Canada Day in the Capital
As always, there's someone for everyone in Ottawa this Canada Day. Here's my list of Canada Day events - all free, frugal or almost frugal! If you know of any other events I should add, please let me know. I'll be updating the page as I discover more great Canada Day fun!
Free Fun
◊ Canada Day on Parliament Hill
- 9 am - Carillon Concert
- 9:30 am - Flag Raising Ceremony
- 10 am - Changing of the Guard
- Noon to 1:30 pm - Canada Day Noon Show. The The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be in attendance. The show will include perforances by artists from all over the country including Great Big Sea, and fly-bys by Canada's Snowbirds and CF-18's.
- 2:30, 3:00, 3:30 and 4:00 pm - Pipes and Drums on the lawns of Parliament Hill.
- 7:00 pm to 10 pm - Canada Day Evening Show. This lead-up to the fireworks will include Great Big Sea and many other artists.
- 10 pm (approximately) - Fireworks!
Last year we happened to be at Elgin and Wellington just before the Queen was due to arrive - I don't recommended heading into the crowds there with kids and strollers! We escaped as quickly as we could and headed to Major's Hill Park, where things were much calmer. We ended up on Sussex Street by Major's Hill park just as the Queen was driving by after her Parliament Hill appearance, and we got a great view of her as no one else was there! I can't guarantee that this year's Royal visitors will follow the same route, but it might be worth a try if you really want a close-up view of Will and Kate!
◊ Canada Day at Major's Hill Park and Jacques Cartier Park (Gatineau).
There are activites at these locations all day long, including plenty of live music. Here are my top picks for family-friendly fun - please visit the location websites for the complete schedule.
- Major's Hill Park
- Intercultural Face Painting (10 am to 5 pm)
- Via Mininiature Train (10 am to 5 pm)
- Paralympic Showcase with wheelchair basketball and other paralympic sport demonstrations (10 am to 6 pm)
- Dance workshops including ballet, Bhangra dance, and flamenco, and dance performances (throughout the day)
- Major's Hill Park evening show featuring various area dance troupes and singers (6 pm to 10:30 pm)
- 10 pm (approximately) - Fireworks!
- Jacques Cartier Park
- Climb into the cockpit of the Snowbirds' aircraft and an F-18, and meet the experts in the field! (10 am to 8 pm)
- Kite Flying, including kite workshops at 10:30 am to noon, 1:30 pm to 3 pm, and 4 pm to 5:30 pm; an Introduction to Kites at 11 am, 12:30 pm, 2 pm , 3:30 pm, 5 pm and 6:30 pm; and acrobatic kite demonstrations at 10:30 am, noon, 1:30 pm, 3 pm, 4:30 pm, 5:30 pm and 7 pm.
- Dress up in military gear, and feel what it’s like to carry the same load that a soldier does. (10 am to 8 pm)
- 10 pm (approximately) - Fireworks!
◊ Canada Day in Orleans
This Canada Day celebration takes place at Petrie Island. Activities include:
- The kids' tent (11 am to 5 pm)
- Circus Delights magic show (12 to 1 pm)
- Little Ray's Reptiles (1:30 to 2:30 pm)
- Family Olympics (2 to 3:30 pm)
- Junkyard Symphony (3 to 4 pm)
- Main stage entertainment (6:15 to 10 pm)
- Fireworks! (10:05 pm)
◊ Canada Day in Kanata
This Canada Day celebration takes place at Walter Baker Park. Activities include:
- Rock the Arts puppet show
- Carleton University's Chemistry Magic Show
- Live music on the Urbandale stage, including headliner Sloan
- The All Saints Juggling Team
- Fireworks!
◊ Canada Day in Barrhaven
This Canada Day celebration takes place at Clarke Fields Park. Activities start at 11 am and include a free kids' zone (thanks to Rene for pointing out that some kids' activities are free while some have a modest cost), live musical entertainment from 11 am to 10 pm, and fireworks at 10 pm.
◊ Ottawa International Jazz Festival at Confederation Park
The Jazz Festival continues at Confederation Park with free concerts from 11 am to 6 pm:
- Main Stage
- The Central Band of the Canadian Forces (Noon)
- TD Jazz Youth Summit (2 pm)
- Ohbijou (2 pm)
- Coeur de Pirate (6 pm)
- Elgin Stage
- Jaffa Road (11 am)
- Jayme Stone (1 pm)
- Ruby Jean and the Thoughtful Bees (3 pm)
- Jaron Freeman-Fox and the Opposite of Everything (5 pm)
◊ Canada Day at the NAC
These free concerts and activities will go on rain or shine:
- Unisong Choir - 400 choristers from across Canada perform in Southam Hall (10 am)
- CULTURE SHOCK - learn how to dance to hip-hop music, NAC Terrace corner of Elgin and Queen streets (10 am)
- Kids' Corner with Tante Caroline - entertainment, games, and fun in Le Salon! (11 am to 3:30 pm)
- Animation and fun by stilts walkers of the Ottawa Stilts Union, Lawrence Freiman Lane, 11 to 4 pm, performance at 1 pm
- The NAC Orchestra joins the Unisong massed choir for performances at 2:30 and 7:30 pm in Southam Hall
◊ The following museums are offering free admission on Canada Day:
- The Museum of Civilization - open from 9 am to 8 pm, including the children's museum!
- The Canadian War Museum - open from 9 am to 8 pm.
- The Museum of Nature - open from 9 am to 8 pm.
- The Currency Museum (Always free admission) - open from 9 am to 8 pm.
- The National Gallery - open from 10 am to 5 pm.
- The Agriculture Museum - open from 11 am to 5 pm.
- The Royal Canadian Mint - open from 9 am to 6 pm.
- The Aviation and Space Museum - open from 11 am to 5 pm.
- The Science and Technology Museum - open from 11 am to 5 pm.
◊ More Canada Day fun:
- Mackenzie King Estate (Gatineau Park) will be celebrating Canada Day with a giant birthday cake, a concert with the Sons of Scotland Pipe Band, games for the kids and more! The usual $8/vehicle fee is waived on Canada Day. (12:30 to 4:30 pm)
- There will be extreme sports demonstrations, skateboarding, BMX bikes, trampoline shows, cheerleading and more on Rideau Street between Sussex and Dalhousie. (Noon to 6 pm)
- Enjoy authentic programs of First Nations drumming and dancing, traditional Aboriginal cuisine, children’s craft making, and storytelling in a teepee during Aboriginal Experiences at Victoria Island. (11 am to 5 pm)
- Join the Canada Day Garden Party at the Currency Museum. The party kicks off at 10:30 am and will include croquet, pictures with the "Queen", entertainment by the Maple Leaf Brass Band, and of course, tea!
Almost Frugal
◊ Dominion Day celebrations at City of Ottawa Museums
- Pinhey's Point in Dunrobin will be throwing a traditional Dominion Day celebration with Victorian games, crafts and demonstrations from 11 am to 4 pm. ($16/family)
- Billings Estate will take you on a stroll through the ages as you discover the different ways that Dominion Day was celebrated in the past. Listen to live music, enjoy a picnic lunch and participate in old-fashioned Dominion Day activities from 11 am to 4 pm. ($16/family)
- Escape the crowds and spend Canada Day at the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum. Bring a picnic and spend the day learning about the history of Canadian flags, participating in fun sports and activities, and enjoying live music. ($18/family)
Take me to Frugal Fun Ottawa.
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