the pavilion is a cultural checkpoint within the festival grounds with Dutch lawn games during the day, and a short rotation of concerts in the evening. The lineup this year includes a performance by the Royal Netherlands Air Force Orchestra with Shirma Rouse (May 12), a stripped-back freedom concert by Pauline van der Roest (May 13), and a silent disco set to Dutch electronic music (May 14), headphones provided. Programming resumes May 17 and 18 with a selection of games.

An oversized insect installation, designed in the Netherlands. It’s billed as educational, photogenic, and luminous after sunset.

Tours cover planting strategy, tulip varieties, and the history behind the Dutch-Canadian alliance. Booking ahead is strongly recommended. Tickets are $20; children aged six and under are free.

Queen Elizabeth Driveway will turn into a 1945-style celebration with restored military vehicles, a live Big Band, swing dancers in uniform, and an open invitation to join the street parade. The party leads into the drone and fireworks show.

A choreographed aerial display over Dow’s Lake. The NCC will close Queen Elizabeth Drive to vehicles for pedestrian viewing. Free to attend.

There is no public parking at Commissioners Park. Visitors are encouraged to use OC Transpo or walk from nearby paid lots. The closest options are Carleton University’s Lot P7 ($12 daily flat rate) and the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum ($9.50 daily), both within a 15–20 minute walk of the festival grounds.

Carleton’s lot includes signage and a marked path through campus, though it involves stairs. The museum route passes through the Dominion Arboretum, with an optional self-guided audio tour available by QR code.

Dow’s Lake Pavilion serves as the designated OC Transpo stop and a pickup/drop-off zone for accessible transit. For those with an Accessible Parking Permit, temporary spaces are available along Dow’s Lake Road, where “No Parking” signs have been re-designated for the duration of the festival. “No Stopping” zones remain off-limits.

Accessibility shuttles and Chartwell People Movers will be operating during peak hours. Volunteers will be stationed throughout the site for wayfinding support.

Bike racks are available around the park perimeter, though they are unattended. Leashed pets are allowed.

Limited residential parking is available in the Glebe east of the site. Bylaw officers will be monitoring the area.