The month of May is Dutch Heritage Month in Ontario. Ontario is home to about 500,000 Dutch Canadians. Since generations, the Dutch Canadian community has made and continues to make significant contributions to the growth and prosperity of the Province of Ontario. May is a historically significant month for the Dutch Canadian community. On May 5, 1945, the Canadian forces were instrumental in the liberation of the Netherlands from occupation during World War II.

The tulip is a Dutch national symbol. Since 1945, the Dutch Royal Family gifts the Canadians each year with thousands of tulip bulbs to commemorate the memorable role of the Canadian troops and the birth of Dutch Princess Margriet in Ottawa during World War II. This historic royal gift is celebrated during the annual Canadian Tulip Festival in Ottawa in May. In the Netherlands, on the first day of spring, Amsterdam’s Dam Square turns into a large sea of colorful tulips, visited by many people who are invited to pick their own bouquet.

As a small, but colorful token of our gratitude for the heroic efforts of the Canadian forces in World War II, to celebrate spring time and the continuous blossoming relationship between Canada and the Netherlands, the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Toronto likes to offer you a chance to pick your own tulips, here in Toronto. When picking the tulips, think of what you’re grateful for and we hope you’ll bring this Dutch symbol of spring home with a smile on your face, as we on behalf of the Netherlands continue to say ‘Thank You, Toronto’.

What? Tulip picking

When? Sunday, May 21, 2023

What time? 12 pm – 3pm (ET)

Where? Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto

Organizer? Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Toronto

Special thanks to Pioneer Flower Farms!