Toronto Tulip Day: 40,000 tulips to be gifted by the Netherlands to Toronto, commemorating 80 years of freedom and friendship

TORONTO, April 25, 2025 – The Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Toronto is pleased to invite you to join us for Toronto Tulip Day, taking place at Nathan Phillips Square on Saturday, May 10th, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

To mark the 80th anniversary of the Netherlands’ liberation—a victory that was secured thanks to the courage, sacrifice, and dedicated efforts of Canadian men and women during World War II—the Dutch Consulate will be giving out 40,000 tulips to Toronto and its residents as a living symbol of our heartfelt and enduring gratitude.

Toronto Tulip Day will open at 10:00 AM with remarks from Harman Idema, Consul General of the Netherlands in Toronto. Members of the public will then be welcomed to Nathan Phillips Square to collect complimentary tulip bulbs until 5:00 PM, or as long as tulip supplies last.

May is Dutch Heritage Month in Ontario, home to approximately 500,000 Dutch Canadians whose contributions have shaped the province for generations and continue to strengthen it today. This year, Toronto Tulip Day offers a special opportunity to honor this heritage while commemorating a milestone anniversary in our countries’ shared history.

The yearly tradition of gifting tulips began in 1945, when the Netherlands first sent thousands of tulip bulbs to Canada as an expression of thanks for both the liberation of Dutch territory by Canadian troops, and the safe haven that Canada provided to the Dutch Royal Family during the war.

“The ties between the Netherlands and Canada run deep, rooted in shared history and mutual respect,” said Consul General Idema. “The gift of tulip bulbs has a dual purpose of honoring the past by expressing our enduring gratitude to Canada, while also symbolizing a commitment to nurturing our bilateral relationship so that it continues to thrive for years to come.”