Ottawa Events

FEB

Winterlude

From ice sculpture competitions, to ice skating on the Rideau Canal, to playing with your children at Jacques-Cartier Park’s Snowflake Kingdom, Winterlude is 3 weekends of winter fun held annually at several park locales in Ottawa. Maybe you will meet the Ice Hogs, the festival’s favorite magical furry creatures! Winterlude is definitely family-friendly.

MAR

JUNO Awards

Canada’s Music Awards are celebrated with a week of events including the Awards show, celebrity hockey and basketball games, a Fan Fare event and  live concerts at multiple venues throughout Ottawa.

MAY

Canadian Tulip Festival

For six decades this friendly flower has been celebrated at parks throughout Ottawa, exploding with millions of colorful tulips. At Dow's Lake and along the Rideau Canal you will see magnificent expositions. Music and art are also featured during this multi-day fest.

JUN

Ottawa Jazz Festival 

Celebrate this iconic music genre in June, with performances held at the National Arts Centre and on the Main Stage at Confederation Park. Plenty of food, beer and wine are available to get the party going!

Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival

This fest is a 3-day celebration of exciting racing, stages of entertainment, extreme sports demonstrations, food, arts, beer and lots of family fun! The Dragon Boat Festival honors Chinese cultural tradition and is held at Parc Mooneys Bay Park.

Ottawa Fringe Festival

A number of theatre and gallery venues are utilized for this Fringe Festival, bringing unique artistic presentations to enthusiastic audiences. Artists receive 100% of ticket revenue and there are no restrictions on creativity. The fest has been going strong since 1997.

JULY

Canada Day

Every July 1, the whole country of Canada gets into party mode, with all kinds of family-friendly activities taking place at parks everywhere. Since Ottawa is the capital, you can imagine this city offers some of the best! Begin your day at Parliament Hill to see what’s happening.

Bluesfest

One of the foremost music fests in the world, and highly regarded by many as one of Ottawa’s best annual events, Bluesfest attracts hundreds of thousands of music devotees over a dozen days. Hundreds of performances in a variety of musical genres are offered at LeBreton Flats Park.

AUG

Rideau Canal Festival

Celebrate the nearly two centuries old engineering wonder at Bytown Museum-Ottawa Locks and at Dow's Lake Pavilion.  Activities include canal tours, a flotilla, live music, art exhibits and lots to do for kids.

SEP

Ottawa Folk Festival

Held at Hog’s Back Park in Ottawa, this multi-day fest offers an eclectic mix of music presented on multiple day and evening stages, along with arts and crafts vendors, food, beer gardens and an attractive natural setting.

Oct – Apr

Ottawa Senators

Head to Scotiabank Place  to  watch the exciting NHL Ottawa Senators skate to victory! The whole family will enjoy these matches, so be sure to visit the website ahead of your visit to purchase tickets.

Dec-Jan

Christmas Lights Across Canada

Get into the holiday spirit by hundreds of thousands of dazzling lights illuminating Parliament Hill and other locations throughout the capital city of Ottawa.