Local Ottawa Events of interest

The Ottawa Spring Home & Garden Show
March 21-24, 2013
Ernst & Young Centre
4899 Uplands Dr.

Ottawa Spring Home Show has more than 350 companies showcasing furnishings, swimming pools and services, landscaping, plumbing, kitchens, baths, windows and doors. Decoration and renovation seminars, how-to tips and a do-it-yourself centre round out the entertainment. Four days to find innovative products, new ideas, advice and great deals with over 350 retailers and industry experts.

Canadian Tulip Festival
May 3rd–20st, 2013
Ottawa/Gatineau - Canada's Capital Region

The Canadian Tulip Festival seeks to preserve the heritage and character of its fifty-five year old historyaround its original founding idea, International Friendship. In 2007, the tremendously successful International Pavilion featured the Embassies and community groups of 15 participating countries, attracting a record 125,000 visitors to Major’s Hill Park in just 11 days. In 2009 we plan to extend the International Pavilion to the full 18 days of the Festival with more countries and enhanced international entertainment.

The Great Glebe Garage Sale
Saturday May 25, 2013

It's been an annual event for years and the residential streets of the Glebe, Ottawa's trendy little shopping neighbourhood, overflow with people searching for hidden treasures and bargains. You can find everything here, including clothes, records, toys, and furniture. Every new house is a new world of possibilities.  Some of the shoppers are Glebites who have left their own sales to explore the wares of their neighbours. However, many people come to this event from all over Ottawa. It's a lovely way to spend a Saturday morning. This is the perfect event for students looking for cheap furniture and household items, and is a great place for expectant mothers and fathers looking for pre-loved baby items. Of course, it's also the ideal place for anyone who has a secret penchant for knick-knacks and do-hickeys.

Westfest - Westboro Village's Festival of Music, Art + Life
Thursday to Sunday June 6 - 9, 2013

Westfest is a party like no other! Each year more than 100,000 people attend Westfest during our outdoor, three day celebration of Canadian art and culture. As a free multidisciplinary art festival dedicated to showcasing Canadian artists and their work in an accessible and inclusive setting, Westfest fills 14 city blocks with a variety of artistic disciplines, such as music, contemporary dance, visual art, media art, performance art, spoken word, poetry and fiction readings, Aboriginal art forms, children’s entertainment, buskers, street performers, and much more.

Tim Horton's Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival
June 20 - 23, 2013
Mooney's Bay - Across from the Rideau Canoe Club

Don't miss the boat!  If you haven't experienced the sport of dragon boat racing, start your summer at Mooney's Bay.  180 teams participate in corporate, government and community challenges.  Combine the excitement and competition of the races with multi-cultural food and entertainment and charitable fundraising and you have something for the whole family to enjoy.  Some examples of on-site events include the following: Multicultural performances all day on the Festival's main stage A children's activity area that includes rides, a crafts tent and much more!

Ottawa Fringe Festival
June 20 - 30, 2013
Arts Court, University of Ottawa Theatre Dept. 

A Fringe Festival is a forum that unites artists and audiences in a fun, exploratory environment. The guiding principles of the Fringe include unrestricted artistic expression, accessibility and community development.

The Fringe encourages artists to explore and test boundaries and make bold choices in the creation of art.

TD Canada Trust Ottawa International Jazz Festival
June 20 – July 1, 2013
Confederation Park

The TD Canada Trust Ottawa International Jazz Festival is the premier music event to take place in downtown Ottawa. The Festival boasts the biggest loyal audience of any event in eastern Ontario. It has presented some of the most dynamic jazz artists on the scene, from the traditional to the avant-garde, such as Herbie Hancock, Salif Keita, Dave Brubeck, Roy Haynes, Toots Thielemans, Branford Marsalis, Béla Fleck, Kenny Werner, Stanley Jordan, Sonny Rollins, Terence Blanchard, Diana Krall, D.D. Jackson, Maynard Ferguson, and John Mayall to name only a few.

Canada Day
July 1
Parliament Hill, Major's Hill Park, Confederation Park and Jacques Cartier Park in Hull
Canada's Capital Region celebrates our national holiday with shows, street performers and concerts!

Join us on Parliament Hill where some of Canada's best artists perform for the entire country. The whole family can share in the excitement of the festivities at sites around the Capital Region including Major's Hill Park and Jacques Cartier Park in Hull. Don't miss the spectacular fireworks display!

RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest
July 4-14, 2013

Canada's Biggest Blues Festival presents an outstanding array of the finest blues musicians over two weekends in a spectacular outdoor setting on the grounds of the Canadian War Museum on the western edge of downtown. The Bluesfest is one of Canada's largest outdoor music festivals and is ranked as one of North America's most important music events.

The Changing of the Guard Ceremony
June  - August
Parliament Hill

One of Canada's most outstanding attractions, this half-hour ceremony is presented daily on the lawn of Parliament Hill at 10 a.m., from late June until late August, weather permitting. It offers an unrivaled combination of colour, tradition, pageantry and military precision. The Guard is also seen at Rideau Hall, where sentries are posted at the gate and main entrance. The massed bands, pipes and drums of the Canadian Forces meet on Parliament Hill. The evening closes with a traditional Sunset Ceremony.  Go early (9:45) to learn about the symbolism, history, regiments and proceedings of the ceremony.

Odyssey Theatre - Theatre Under The Stars
Strathcona Park l Dorothy's Closet is a proud community partner of this event.
Our plays are noted for their imaginative use of masks, evocative physicality, innovative staging, and for the way they fuse varied art forms and cultures. Plays from the Theatre under the Stars series are performed every summer in Ottawa’s historic Strathcona Park, found on the banks of the Rideau River, just five minutes from the downtown core. This charming open-air venue provides a natural setting to spectators from across the national capital region and to tourists seeking a unique entertainment experience.

HOPE Volleyball Summerfest
July 13, 2013
Mooney's Bay Beach, Ottawa

The world’s largest beach volleyball tournament with as many as 1,000 teams and 10,000 players participating in 5, 000 games is a spectacle in and of itself. But HOPE pumps up the event a few more notches by providing six continuous hours of live entertainment from its main stage featuring prominent headliners drawing in upwards of another 20,000 spectators. Since its inception 23 years ago, the BeachFest has raised more than 5 million in support of over 100 local charities.

Ottawa Chamberfest
July 25 - August 8, 2013
Tel: (613) 234-8008

Each summer, thousands of music lovers travel from across Canada and around the world to attend the largest chamber music festival in the world and one of the country’s most important cultural events. Concerts are presented in acoustically perfect heritage churches. Over 250 of the top chamber musicians from Canada and the international scene will perform.

Rideau Canal Festival
First Weekend in August

This 4-day outdoor festival takes place at venues along - and on - the Ottawa portion of the Rideau Canal over the Civic Holiday long weekend, the first weekend each August. The Festival features decorated boats parading the length of the Ottawa portion of the Canal in impressive flotillas, a giant bicycle parade open to all, a canoe rendezvous, heritage activities, entertainment, an environmental fair and more.

Ottawa Greek Summer Festival
August 14-25, 2012
1315 Prince of Wales Dr.
(between Baseline & Merivale)

The Annual Ottawa Greek Festival is all about fun, food & festivities! We have something there for everyone.  LIVE A DAY THE GREEK WAY !!! OPA!!

Ottawa SuperEX
August 2013 TBA

Unfortunately it was decided for 2011 the operation of SuperEX would be suspended (Lansdowne Development). We will update this information as it changes. Ottawa’s end of the summer family bash returns to Lansdowne Park in the heart of Ottawa for 11 days of thrills and non-stop entertainment. The area largest midway and games returns to provide thrills for all ages.

Ottawa Folk Festival
Sepember 5-8, 2013

Set amidst the natural beauty of Hog's Back Park, the Ottawa Folk Festival is a four-day celebration of music, dance, visual arts and community featuring an eclectic mix of musical performances on two evening and five daytime stages, plus participatory music workshops, special children's and family performances, wellness activities, beer gardens, artisan and craft vendors, and much, much more. We are family-friendly, community-focused, culturally diverse and committed to sustainability and eco-friendly initiatives.

Ottawa Lumière Festival
July 29 - August 17, 2013

The Lumière Festival is an enchanting evening event that brings together professional artists and performers with community members to celebrate the beauty and magic of light and lanterns. Stanley Park will be lined with enchanting lantern sculptures created by professional artists and a variety of performers – dancers, musicians, stilt walkers and story tellers will add to the magical atmosphere.

Musical bands lead the way along the water’s edge, and participants carry handmade paper lanterns that they have created at a Lumière lantern workshop or purchased at the Festival. Dressed in midsummer eve costume - fairies, pixies, dragons and elves - children proudly carry their own lanterns as their fairy wings bump behind them.

Capial Pride - Ottawa's Most Colourful Festival
August 16-25, 2013
Pride Committee Ottawa-Gatineau

The Capital Pride Festival celebrates the diversity of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered (GLBT) community. Capital Pride partners with many community groups that represent the GLBT community of the National Capital Region to host 10 days of diverse events including: sporting events, a human rights vigil, events for youth and Rainbow Party 11. The festival concludes with the highly-anticipated Pride Parade and outdoor Pride Stage on Sunday. Happy Pride!

Ottawa International Animation Festival
September TBA

One of the largest festivals of its kind, OIAF attracts over 1000 animators, producers, distributors, industry leaders, cultural representatives, students and animation fans from around the world. A rare chance for the general public to come and see the best new animation from around the world in the company of the filmmakers, including many Academy Award winners!

La Vendemmia – Ottawa’s Celebration of Italian Wine and Food
September TBA

Do you LOVE Italian Wine and Food? Since 1997, La Vendemmia has been Ottawa 's Celebration of Italian Wine & Food held in the heart of Little Italy, Preston Street. La Vendemmia is a series of Italian wine and food seminars, dinners, cooking demos, wine tastings and a charity grape stomp. September 22-28, 2008 for the 12th year of La Vendemmia.

Winterlude / Bal de Neige
January 31 - February 17, 2014
National Capital Region

Every February, Canada's Capital Region is host to Winterlude, North America's greatest winter festival. Three fun-filled weekends of excitement and activity await the whole family! From spectacular ice carvings to an amazing playground made of snow, Winterlude is a great way to take in the best of our Canadian winter. Skate the Rideau Canal, the world's longest skating rink! Marvel at the spectacular ice and snow sculptures.

Ottawa Symphony Orchestra
2012-2013 Series
2, Avenue Daly, Suite 250

The Ottawa Symphony Orchestra is now the National Capital Region’s largest orchestra with 100 musicians, specializing in performing music from the large symphonic repertoire. Thanks to the support of its growing audiences, the OSO’s commitment to continuing the distinguished orchestral heritage begun in 1894, is alive and thriving. We invite you to join the OSO for a fabulous season of Five Great 7th Symphonies.

Ottawa Little Theatre
400 King Edward Ave.

Theatre worth loving! For ninety-eight years, we have provided Ottawa with popular affordable plays. Professional in style, traditional in tone, Ottawa Little Theatre has been a vital part of the Ottawa Arts Community for almost 100 years, making it the longest running community theatre in Canada. Between 50,000 and 60,000 patrons walk through our doors each season to enjoy our plays, special events and more. With a fully licenced bar and 462 seats with unobstructed views, OLT is the perfect venue to watch live theatre.