Events/Festivals - Page 2

rocketphish · #21 Posted **May 31, 2025, 2:54 AM**

Ottawa Asian night markets kick off for the weekend

By Natalie van Rooy, CTV News
Published: May 30, 2025 at 6:51PM EDT

It’s the kick-off of festival season in the nation’s capital.

Every year, thousands of people attend two popular Asian night markets and both are now underway. One is taking place in Chinatown on Somerset Street West between Bronson Avenue and Bell Street, the other at Tanger Outlets in Kanata.

The crowds were building this afternoon, and you could sense the community connection as people were happy to share food and learn more about traditional cultures.

Spirits were high at the Chinatown location, where three generations of the Munro family took it all in.

“We’re originally Chinese and my mom is actually from China,” said Victor Munro, who was at the market with his son and mother. “Part of being here is actually just to show my son the cultural heritage, where he comes from originally.”

“We want to show that little kid it’s really fun and especially with the food, you know, that I don’t know how to make it myself,” said Susanna Munro.

Dozens of vendors were set up along the street market, which is open until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

“The Chinatown festival is just a wonderful place for us to really showcase all of our different cuisines and our different creations that we create every year,” said Julia Park, who had several vendors set up at the market with different types of food.

The market highlights all types of cuisine, including unique dishes on the grill or fresh juices and teas.

“This is Yaki onigiri,” said Park. “They’re creating fresh sort of Japanese inspired rice balls in a triangle shape and then they grill it with like a butter miso glaze.”

There was plenty to pick from at the market, which represents several Asian countries.

“It’s a great combination of Asian fusion, including Japanese, Korean, Chinese influences,” said Munro.

The event also includes art pieces and handmade goods, with the chance to create something special yourself.

“It’s basically a Chinese cultural heritage, which you pick a fan and then dip colors into water and dip the dan into the water to create art,” said Chuqiao Zhou, who was running a booth called Lac Lab where people can paint handheld fans.

The market is free to attend, and it runs all weekend until Sunday night. It’s also important to note that the event is only accessible by foot and attendees will have to take transit or park offsite.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/articl...r-the-weekend/

rocketphish · #22 Posted **Jun 2, 2025, 1:36 PM**

Here’s who took the top prize at Ottawa’s first Shawarma Festival competition

By William Eltherington, CTV News
Published: June 01, 2025 at 5:39PM EDT

A new king of shawarma has been crowned.

Judges handed local favourite Shawarma Palace the top prize during a blind tasting test at Ottawa’s first-ever Shawarma Festival on Sunday afternoon.

Second place went to local virtual restaurant Caspers and third place went to Montreal’s Boustan Restaurant with a location on Rideau Street.

CTV’s Stefan Keyes, Ottawa’s nightlife commissioner Mathieu Grondin, Coun. Catherine Kitts and award-winning food critic Mat Beausoleil were offered various platters to carefully choose the winning dish.

Over a dozen vendors participated in the ByWard Market one-day festival, which celebrated Middle Eastern food, music and culture.

The city is home to nearly 200 shawarma restaurants, serving up the meal featuring marinated meat, garlic sauce and other toppings commonly prepared in a wrap.

Ottawa’s city council declared the nation’s capital as the “Shawarma Capital of Canada” last year.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/articl...ural-festival/

J.OT13 · #23 Posted **Jun 2, 2025, 1:45 PM**

Which Shawarma Palace? Are they all the same? You can't keep the same consistency with Shawarmas as the big fast food chains.

LeadingEdgeBoomer · #24 Posted **Jun 2, 2025, 2:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Which Shawarma Palace? Are they all the same? You can't keep the same consistency with Shawarmas as the big fast food chains.

I sometimes eat at the Shawarma Palace in Orleans. I find it slightly more expensive than other Shawarma places. I also find it to have better quality food than the others. I am not surprised it won top prize. The one in Orleans is spacious, clean and bright looking. I think the location used to house a Montana's Restaurant.

J.OT13 · #25 Posted **Jun 2, 2025, 2:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LeadingEdgeBoomer

I sometimes eat at the Shawarma Palace in Orleans. I find it slightly more expensive than other Shawarma places. I also find it to have better quality food than the others. I am not surprised it won top prize. The one in Orleans is spacious, clean and bright looking. I think the location used to house a Montana's Restaurant.

Yeah, I know that one. When our favourite Shawarma shop in Orleans moved to Billings Bridge (no longer remember the name or exactly where on Innes it was), we started going to the Palace in the old Montana's. We're in Gloucester now, so a bit too far out. We usually go to the one in the Gloucester Centre. The one near the Metro used to be good, but they changed ownership. The one on Cyrville and Innes is and was always quite terrible.

EDIT: wife remembers, it was Shawarma Royale in front of the Walmart before moving to Billings. No idea if it's still there.

rocketphish · #26 Posted **Jun 6, 2025, 7:14 PM**

Italian Week in Ottawa kicks off with flag raising

By Ted Raymond, CTV News
Published: June 05, 2025 at 11:27AM EDT

The Italian flag was raised at Ottawa City Hall Thursday to mark the start of Italian Week in the city.

Italian Week is the annual celebration of Ottawa’s Italian community.

A flag-raising ceremony was held Thursday morning, attended by Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, city councillors, and Italian ambassador to Canada Alessandro Cattaneo.

Italian Week is mainly celebrated on Preston Street, the heart of Ottawa’s Little Italy neighbourhood, where residents and visitors can experience Italian culture, music, art, and, of course, Italian food.

Opening weekend begins Friday, with live music and the Morin Supply Kids Zone.

Saturday features live music, arts and crafts such as making Venetian masks, Roman gladiator helmets or laurel crowns, and beaded bracelets.

Sunday features more live music, as well as the Feast of St. Anthony outdoor mass and luncheon at St. Anthony Church on Booth Street.

A full list of events can be found on italianweekottawa.ca.

Italian Week runs June 5 to 15.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/articl...-flag-raising/

rocketphish · #27 Posted **Jul 7, 2025, 5:47 PM**

Capital RibFest cancelled next month, organizer cites City of Ottawa construction plans
The popular food festival in Ottawa said its team was not able to find an alternate location.

By Peter Hum, Ottawa Citizen
Published Jul 07, 2025 | Last updated 26 minutes ago

The organizer of Capital Ribfest has cancelled this year’s four-day celebration of barbecue and music outside Ottawa City Hall in early August, citing the “City of Ottawa’s decision to schedule major construction at Festival Plaza this summer.”

“We have no choice,” the organizer wrote on Facebook. “Our sincere apologies, but maybe the City should be investing in better festival-designed facilities for our growing community and for the taxpayers to attend.”

The event’s organizer, Les Gagne, did not respond to multiple emails and phone calls seeking elaboration.

But a City of Ottawa official said Capital Ribfest’s organizer was notified in the fall of 2024 and again in January 2025 of the expected construction this summer at Marion Dewar Plaza.

“The City received an incomplete special events permit application in December 2024 for Capital Ribfest and Music City Ottawa without a specified location,” said Dan Brisebois, director of facility operations.

Given that Capital Ribfest was previously held at Marion Dewar Plaza, staff told its organizer of the construction, “and that an alternate location would be required,” said Brisebois.

In its Facebook post, Capital Ribfest said its team was not able to find an alternate location.

<more>

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/capit...tawa-cancelled

zzptichka · #28 Posted **Jul 7, 2025, 8:06 PM**

Huh. What are they building there?

FutureWickedCity · #29 Posted **Jul 7, 2025, 8:20 PM**

I could have sworn there was already a ribs festival on Sparks this year

Requin · #30 Posted **Jul 7, 2025, 9:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by FutureWickedCity

I could have sworn there was already a ribs festival on Sparks this year

You are correct, there was.

J.OT13 · #31 Posted **Jul 8, 2025, 1:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by zzptichka

Huh. What are they building there?

Maybe related to maintenance for the parking garage or Rink of Dreams. Just a guess, I don't know.

Or based on the new security measures inside, barbed wired fence?

Richard Eade · #32 Posted **Jul 8, 2025, 1:29 PM**

Yes, Sparks Street runs its own Ribfest every year. I am impressed by Sparks Streets continued animation of the street. There are Winterlude activities, Ribfest (end of May), Live from Booth – DJ (every Saturday evening), Capital Pop-Up Cinema, Ottawa International Busker Fest (Aug. 8-10), Songs from the Shed (lunch-time music on Tuesday & Thursday), and Winter Wander – light display coming this winter. And the BIA is always looking to host other events. A couple of years ago, they tried ballroom dancing every Saturday evening.

The Capital Ribfest was, I believe, started after the success of the Ribfest on Sparks became apparent. From my recollection, the Capital Ribfest was a bit smaller than the one on Sparks.

If only we still had a public expanse that the Capital Ribfest could have moved to. Maybe something city-owned, so that it could be a simple switch. Of course, it is possible that somewhere like Lansdowne is too far out of the business section to be a desirable location for a Ribfest.

Jazz Fest used to also be held at City Hall. Is that still the case? Is it also affected by the construction? (I'm not sure what the construction is for. Anyone have further information?)

phil235 · #33 Posted **Jul 8, 2025, 2:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Eade

Jazz Fest used to also be held at City Hall. Is that still the case? Is it also affected by the construction? (I'm not sure what the construction is for. Anyone have further information?)

Yes, the Jazz Festival that just wrapped up was held at Confederation Park and City Hall.

rocketphish · #34 Posted **Oct 7, 2025, 9:37 PM**

Nuit Blanche returns to Ottawa in 2026, and this time it might work
The all-night arts festival is popular in Montreal and Toronto, but Ottawa hasn't hosted one since 2015.

By Lynn Saxberg, Ottawa Citizen
Published Oct 07, 2025 | Last updated 50 minutes ago

Ottawa will see the return of Nuit Blanche, an all-night arts festival, in 2026, this time with the support of city hall and night mayor Mathieu Grondin, plus a who’s who of creative professionals with roots in the city.

Nuit Blanche will take place over one night in the fall of 2026. Among the principal figures bringing the vision to life are José Bertrand, executive director of the event, whose Toronto-based company also produces Ottawa’s long-running Festival Franco-Ontarien; artistic director Clarence Ford, a director and choreographer who’s worked with the Olympics, Cirque du Soleil and the Ottawa-born pop superstar, Alanis Morissette, to name a few; and Melanie Brulée, the dynamo who heads the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition. She will chair Nuit Blanche’s soon-to-be-assembled board of directors.

Also on hand for the media announcement was an array of high-powered officials backing the Nuit Blanche concept, including Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, Ottawa Tourism’s Catherine Callary and the ByWard Market District Authority’s acting director, Melanie Anderson.

The upcoming event was touted as “an unforgettable night where art, technology, and culture converge throughout the city,” although its first year is expected to focus on the ByWard Market and expand to other areas of the city during future editions.

Technology will be a big part of the night, with light installations, projections, interactive experiences and more, while the overall mission is lofty. Organizers hope to “redefine the city’s urban DNA and deliver an immersive experience that will delight both residents and visitors” and “serve as a platform for the next generation of entrepreneurs and creators, fostering innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration.”

<more>

https://ottawacitizen.com/life/nuit-...ottawa-returns

Richard Eade · #35 Posted **Oct 8, 2025, 1:29 PM**

I hope that it is better received than the Toronto one was: https://www.blogto.com/radar/2025/10...5-dud-toronto/

rocketphish · #36 Posted **Oct 15, 2025, 2:34 PM**

Nuit Blanche preview show this Friday in the Market

As a sneak peak into next year's Nuit Blanche experience, French aerial circus Transe Express will perform their Mobile Homme show in front of the Ottawa sign on York Street next Friday, Oct. 17, at 8:30pm. The performance is free and open to everyone.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/ottawa/video/...rt-innovation/

• Video Link

J.OT13 · #37 Posted **Dec 8, 2025, 7:25 PM**

PM Carney announced this morning at the Mayor's Breakfast that Canada is bidding to host the 2028 Sommet de la Francophonie in Ottawa.

J.OT13 · #38 Posted **Jan 5, 2026, 6:15 PM**

Bytown's 200th ain't gonna be another Canada 150. This is gonna suck.

Wish Watson had stuck around one more term, though the O-Train debacle may have poisoned his chances (hence why he didn't run again).

Quote:

Plans take shape for celebrating Ottawa's 2026 bicentennial

Historians to reflect how city development disrupted Algonquin Anishinābe communities

Jayden Dill · CBC News · Posted: Jan 05, 2026

Guess who's coming to Ottawa to help the city celebrate the city's 200th anniversary?

Canadian rock icons The Guess Who, that's who. Founding members Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings are reuniting after a 23-year hiatus and will bring their Takin' It Back Tour to Ottawa Bluesfest on July 19, part of a special day of programming to mark Ottawa's bicentennial.

The city and Ottawa Tourism are teaming up to plan a range of events to mark the milestone, with a focus on Ottawa's rich history and cultural diversity.

Those plans include a family-friendly event at the Marion Dewar Plaza, a community-inspired exhibit at city hall and the launch of an arts, culture and entertainment district downtown.

A "full reveal" of Ottawa 200 events will come in the new year, according to the city.

The programming is being funded through the municipal accommodation tax and largely managed by Ottawa Tourism, which has invited a range of vendors to take part in the official celebrations.

“We are looking for operators that reflect every single group of the population that participated in that rich Ottawa history,” said Jérôme Miousse, Ottawa Tourism's director of public affairs.

"That includes Indigenous operators, that includes francophone experiences. We really want everyone to feel represented.”

Different perspectives

Construction of the Rideau Canal began in 1826, overseen by Lt.-Col. John By, from whom Bytown got its name.

Long before that, the Algonquin Anishinābe were stewards of the land and used the Ottawa River for travel, trading and traditional ceremonies.

"When the construction of the Rideau Canal began in 1826, it did disrupt their way of life and displace their people," explained Chloe Dennis, historian and exhibits manager at Ottawa's Bytown Museum.

At the same time, the Europeans who settled here established a booming lumber trade.

"The vast lumber industry eliminated forests," said Ben Weiss of the Historical Society of Ottawa.

It also turned Bytown into a "rough and tumble lumber town," Weiss said. "It was so rough it made made the Wild West look tame."

Bytown became Ottawa in 1855, and Canada's capital two years later — a decade before Confederation.

The Historical Society of Ottawa plans to mark the 200th anniversary with a three-part collection that explores the creation of Bytown, the Rideau Canal and their impact on the region's original inhabitants.

In May, the Bytown Museum will launch a grassroots exhibition titled What’s in a Frame? 200 plus years of community portraits.

Dennis said she's working with local schools, the Japanese Community Association, the Somali Cultural Museum, drag artist Morgan Mercury Moore and others to help curate the exhibition, which will focus on "the people who have lived and worked in Ottawa from time immemorial to Bytown to the Ottawa days, and even looking forward to the future as well."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottaw...nial-9.7029510

MountainView · #39 Posted **Jan 5, 2026, 7:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.OT13

Bytown's 200th ain't gonna be another Canada 150. This is gonna suck.

Wish Watson had stuck around one more term, though the O-Train debacle may have poisoned his chances (hence why he didn't run again).

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottaw...nial-9.7029510

Canada 150 was just that - celebrating Canada and had funding from the feds. Ottawa's 200th anniversary... who even knows or cares about Ottawa's 200th anniversary? Lots of transient population here whereas Canada's "birthday" is for all.

Selling this Guess Who concert as something is comical, as they are touring multiple other cities in Canada and would have came here anyways.

Edit: if it was specifically FOR Ottawa's bicentennial, it would be free programming for all... not something you need a ticket to Bluesfest to attend...

J.OT13 · #40 Posted **Jan 6, 2026, 1:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MountainView

Canada 150 was just that - celebrating Canada and had funding from the feds. Ottawa's 200th anniversary... who even knows or cares about Ottawa's 200th anniversary? Lots of transient population here whereas Canada's "birthday" is for all.

Selling this Guess Who concert as something is comical, as they are touring multiple other cities in Canada and would have came here anyways.

Edit: if it was specifically FOR Ottawa's bicentennial, it would be free programming for all... not something you need a ticket to Bluesfest to attend...

Montreal had a big hoopla for its 375... in 2017.

I'm sure we could have gotten some funding for the 200th is we asked. We just have a Mayor who doesn't really care. I'm sure Watson would have done something... something. His whole Byward plan was supposed to be done by 2026, but then Sutcliffe did absolutely nothing with it.