The countdown to Canada Day is officially on, with only a week left until Canada turns 158.
Ahead of the statutory holiday, we thought we’d give you some ideas on how to celebrate your Tuesday off, as well as some important information if you are joining in on the big events.
Canada Day events in the heart of the capital
Canadian Heritage is hosting Canada Day in the Capital at Parliament Hill, LeBreton Flats Park, and in front of the Supreme Court of Canada. LeBreton Flats will host a noon ceremony, evening show, and, of course, fireworks, all of which will be broadcasted nationally through CBC channels.
If you’re planning on going downtown for Canada Day this year, make sure to plan your transportation ahead of time. With the inevitable crowds, there will be significant obstacles to parking and traffic conditions. OC Transpo will have additional service running throughout the day and into the night, and all rides will be free. Pimisi station is the closest option to get to the events, but access to LeBreton Flats will be closed at 9:30pm, or earlier if capacity is reached, and trains will temporarily bypass Pimisi Station until the conclusion of the fireworks. For more information, check out their website.
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The ByWard Market will also host its own celebration from 9am to 11:30pm, with live performances presented by the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition (OMIC). Prior to July 1, from June 28-30, the district will also host OohFest and Fly Market for vintage shopping and live entertainment. Roads will be closed on York Street from Sussex Drive to Dalhousie Street.
Events around town
Don’t wanna head downtown? No problem! There are tons of events happening in the surrounding suburbs.
Festivities start today in Barrhaven! Running from June 24 to July 6, Clarke Field Park (93 Houlahan St.) will have a midway fair, food vendors, performances, and more. Activities run from 8am to 10pm on most days, except for July 1, which will run from 7am to 11pm.
Otto’s Canada Day Road Race will take place on July 1 from 8-11 am in Sandwell Green Park (60 Leacock Dr.). Roads will be closed on The Parkway between Reaney Ct. / Leacock Drive and Teron Road.
There will also be celebrations from 8am to 11pm in Walter Baker Park (100 Charlie Rogers Pl.). Roads will be closed on Charlie Rogers Place from Ron Maslin Way to the Tony Graham Recreation Complex.
Canada Day Orleans celebrations will take place from 8 am to 11 pm in Petrie Island Park (795 Trim Rd.).
Canada Day in Stittsville will take place from 6 to 11 pm at the CARDELREC Recreation Complex (1500 Shea Rd.) and the Sports fields at Sacred Heart High School (5870 Abbott St.).
The Stittsville Legion Canada Day Promenade will also take place from 11 am to 5pm at the Stittsville Royal Canadian Legion (1481 Stittsville Main St.).
Visit Claudette Cain Park (660 River Rd.) for Canada Day in Riverside South from 10 am to 2pm, followed by fireworks from 8 pm to 10 pm.
Canada Day celebrations will be held at the Greely Community Centre / Andy Shields Park (1448 Meadow Dr.) from noon to 10:30pm. Partial road closures for set-up and parking restrictions will be in place from Meadow Drive from Parkway Road to Bank Street.
At-home ideas
If big events aren’t your style, here are some smaller scale ideas!
- Host a BBQ for friends or family
- Enjoy the Canadian landscape with a stroll through a park or a hike farther out of the city
- Give back to your community through some volunteering
- Bake, cook, or eat an iconic Canadian dish! Beaver tails, poutine, and butter tarts anyone?
- Catch a livestream of the downtown celebrations, or check out your local fireworks
- Have a Canadian film marathon. Maybe even check out local theatres like the Mayfair Theatre and the ByTowne Cinema!
- Check out some of the museum’s around the capital — many of them have free admission on Canada Day, including the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian Museum of Nature.
No matter how you choose to celebrate, Apt613 hopes you have a good Canada Day. Cheers!
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