The novel coronavirus may have forced the cancellation of Abbotsford’s Bloom Tulip Festival, but there will be a silver lining for at least one B.C. family.
Organizers of the annual event, which showcases upwards of 2.5 million brightly coloured tulips, are holding a contest that will ensure at least someone gets to experience the spring bloom.
The winner and their household will get up to three hours alone among the rows upon rows of flowers at the time of their choosing, including sunrise or sunset.
The winner will also be allowed to bring a bucket to fill with as many tulips as they can pick.
“We wanted to find a safe way to allow at least a few people from the same household onto the site to enjoy the tulips while still adhering to provincial COVID-19 guidelines,” said Bloom founder Alexis Szarek in a media release.
“It will give us great joy to welcome the winner of this contest to BLOOM for this once in a lifetime experience.”
2020 would have been the fifth year for the Abbotsford Bloom Tulip Festival. The event typically draws about 100,000 people annually.
Contest details and conditions can be found on the festival’s Instagram page.