Canadian Tulip Festival
| May 4, 2012 | to | May 21, 2012 |
[Le français suivra l'anglais]
The Canadian Tulip Festival, now in its 60th year, has grown to become the largest Tulip Festival in the world. It preserves the local heritage of Canada’s role in freeing the Dutch during World War II, and the symbolic tulip; a gift in perpetuity to the Canadian people for providing a safe harbour to the Dutch Royal Family at that time.
The festival’s mandate is to preserve this heritage and celebrate the tulip as a symbol of international friendship by engaging local organizers, volunteers, artists, performers, tourists and festival-goers in what has become an annual ritual of spring and one of Canada’s best loved and well-known cultural events.
Please continue to check www.tulipfestival.ca for updates!
Festival Information:
General information: 613.567.5757 /1.800.66.TULIP
General information email: info@tulipfestival.ca
Ticket information: www.tulipfestival.ca
Volunteer information: www.tulipfestival.ca/volunteer
Location: Throughout the National Capital area
On the Web:
Website: www.tulipfestival.ca/www.festivaldestulipes.ca
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1209015588&ref=ts
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/canadiantulipfestival
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Présentement dans sa 60e année, le Festival canadien des tulipes est aujourd’hui le plus important festival de tulipes au monde. Il commémore la participation des troupes canadiennes à la libération des Pays-Bas durant la Seconde Guerre mondiale. La tulipe symbolise un don à perpétuité offert au Canada en remerciement du refuge que la famille royale hollandaise en exil avait pu y trouver à cette époque.
Le mandat du Festival est de préserver cet héritage et de reconnaître la tulipe comme un symbole d’amitié internationale en amenant les organisateurs locaux, les bénévoles, les artistes, les touristes et les festivaliers à participer à ce qui est maintenant devenu un rituel annuel du printemps et l’un des événements culturels les plus populaires et les plus aimés au Canada.
L’information de festivale:
L’information generale: 613.567.5757 /1.800.66.TULIP
L’information generale de couriel: info@tulipfestival.ca
L’information de billets: www.tulipfestival.ca
L’information de benevoler: www.tulipfestival.ca/volunteer
Sur le web:
Website: www.tulipfestival.ca/www.festivaldestulipes.ca
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1209015588&ref=ts
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/canadiantulipfestival
Bluesfest and RBC Royal Bank Partner to Ensure the Music Plays On in the Nation’s Capital
[Source: Bluesfest press release]
Ottawa, December 2, 2011 – North America’s premier music festival, Bluesfest proudly announced its long-term partnership with RBC Royal Bank at a media event earlier today. The partnership ensures the music plays on for another five years in the Nation’s Capital and further strengthens RBC commitment to culture in Ottawa.
RBC Royal Bank has always shown a keen interest in cultural initiatives, supporting numerous organizations and events at a grassroots, national and global level. The new five-year partnership with Bluesfest further enhances their rich calendar of cultural and customer driven initiatives in Ottawa and its surrounding communities.
“RBC Royal Bank is proud to partner with North America’s premier music festival because we have two great things in common: we both continue to evolve to provide our customers with the best possible experience, and we are 100 per-cent committed to Ottawa from both a business and cultural perspective,” said Jeff Boyd, Regional President, Ontario North and East, RBC Royal Bank. “This is great news for our customers, for Ottawa and for RBC Royal Bank. We are delighted that RBC Royal Bank and our customers will now be able to benefit from this new partnership and we look forward to growing and enhancing the festival over the coming years.”
“This new partnership will ensure the festival can continue to operate as one of the biggest festivals in North America for many years to come.” said Mark Monahan, Executive Director, Bluesfest. “RBC Royal Bank’s long-term commitment to Bluesfest now allows Cisco to focus its sponsorship on technology enablement.”
Bluesfest was founded in 1994 and remains one of North America’s premier music festivals, continuing to play a prominent role in promoting the Capital Region on a global stage. The 2012 line-up will be announced on April 24th at the official launch event.
Capital BIXI Season Coming to an End
Returning next year on April 15, 2012
[NCC press release]
Canada’s Capital Region — With winter fast approaching, November 15 at 10 am will mark the end of the first season of the Capital BIXI bike share service. After this time, users will still be able to return their BIXI bike back to a station, but it will no longer be possible to rent one. The NCC also plans to remove all ten BIXI stations on November 15 for winter storage.
The NCC thanks all Capital BIXI users for contributing to making the bike sharing system a valuable transportation alternative in the region. The use of active modes of transportation has a positive impact on public health, the environment and transportation costs while enhancing the vibrancy of the Capital Region.
From May 18 to November 13, 2011, the Capital BIXI service generated 21,658 cycling trips stemming from 173 monthly and yearly subscribers and 7,384 distinct occasional users.
Capital BIXI Key ― Members can keep their Capital BIXI key for the 2012 season as it can be reactivated for upcoming seasons.
VIA Rail ― Members can also choose VIA Rail for their next trip in Canada and take advantage of a 10% discount on VIA’s best rate. To reserve your trip, visit your personal space at https://capital.bixi.com.
A BIXI for Christmas ― Gift certificates for yearly and monthly memberships are available online at http://boutique.bixi.com/.
Capital culture
Taking a closer look at local artists in the Capital Region
Sarah Brown
Tour the world’s great capitals, and it becomes apparent that they share two key traits. First, their residents are unselfconsciously proud of their culture. Second, these capitals are bold in showcasing art and ideas, in supporting artists who celebrate their nation and in allowing them the stage when they wish to question the “sacred tenets” of what that nationhood means. Great capitals engage their artists and citizens, celebrating the diversity of their creations.
In the past 20 years, the population of Canada’s capital has reached a critical mass that makes it possible for cultural entrepreneurs to develop world-class blues, jazz and chamber music festivals; the National Gallery of Canada and the Canadian Museum of Civilization can count on crowd support for blockbuster international exhibitions; the National Arts Centre has outdone itself with its ongoing “Scene” series of regional artistic exhibitions; and our key cultural buildings are architectural showpieces. Yet, in 2011, our capital city still lacks a certain zing.
Read more on the Canadian Geographic website: Capital culture
NCC’s Multimedia Experiences Recognized with Two International Awards
[Source: NCC press release]
Canada’s Capital Region The National Capital Commission (NCC) is pleased to announce that it has won two first place awards in the 2011 National Association for Interpretation Media Competition. The prestigious awards recognize both the quality and creativity of NCC interpretation programs and materials.
The awards are:
- 1st Place: Web/Multimedia category for Decoding Art
The pilot project Decoding Art offers visitors the opportunity to discover the history and the artists who created national monuments in Canada’s Capital Region, through multimedia clips available on smart phones using the QR code technology.
- 1st Place: Long Video category for the sound and light show Mosaika: Canada through the eyes of its people
This brings to six the number of awards that Mosaika, the sound and light show on Parliament Hill has won since its launch in July 2010.
Last Week to Experience Mosaika
NCC’s sound and light show welcomes post-secondary students to the Capital
[Source: NCC press release]
Canada’s Capital Region ¾ The National Capital Commission (NCC), in collaboration with Manulife Financial, wishes to inform the public that, as of Thursday, September 1, 2011, Mosaika: Canada through the eyes of its people, will be presented half an hour earlier, at 9 pm. The current season of the award-winning sound and light show on Parliament Hill draws to a close one week later, on Thursday, September 8, 2011.
Special evening for students
The NCC would like to welcome university, college and CÉGEP students to Canada’s Capital Region. On September 6, students are invited to attend a special presentation of Mosaika to celebrate back to school week. Entertaining and enlightening, with rich educational content, the 30-minute bilingual show explores Canada’s physical landscapes, history, achievements, and values. Mosaika is a must-see attraction and a perfect free evening activity for the Capital’s new or returning post-secondary students.
ONLY ONE WEEK LEFT TO TAKE IN THE BEAUTY OF THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS IN THE CAPITAL
The National Capital Commission (NCC) wishes to remind residents and visitors that this is the final week to enjoy the Christmas Lights Across Canada display, which illuminates the Capital Region.The lighting display on Parliament Hill and along Confederation Boulevard will be on from 4:30 pm to 2:00 am nightly until January 7, 2010 (inclusive).
This year, over 70 sites in the heart of Canada’s Capital Region provide the perfect backdrop to more than 375,000 dazzling lights.
The Christmas lights that illuminate many museums, historic sites, embassies and other landmarks along Confederation Boulevard – the discovery route that circles the heart of Canada’s Capital Region – were officially switched on during a lighting ceremony held on Parliament Hill on December 12, 2009. Thousands of spectators were on hand to take part in the annual celebration. This year’s ceremony was twinned with arrival of the Olympic Flame on Parliament Hill, as part of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay.
As an important national element of the program, provincial and territorial capitals held their own lighting festivities, creating a link with the nation’s capital and a spectacular display of colour and light all across the country.
For additional information about the Christmas Lights Across Canada program, members of the public may contact the NCC at 613-239-5000, 613-239-5090 (TTY), 1-800-465-1867 (toll-free) or 1-866-661-3530 (toll-free TTY), or visit the NCC’s website at www.canadascapital.gc.ca.
CANADIAN YOUTH: “RAISE YOUR VOICES!”
The National Capital Commission (NCC), in partnership with Classroom Connections, has launched a cross-Canada classroom banner contest that calls on youth to share their views in an inspired way – with the chance to have their handiwork exhibited in the heart of the Capital.
Students in Grades 5 through 8 (Elementary 5 through Secondary 2 in Quebec) are being asked to create and submit a one-of-a-kind banner design to the “Raise Your Voices!” National Student Banner Contest. Designs should represent an issue or topic of importance to Canadian youth. The seven winning banners will be professionally produced by the NCC and flown in Major’s Hill Park from May to October 2010.”The NCC’s mandate is to create pride through Canada’s Capital Region by making the Capital a meeting place that reflects history, diverse cultures and the shared values of all Canadians, including those of our youth,” said Marie Lemay, Chief Executive Officer of the NCC. “Engaging the youth of today through this contest is a great way to strengthen their relationship with the Capital Region, and to help them to express their views.”
Students: Tell your teachers about this contest and start brainstorming your design ideas!
Teachers: Encourage your students to speak up! For all the details about how your class can participate in this exciting challenge, visit canadascapital.gc.ca/bannercontest.
For more information about the NCC’s youth programs, classroom resources or other NCC programs, the public can contact the NCC at 613-239-5000, 1-800-465-1867 (toll-free), 613-239-5090 (TTY) or 1-866-661-3530 (toll-free TTY), or visit the NCC’s website at www.canadascapital.gc.ca.
Classroom Connections is a non-profit organization dedicated to initiating positive societal change by producing progressive educational resources for Canada’s youth. To learn more about its programs and services, visit www.classroomconnections.ca.
