What is 613 Day and why do we celebrate it?

This year, Apartment613 celebrates 16 years of sharing Ottawa’s stories. Every June 13th, we mark the occasion with 613 Day — sometimes in person, this year online — gathering contributors, friends, and community members to reflect on the importance of local storytelling and celebrate the work we do together.

The idea for Apt613 was first sparked in October 2008 at the Manx Pub, over a few too many pints. At the time, Ottawa’s arts and culture scene was vibrant, but not always easy to access without the right connections. A group of nine friends decided to change that. After months of discussion, including lengthy debates over font choices, the site officially launched in January 2009. That first summer, a launch party was held on June 13th at Raw Sugar Cafe (R.I.P.), setting the tone for what would become an annual tradition of celebrating community, creativity, and connection.

613 Day began as a vision to not only celebrate our volunteer contributors and their hard work, but also to inspire local businesses in the 613 to celebrate Ottawa, and everything that we love about this town. Early summer is a special time of year in our city, and in a place that is so closely associated with national identity, and capital activities, we are also a city where people live, work, play and create art. We are blessed to have so many beautiful national institutions and organizations in our hometown, but it is the local businesses, restaurants, galleries, theatres, and cultural spaces that tell the story of the people who live in and love this city.

Ottawa doesn’t celebrate itself often enough, and celebrations here tend to be on the national scale, so June 13 is the perfect opportunity to create a movement of locals celebrating ourselves, and what we have to offer that is unique, positive, and maybe a little bit off the beaten path.

The legacy of 613 Day is in the street parties, live music, art installations and community building that happens when the people at Apt613 open their doors, and bring the city into our home.

Apt613 continues to be driven by the hard work and passion of our volunteer contributors who give their time, and efforts to bring the events, and spaces that matter to them to the people of Ottawa, for the sake of community building. Without our hundreds of volunteers over the last 16 years, none of this would be possible. From The Weekend Roundup, to 613TV. From Fringe reviews to sports recaps. From movie recommendations to festival photos. From Neighbourhood Wars to Tour de Blogosphere.

On this 613 Day, let’s celebrate the work being done by our passionate volunteers, and raise a glass of something local to the city that we love.

While we’re not celebrating 613 Day in person this year, the celebrations continue. Keep an eye on our site and social media over the next few days as we mark 613 Day online, and don’t forget to tag us with your favourite memories. Bear with us — we’re working hard behind the scenes to create more opportunities to come together later this year!

Here is how to get involved this year:

• Share your favourite 613 Day memories (or Apt613 moments) on Instagram starting Friday, June 13th and throughout the weekend, either in your stories or in a post.
• Tag your favourite local businesses, arts orgs, and community projects. Don’t forget to tag @apt613 and use #613Day so we can find and reshare your posts.
• If you can, also drop them in a DM to us, so we can use your content for a video later on.
• Email us (at community@apt613.ca) a short video clip or photo sharing a 613 Day or Apt613 memory, and we’ll include it in a feel-good video compilation to post over the weekend.

Whether it’s a quick shoutout, a reel, a photo, or a favourite story, we’d love to see it.