June fun and Canada Day!
- Francie Healy
- May 26
- 6 min read
It’s summer! Time for family, food, outdoors, music, theatre, dance, open doors, festivals, and celebrating all the good things in life.
Here are some of the things the team at Lagois Design-Build-Renovate suggests you might want to take in throughout June and on Canada Day.
Doors Open Ottawa
June 6-7, 10 am to 4 pm
Take an early summer road trip and get exclusive access to some of Ottawa’s most fascinating spaces. You’ll find hidden heritage gems and stunning architecture. But plan your route, because there are 89 locations in Ottawa and surrounding areas.
See a list of the sites here.
Osgoode Porchfest
Friday June 12 - Open Mic starting 6 pm
Saturday June 13 Live Music 11am to 1 pm
Sunday June 14 - Car Club Show 9am to 3pm
Throughout the village of Osgoode, about half an hour south of Ottawa
If you like music, this will make you feel like a kid in a candy shop.
It’s a grassroots festival of every kind of music you can think of by close to 80 talented local artists.
You’ll find musicians (and hear them) on front porches and back yards, on sidewalks and under tents. It’s an easygoing, laid back, family-oriented weekend and a true treat for your ears.
Osgoode welcomes you to stroll through the village, sit in front and back yards for the music, enjoy food from Food Truck Alley and beer at the Beer Tent, and visit an artisan market. Don’t forget to bring your lawn chair!
Visit the Osgoode Porchfest Facebook page, here.
Ottawa Jazz Festival
June 18 - 28
Venues:
Confederation Park – Main Stage & Elgin St. Stage
Elgin St at Laurier Avenue
NAC Fourth Stage 1 Elgin St
NAC Azrieli Studio 1 Elgin St
Groove to great jazz in all its forms, from traditional melodies to contemporary improvisations. The festival offers a diverse and impressive lineup of established icons and emerging talent.
See the lineup and information about tickets here.
Ottawa Fringe Festival
June 18-28
See map of locations here.
Ottawa Fringe is a hub of creativity and expression, showcasing works of art that push the boundaries of traditional theatre and providing a platform for emerging and established artists. All ticket revenue goes to the artists. It is Ottawa’s largest theatre festival.
Find show listings, tickets, and festival updates here.
Summer Solstice Festival
June 20-21
Festival and Pow Wow at Wesley Clover Parks (401 Corkstown Road) and other activities throughout the month across the National Capital Region.
Experience the rich cultural heritage, artistic excellence, and living traditions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, from high-energy dance and vocal performances to immersive cultural programs, hands-on workshops, and culinary experiences.
Perhaps one of the most exciting, colourful and energetic events is the International Pow Wow competition. It features Grammy-nominated Bear Creek with top dancers and drummers from across North America.
Other Summer Solstice Festival events include:
The Celebration Stage with hoop dancing, Inuit throat singing, Métis jigging, and theatrical performances. (See performance lineup, here.)
Competition Pow Wow Drummers and dancers from all over North America compete for prizes. (See performances and competitors, here.)
Ojibwe Spirit Horses ‒ next to the Festival entrance. Meet the rare Ojibwe Spirit Horse, Canada’s only Indigenous horse breed, through live demonstrations, cultural teachings, and interactive experiences with Madahòkì Farm’s herd. Try hands-on activities like roping with young wranglers. Every hour on the hour from 11am to 6pm. (More here.)
A Drone Show Storytelling, reflection, and resilience in the night sky. At 10 PM, experience the night sky come alive through a powerful drone show with hundreds of illuminated drones that create striking imagery reflecting on Indigenous resilience, strength, and culture and history. (More here.)
For more information about the many Summer Solstice Festival events, visit summersolsticefestivals.ca
Tim Horton’s Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival
June 19-21
Rideau River at Mooney’s Bay Park
This is a large annual festival featuring dragon boat races, concerts, food vendors, and family fun activities including live music performances, amusement attractions, sports demonstrations and a children's area with crafts, music, science, puppets, clowns, games, animals, and magic.
The Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival is part of a larger Chinese cultural tradition that goes back 2,400 years. Teams include up to 30 members competing in community, corporate and competitive divisions over the two days of racing.
More information here.
Father’s Day Car Show
June 21, 10 am to 3 pm
For car enthusiasts of all ages. See pre-1999 antique and vintage cars and the Billings’ 1959 Cadillac Sedan de Ville. While you’re at it, explore the museum at Ottawa’s oldest wood frame house, and challenge each other to a scavenger hunt.
More information here.
Changing the Guard
Every morning from late June through late August.
Parliament Hill
It’s a colourful and breathtaking Canadian event. If you haven’t experienced it yet, you might want to this summer. It doesn’t last long, so it’s perfect for families with children.
The parade begins at the Cartier Square Drill Hall. At about 9:45, with the Pipes and Drums of the Ceremonial Guard leading, they march to the east lawn where they await the arrival of the New Guard.
The New Guard arrives on Parliament Hill at 10:00 as the band begins to play "The 10 Provinces March". The parade marches onto the east lawn of Parliament.
More information, here.
Canada Day
The biggest event of the summer – Canada Day – will be bright, festive and exciting in the Capital and throughout communities in the Greater Ottawa area and beyond. Here are only some of the highlights.
July 1
LeBreton Flats
2 Vimy Place, the site of the Canadian War Museum
In downtown Ottawa, the bulk of the celebrations will include plenty of daytime activities and evening performances.
Lots of good information here.
Byward Market
East of Parliament Hill
9 am to 11:30 pm
Wander at your leisure with street closures, live music and outdoor art installations.
The lineup, here.
Barrhaven
Clarke Field Park, 93 Houlahan Street
All kinds of activities for all ages will be happening in Barrhaven in this family-centred community.
See the list, here.
Greely
Greely Community Centre, 1448 Meadow Dr, Ottawa
Made for families: Greely celebrates Canada Day with fun for children, a car show, beer tent, live entertainment, a vendors’ market and more.
More information here.
Kanata
Walter Baker Park, 100 Charlie Rogers Place
It’s one of the largest Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa, with bouncy castles, carnival rides, a kids' fun zone, local marketplace vendors, live entertainment and fireworks starting at 10 pm.
More information here.
Stittsville
Celebrations across several locations:
Cardelrec Recreation Complex, 1500 Shea Road
the Sports fields at Sacred Heart High School, 5870 Abbott Street
Stittsville Legion, 1481 Main St.
Enjoy Live entertainment, local artisan and market stalls, food trucks and of course, fireworks.
More information (Stittsville Legion) here.
Kemptville
Riverside Park, 29 Reuben Cres., Kemptville
Family activities and entertainment will go all day long, ending with fireworks at 10 pm.
More information here.
North Gower
2300 Community Way, North Gower
The community is busily planning games, activities for children, canteen, beverage tent, kids’ decorated bike parade. Stay updated, here.
We hope you enjoy some of these activities – and so much more in our beautiful Ottawa and region – with friends and family. Happy Summer! Happy Canada Day!
For more stories about the exciting people, events and places in Ottawa and surrounding communities, please sign up for Perfecting the Art of Living®, our monthly newsletter, here.
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