The Ultimate Guide to Canada Day In Ottawa 2019

You’re invited to Canada’s biggest birthday party! There’s nothing like celebrating Canada Day in Ottawa! Surrounded by a sea of Canadian flags and people dressed in red and white, it’s an experience like no other. The festivities are FREE and take place from June 30th to July 1st and are sure to entertain! Enjoy Canada Day in Ottawa at three different sites: Parliament Hill, Major’s Hill Park and Canadian History Museum. Whether you’re a family, couple or group of friends, there is something for everyone! Here’s your guide to Canada Day in Ottawa:

Parliament Hill

It’s a magical experience celebrating Canada Day with Parliament Hill as your backdrop. It’s an amazing atmosphere as everyone celebrates this incredible country together. For Canada’s 152nd birthday there are plenty of memorable moments in store for you.

Morning Ceremonies:

8 am: Canada Day in Ottawa starts with an Algonquin peace and friendship circle hosted by Albert Dumont.

10 am: Enjoy the Peace Tower Carillon concert featuring the 53-bell carillon of the Peace Tower. Afterward, see the Canadian Armed Forces Snowbirds sore above the sky for an official ceremony with artillery fire and traditional flight.

Noon Show:

The noon show features a wide array of genres from the National Arts Centre Orchestra, K’naan, Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal and more. You can see the full schedule here.

Evening Show:

A second Snow Birds air show will kick off the evening show. This show starts at 6:45 pm and features some incredible Canadian talent including KAYTRANADA, The Strumbellas, Brett Kissel, Cœur de pirate, and more. You can see the full schedule here.

Manulife Fireworks

The night will end with the Fireworks over Ottawa-Gatineau at 10 pm. See the sky illuminate with fireworks set to Canadian Music. I can’t imagine a better way to end the Canada Day in Ottawa festivities! The best viewing spots are Parliament Hill, Wellington, Sussex and Mackenzie Avenue, Major’s Hill Park and along the Ottawa River.

See a full schedule of the Parliament Hill events for Canada Day in Ottawa here.

Major’s Hill Park

Let curiosity be your guide as you explore the different activities, interactive arts, creative games, entertainment and more. Major’s Hill Park will host Canada Day activities on June 30th and July 1st. Here’s are some highlights to look forward to at Majors Hill Park:

Music

The Tim Hortons stage features many artists including CHANCES, iSKWé, Salebarbes, Said The Whale as well as Tyler Shaw, Corneille, Tokyo Police Club, Élage Diouf, and Domeno. For a complete schedule click here.

Play at one of the free pianos in the park. Try your hand at an old favourite or maybe an original.

The Octamasher by Jesse Stewart is a one-of-a-kind interactive audio installation made of eight repurposed pre-programmed beats instead of notes. Create your own Canadian remix from its selection of Canadian music. Choose from a bank of Canadian music to create your own Canadian remix.

Entertainment

Kids can take a ride around the park on the VIA Rail miniature train.

Take a break from your routine and have a blast with The Suspenders will entertain with their energetic street show full of acrobatics, hand juggling and more.

Take a break in the Tim Hortons Village and enjoys entertainment like Happy CircusCanada Day!,  The Hockey Circus Show, free samples and more.

Art

Dive into the world of vinyl records with the Vinylariat! Strike a pose and express yourself with an abundance of Canadian record sleeves!

See the poetry of Canadian talent on illuminated signs throughout the park from La Poésie Partout.

Appreciate the art of henna when artists from Design Henna Ink create natural masterpieces on your hands.

Activities

Get a photo to remember the day at the ‘71 vintage Volkswagen Photo Bus Booth. Each session takes 4 photos and prints out 2 duplicate photo strips. It’s a great souvenir to take home with you.

Can you solve the investigation? You will have 12 minutes in teams of 2 to successfully complete the challenge by Trik Truk’s team. You’ll be in a realistic scene of an airline including a cockpit, passenger cabin and baggage compartment for their FLIGHT QC-322 scenario.

The Compassion Machine can predict the future of altruistic actions. Influence the settings of the machine which measures the goodwill index of the public square in real time.

Share at the Big Table, a festive community table where you can get to know those around you and also participate in the Food for Thought activities.

For a full schedule for Canada Day in Ottawa events at Majors Hill Park, click here.

Canadian Museum of History

Join the Candian Museum of History on July 1st to celebrate Canadian diversity, inclusion and Indigenous culture. The museum will be open to the public and free of charge for July 1st. Indigenous history and culture will be brought to life through engaging, authentic and interactive programming for visitors of all ages.

Here are some highlights from the day:

Learn about the various Indigenous Territories throughout Canada with a giant interactive map of Canada!

See live art come to life before your eyes during an Art Battle that focus on indigenous artists and will feature 12 artists from the local art battle community. Circle around as the painters work and then vote for who you want to see make it to the next round.

See a giant Indigenous illustration made with LEGO bricks. It will incorporate three Indigenous symbols: inukshuk, blue infinity flag and an eagle.

The drum plays an important role during indigenous ceremonies. Join around the Drum-Canoe in a spontaneous and unique musical experience.  

Enjoy an interactive Pow Wow in the Museum’s Grand Hall and then explore the Indigenous village outlining the diversity of Indigenous cultures across Canada.

Catch musical performances and diverse artistic programming at the Tim Hortons Stage including Pow Wow Pump,  DJ Shub’s Electro Pow Wow and more!

Check out the REGALIA Native Pride Exhibit that features the work of Aline Saffore and Roland Lorente, who were welcomed by 14 First Nations communities to attend and document over 20 powwows.

For a full list of Canada Day in Ottawa events, click here.

Tips for the Day

Here are some tips to make the most of your experience of Canada Day in Ottawa:

• Dress in red and white, bring Canadian flags, get temporary tattoos, and show Canadian spirit
• Make sure to arrive early
• There will be single point entry at the Supreme Court of Canada (corner of Wellington and Kent)
• Bring only your Canada Day essentials. Expect to undergo a security screening.

Getting Around

Walking

This is how I recommend getting between Canada Day sites. Its the best way to experience the atmosphere as you walk between sites and also take in the view at the same time like Parliament Hill and the Ottawa River. Take the Alexandria Bridge to get between the Canadian Museum of History and Major’s Hill Park.

Biking

There will be free supervised bike stations at Major’s Hill Park, Supreme Court of Canada, and Canadian Museum of History.

Free Shuttle

There will be a free shuttle to take you from the Canadian Museum of History and Major’s Hill Park. The shuttle will be running on July 1st from 10am to 6pm.

Bus

Leave your car at home and enjoy free bus rides with OC Transpo on July 1st.

Can’t Make It Downtown?

Enjoy a live broadcast from wherever you’re celebrating. You can catch all the action online, on radio and on TV. Don’t miss the live 2-hour national broadcast of the Evening Show on multiple CBC and ICI Radio-Canada platforms. For all details on tuning in to Canada Day in Ottawa, click here.

Share this with your friends and get ready for an incredible Canada Day in Ottawa 🙂

Thank you to Canadian Heritage for sponsoring this blog post. Canada Day in Ottawa is one of my favourite events and it was a pleasure to collaborate on this. As always, all opinions and thoughts are my own.