The first-ever I Heart Tulips event, a floral installation in support of Variety – the Children’s Charity, takes place January 26
In the depths of the post-holiday doldrums, the creators of the hugely popular Chilliwack Tulip Festival will bring beauty, colour, and a spirit of giving to the Lower Mainland — with the first-ever I Heart Tulips event in support of Variety – the Children’s Charity.
Happening Saturday, January 26, at Metropolis at Metrotown, I Heart Tulips will see an enormous, one-day-only installation of 10,000 live red and white tulips taking over the shopping mecca’s Grand Court. Sponsored by Onos Greenhouses Ltd., along with Tulips of the Valley (which runs the Chilliwack Tulip Festival and the Chilliwack Sunflower Festival), the installation will be arranged in the shape of a red heart surrounded by white, forming an awe-inspiring floral tapestry.
The installation may be viewed from all three levels of the mall, from 10am to 1pm. From 1pm to 1:30pm, children supported by Variety – the Children’s Charity, will be invited to pick tulips. After 1:30pm, the public will be invited to take their pick of the tulips to bring home, with a minimum donation of only $5 for five tulips. The event will continue until all of the 10,000 tulips have been picked.
All proceeds will go to Variety – the Children’s Charity, a favourite cause of Kate Onos-Gilbert, co-founder of Tulips of the Valley. Variety – the Children’s Charity has been providing direct help to B.C. children with special needs for more than 50 years.
I Heart Tulips will also include a tulip selfie stand, photo frames, and the opportunity to take pictures with Tilly, the tulip mascot. Other pre-cut tulips will also be available (by donation), and all tulips may be wrapped on site for easy transport. As well, visitors will be invited to enter a draw to win tickets to the 2019 Chilliwack Tulip Festival, taking place in April.
“Both Variety and tulips are close to my heart,” says Onos-Gilbert. “This event perfectly pairs both the charity and the flower in a one-day event for a very worthy cause. I hope people ‘heart’ it!”
I Heart Tulips
Saturday, January 26
10am to 3pm
The Grand Court at Metropolis at Metrotown
4700 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC
About Tulips of the Valley
Tulips of the Valley is the operator of the Chilliwack Tulip Festival and the Chilliwack Sunflower Festival. The Chilliwack Tulip Festival takes place over a 5-week period, usually in April, sometimes into May, depending on the weather. The Chilliwack Sunflower Festival takes place from August to September. Both events feature a plethora of fun and flowers for festival-goers of all ages. For more information, please visit, tulipsofthevalley.com and chilliwacksunflowerfest.com.
