Get ready for extreme patriotism and spontaneous O Canada singing.
This year’s Canada Day comes at a unique time as it’s the first celebration since U.S. President
Donald Trump threatened to annex Canada
and turn it into the “51st state.”
As Canada celebrates the 158th anniversary of Confederation, festivities will be taking place all over the national capital. Here’s where the hottest spots will be.
Celebrations at LeBreton Flats
If you want to celebrate Canada Day in style, LeBreton Flats will be the place to be. This outdoor venue regularly turns into a sea of red and white on July 1. Access is free, although the “gourmet concessions” are not.
Several area artists will be performing throughout the day and you are more than encouraged to join the dance floor.
There will also be several family-friendly activities, including interactive games and activities that will be all about celebrating Canada’s cultural richness and diversity, such as Medicine Wheel bracelet making.
Right before fireworks, the evening show (8 p.m. to 10 p.m., broadcast on CBC and Radio-Canada) will celebrate Canada “loud and proud.”
Don’t forget your flags.
Anything happening on Parliament Hill?
This iconic symbol of Canadian identity will be filled with several family friendly activities on Canada Day, including five giant inflatable artworks representing beavers in front of Parliament.
The traditional Changing of the Guard ceremony will take place at 10 a.m., and the Royal Canadian Air Force Pipes and Drums will conduct back-to-back performances. Live broadcasts of the performances at LeBreton Flats will be available here.
The Snowbirds
The celebrated aerobatics team will be flying over Parliament Hill in mid-afternoon. The planes are expected to start appearing around 4 p.m. and the show should last for about half an hour.
Supreme Court of Canada
Another thing making this year’s Canada Day more special is that this is the 150th anniversary of the country’s highest court. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on July 1, the Supreme Court building will be open for public tours exploring the court’s early history, Canada’s judicial system and how it deals with important legal issues.
There will also be a family-friendly celebration on the lawns in front of the court. Music will also be playing throughout the events, and there will also be broadcasts of the performances at LeBreton Flats.
Who are the artists?
The ceremony starting at 12 noon at LeBreton Flats (and lasting until 1:15 p.m.) will feature performers such as Amanda Marshall, Garou, Thompson Egbo-Egbo, Rafaëlle Roy and Alli Walker, with broadcaster Sonia Benezra as host.
Isabelle Racicot, co-host of CBC podcast Seat at the Table, will host the evening broadcast show from 8 to 10 p.m. Performers will include Blue Rodeo from Summerside, P.E.I, Dear Rouge and Alex Wells from Vancouver, and Crook The Kid and Brenda Montana from Yellowknife.
Several Canadian artists will performing at the evening show, including Sarah McLachlan, Cœur de Pirate, Josh Ross, Tom Cochrane, Stittsville-born Nick Durocher, who goes by TALK, and more.
What about firework?
The Tim Hortons Canada Day Fireworks at LeBreton Flats will start right after the show, at around 10 p.m. and is expected to last for half an hour.
There will be plenty of other firework shows as well in various parts of the capital region, including Kanata, Barrhaven and Orléans.
Can you buy and set off fireworks on Canada Day?
Yes. You can buy fireworks on Canada Day and the seven days leading up to it. However, firecrackers are prohibited under the City of Ottawa’s Fireworks Bylaw.
You must be 18 years or older or supervised by an adult when setting off fireworks on private property. You can’t discharge fireworks if that poses a risk to other residents or properties.
Fireworks cannot be set off in city parks, beaches, sports fields or school properties.
Don’t feel like heading downtown? Here are some other celebrations.
Nepean:
From 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., starting with a breakfast and ending with a fireworks show at Clarke Field Park in Barrhaven. There will be a ceremonial parade of flags at 4 p.m. and live music throughout the evening. Shuttle buses will be available at McDonough’s Independent and Heart & Crown, with the last bus leaving at 9 p.m.
Kanata:
From 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Walter Baker Park will feature food vendors, music shows and bouncy castles, capped by a fireworks show at 10 p.m.
Stittsville:
From 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Sacred Heart High School and CARDELREC Recreation Complex there will be a variety of activities including food trucks and aerial performances. A fireworks finale is set for 9:45 p.m.
Dunrobin:
From 9 a.m. to sunset at the Dunrobin Community Centre there will be a live band and BBQ. A fireworks show starts at sunset.
Osgoode:
Festivities starts at 11:30 a.m. at the Legion Branch, with a parade on Osgoode Main Street and live entertainment. Fireworks may or may not happen since as of June 20 the community was still fundraising to cover those costs.
Beacon Hill:
Fireworks will light up the skies at Loyola Park from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Orléans:
There will be a fireworks display at Ouellette Park starting at 9 p.m. following all-day celebrations at Petrie Island Park.
Indigenous Remembrance
While Canada Day is often a day for festivities and celebration, it’s important to note that many Indigenous communities choose not to celebrate the day because of the historical impacts of colonialism, such as residential schools and the Indian Act.
How to get to Canada Day events on OC Transpo
OC Transpo will have no-charge service all Canada Day on all O-Train lines, buses and Para Transpo, and will have additional service running through the day and into the evening, it said in a memo to council.
Bus service and O-Train Lines 1, 2 and 4 will operate on a special Canada Day schedule, the memo stated. Line 1 will operate from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m., with enhanced frequency in the evening. Lines 2
and 4 service will operate from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. Additional buses will supplement service
levels where needed, it said.
Para Transpo will provide direct service to a designated drop-off and pickup location on
Vimy Place across from the War Museum’s group entrance. Para Transpo service will run
until 3 a.m.
All O-Train stations will be open on Canada Day, with the memo noting that Pimisi
Station on O-Train Line 1 is the closest station to the main event site at LeBreton Flats.
