Festivals and Attractions
Canada’s Capital has something exciting to do every day of the year! With 29 museums and a myriad of private and public galleries and theatres there is never a dull moment.
Plan your Route
Use our Travel Planner for a customized itinerary to your event! Look in the “Events” category under the Landmarks tab. Be sure you have selected the day of your event.
2012 Festivals and Attractions in Ottawa
Ottawa hosts over 60 festivals and events each year. It all kicks off with Winterlude in February, followed by the Tulip Festival in May, the Jazz Festival and Bluesfest in summer, Canada Day on Parliament Hill July 1, community fairs in the fall and Christmas Lights Across Canada in December, just to name a few. Explore below for a taste of what Ottawa has to offer.
Christmas Lights Across Canada
December 1, 2011 - January 7, 2012
www.canadascapital.gc.ca
Winterlude
February 3-20
www.canadascapital.gc.ca/celebrate/winterlude
Chill Factor - Downtown Rideau
February 3-19
www.downtownrideau.com
Ottawa Fashion Week
February 17-19
www.ottawafashionweek.ca
Ottawa Irish Festival
March 8-17
www.irishsocietyncr.com
Maple Sugar Festival
March 28 - April 1
museoparc.ca
Asian Heritage Month
May 3 - June 2
www.asianheritagemonth.net
3i Summit: Imagine - Interact - Inspire
May 4-5
3isummit.com
Ottawa International Writers Festival
April 26 - May 1
www.writersfestival.org
Canadian Tulip Festival
May 4-21
www.tulipfestival.ca
Victoria Day Festival
May 11-21
Juliana Park, Dow’s Lake
www.victoriadayfestival.com
Ottawa International Children’s Festival
May 30 - June 3
www.ottawachildrensfestival.ca
Italian Week of Ottawa/Settimana Italiana di Ottawa
June 7-17
wwww.italianweekottawa.org
Westfest Ottawa
June 8-10
www.westfest.ca
Carnival of Cultures
June 8-10
www.carnivalofcultures.com
Canada Dance Festival
June 9-16
canadadance.ca
Festival Franco-ontarien (FFO)
June 14-16
www.ffo.ca
Ottawa Fringe Festival
June 14-24
www.ottawafringe.com
FCA Ottawa Ferrari Festival
June 15-17
www.ottawaferrarifestival.com
Summer Solstice Aboriginal Arts Festival
June 21-24
www.aboriginalexperiences.com
TD Ottawa International Jazz Festival
June 21 - July 1
www.ottawajazzfestival.com
Tim Horton’s Dragon Boat Race Festival
June 22-24
www.dragonboat.net
Canada Day Arts Festival
June 22 - July 1
www.canadadayfestival.com
The Community Cup
June 24
www.communitycup.ca
Canada Day
July 1
www.capcan.ca
Torchlight Shakespeare Series
July 2 - August 18
fools.ca
Ottawa Cisco Bluesfest
July 4-15
www.ottawabluesfest.ca
Music and Beyond
July 5-15
www.musicandbeyond.ca
“Mosaika” Sound and Light Show on Parliament Hill
July 6 - September 3
www.mosaika-sl.ca
HOPE Volleyball Summerfest
July 14
www.hopehelps.com
Ottawa Turkish Festival
July 15-24
www.ottawaturkishfestival.com
Downtown Rideau Summer Fling “A Theatrical Affair”!
July 17 - August 25
www.downtownrideau.com
Festival Haiti en Fête
July 19-22
www.haitenfete.ca
City Chase - the worlds largest urban adventure series!
July 21
www.mitsubishicitychase.com
Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival
July 26 - August 10
www.chamberfest.com
Rideau Canal Festival
July - August (2012 dates TBD)
www.rideaucanalfestival.ca
Caribbean Festival (Caribe-Expo)
August (2012 Dates TBD)
www.caribe-expo.ca
Ottawa Lumière Festival
August 4-18
lumiereottawa.com
Navan Fair
August 9-12
www.navanfair.com
Ottawa Greekfest
August 15-26
www.ottawagreekfest.com
Ottawa Reggae Festival
August 17-19
www.ottawareggaefestival.com
Capital Pride
August 19-28
www.capitalpride.ca
Ottawa Folk Festival
September 6-9
www.ottawafolk.org
Richmond Fair
September 13-16
www.richmondfair.ca
Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF)
September 19-23
www.animationfestival.ca
Carp Fair
September 20-23
www.carpfair.ca
Metcalfe Fair
September 27-30
www.metcalfefair.com
One World Film Festival
October 11-14
www.wiam.ca
Free Thinking Film Festival
November 2
www.freethinkingfilmfest.ca
Canadian Folk Music Awards
November 24
folkawards.ca
Family Pass
Get ahead with a $7.50 Daypass!
On weekends and statutory holidays, the DayPass also serves as a ‘Family Pass’ giving you unlimited same day travel for up to 6 people.
Seniors’ Free Fare Special
Seniors can ride free all-day on Wednesdays and after 12 noon on Mondays and Fridays.