Three festivals planned May 7-8 to celebrate Apeldoorn, Itabashi
Adapted from a City of Burlington press releaseThree festivals are planned for May 7-8 to celebrate spring and the City of Burlington’s twin cities, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands and Itabashi, Japan.Saturday, May 7, 2016 - Canada Netherlands Friendship DayThe annual celebration of Canada Netherlands Friendship Day will recognize the 71st anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands by the Canadian Armed Forces and the 11th anniversary of the City of Burlington’s twinning with the City of Apeldoorn. The event is from 11 a.m. to noon at City Hall, Civic Square and will feature:
- Alexander’s Public School band performance
- Ambassadors Christian Male Chorus performance
- Flag raising of Canadian and Dutch flags, accompanied by Burlington Teen Tour Band trumpeters
- Greetings from Mayor Rick Goldring, Consul General Anne van Leeuwen and Elizabeth Witmer, former Deputy Premier of Ontario and
- Apeldoorn and Burlington student artwork display.
Sunday, May 8, 2016 - Blooms of Friendship & Sakura FestivalNew this year, Blooms of Friendship invites residents to tour downtown Burlington and enjoy the Sakura (cherry) trees in Spencer Smith Park and more than 7,000 tulips planted in Apeldoorn Park, Spencer Smith Park, Brock Park, Tourism Burlington and City Hall. The free event is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and activities include:
- Face painting
- Craft and colouring stations, and
- Flower pot planting
The Sakura Festival will celebrate the Japanese cherry trees at the Burlington Art Centre from 1 to 3 p.m. The free event will offer:
- Japanese Taiko drum demonstration
- Kiri Koto instrument performance
- Kimono Fashion Show
- Japanese Yosakoi and
- Martial arts demonstrations.
Burlington’s Mundalization Committee, a volunteer citizen advisory committee, is instrumental in delivering these events. For more information on these events and the Burlington Mundalization Committee, visit www.burlington.ca/mund