As the school year comes to an end, many students are packing up and getting ready to go back home.
Despite Ottawa’s reputation as a summer tourist destination being overshadowed by Toronto, there are many events happening in the city that may make you want to stay or come back for a weekend.
Tulip Festival
The Canadian Tulip Festival will occur from May 12-23, and “launch the festival season in Ottawa,” according to its operations manager, Mathieu Landry. The largest tulip festival in the world, it annually takes over the north end of Dow’s Lake, where the largest display of tulips in Ottawa is located.
Events include concerts, daily fireworks show, and of course tulip displays. There is also a showcase of international cuisines, and military and artwork displays.
This year will feature an indoor sculpture exhibit for the first time in the new Aberdeen Tulip Pavilion at Lansdowne Park, in addition to the outdoor location by Dow’s Lake.
The festival brings in around 600,000 tourists a year and has an $80-million economic impact on Ottawa, according to Landry.
After the Second World War, the Dutch royal family sent thousands of tulips to thank the city for having sheltered them during the Nazi occupation of the country.
Capital Pride
Capital Pride is a celebration of the LGBTQ community in Ottawa. The event attracts tens of thousands of people to the Bank and Somerset area annually, and balances education, celebration, and advocacy, according to its chair Tammy Dopson.
Capital Pride will take place from Aug. 15-21, and usually features events throughout the week such as a drag show, activist speaker events, and a large parade.
This year will feature a new event called QueerCon. Queer writers and artists will be able showcase their artistic styles and engage with their audience. The event overall will promote diverse queer representation in comics, animation, gaming, and other genres.
The event champions inclusivity felt by the participants as well as the organisers, according to Dopson. “[Capital Pride] has the widest demographic of all the events held in Ottawa,” she said.
“[It’s] the one time a year where members of the LGBTQ community and members of the greater Ottawa community come together and celebrate our incredible diversity and freedom,” said Bradley Cass, a fourth-year sociology student at Carleton University. “Together we may have seemed an unlikely combination of people but it was all part of a celebration.”
RBC’s Bluesfest
Bluesfest is Ottawa’s largest annual music festival and showcases world-class musicians for more than a quarter million people each year. Last year, the festival featured Kanye West, Chvrches, and the Tragically Hip.
This year’s list so far includes the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nelly, and The Lumineers.
It will take place from July 7-17.
For the active fun type
There are many things in Ottawa in the summer to keep people outdoors. The National Capital Commission (NCC) shuts more than 50 kilometres of highway and roads each Sunday for cyclists from May 15 to Sept. 4. Stretches of Colonel By Drive, Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway, and Sir George-Etienne Cartier Parkway are shut down from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
There are also opportunities to rent canoes, kayaks, and paddleboats for less than $30 for two hours on Dow’s Lake and the Rideau Canal.
Gatineau Park sees around 2.7 million visits per year, according to the NCC. Visitors can go camping, hiking, and picnicking within close distance to downtown Ottawa. There are also areas to go swimming, cycling, and visiting historic sites.
Canada Day
It’s impossible to forget the celebration of confederation in the nation’s capital. The Canada Day celebration on Parliament Hill features Snowbird jets during the day and performances by Canadian artists and fireworks in the evening. Much of downtown Ottawa is shut down for the festivities.
“[Canada Day] is so lively,” said Alexa Hansel, a first-year journalism student. “Ottawa is generally a quiet city, so it’s a great occasion to really see the community come together and celebrate.”
