Is Ottawa the City that Fun Forgot?

[ue]

^ I don't think Calgary sprawls more than Ottawa, really. They're both about the same in that regard. I have alluded to the fact that the ByWard/Lowertown area has a uniqueness that isn't matched in other cities. It's probably the city's best urban asset. But while no ByWard, I would say the Old Strathcona area of Edmonton has a certain uniqueness to it, especially being the center of one of the country's largest theatre scenes.

During the day, Downtown Calgary is busier than Downtown Ottawa, though I'll admit that Downtown Edmonton is still the quietest out of all three. I will grant you Downtown Manhattan being fairly quiet, but much of the business in New York also takes place in Midtown.

I would still say Edmonton beats Ottawa on the festival scene. The sheer amount of them, particularly between June and September, is quite something. None of them match the Stampede in Calgary or Canada Day in Ottawa for sheer vibrancy, but there are instead many extremely well attended festivals that are just under the Stampede level (Fringe, Heritage, etc).

I think with things like this, where the cities are pretty close to one another in size, clout, offerings, etc. there's going to be significant bias from anyone from these cities. I've seen a lot of comments in here which indicate Ottawa being better than Calgary or Edmonton, whereas I'm arguing the opposite. Perhaps we're both right in our own ways (or both wrong).

[YOWflier]

Originally Posted by ue

I would still say Edmonton beats Ottawa on the festival scene. The sheer amount of them, particularly between June and September, is quite something.

Member Events
3i Summit (Tucker House)
Almonte Celtfest
Arboretum Arts Festival
Asian Heritage Month
Bank Street BIA
Blackburn Hamlet Fun Fair
Byward Market BIA – Stew Cook Off
ByWard Market BIA – Oktoberfest
Canada Dance Festival
Canada Day – Canadian Heritage
Canada Day Arts Festival
Canadian Croatian Folklore Festival
Canadian Folk Music Awards
Canadian Museum of Nature – Creatures of Light Exhibition
Canadian Museum of Nature - Edible Arctic
Canadian Tulip Festival
Capital Pride Festival
Capital Vélo Fest
Capital Vélo Rally
Carnival of Cultures
Carp Fair
Christmas Lights Across Canada
Colonel By Day (Council of Heritage Organizations in Ottawa)
Community Cup
Cracking Up the Capital Comedy Festival
Downtown Rideau – Canada Day on Rideau Street
Downtown Rideau – Chill Factor
Electric Fields Festival (Artengine)
European Union Film Festival
FCA Ottawa Ferrari Festival
Festival franco-ontarien Banque Nationale
Festival de la St-Jean à Ottawa
Festival of India (FMO)
Folk Music Ontario
Free Thinking Film Festival
Game Summit
Harvest Noir Secret Picnic/ Dance
HOPE Volleyball Summerfest
House of Paint
Italian Week of Ottawa/Settimana Italiana di Ottawa
Kidsfest
Kinburn Swampfest
Kingdom of Osgoode Medieval Festival, The
Kiwanis Music Festival – National Capital Region
Latin American Festival Latino
Latin American Film Festival
Lebanorama
Magnetic North Theatre Festival
Maple SugarFest (Muséoparc Vanier Museopark)
Metcalfe Fair
Mosaika: Sound & Light Show on Parliament Hill
Music and Beyond
Muslim Summer Festival
National Capital Craft Beer Festival
Navan Fair
Nuite Blanche Ottawa-Gatineau
Oktoberfest Ottawa
One World Awesome Arts
One World Film Festival
Ontario Scene (2015) – National Arts Centre
Orléans Festival d’Orléans
Ottawa Fashion Week – Fall/Winter
Ottawa Fashion Week – Spring/Summer
Ottawa Folk Festival
Ottawa Fringe Festival
Ottawa Grassroots Festival
Ottawa Greekfest
Ottawa International Animation Festival
Ottawa International Busker Festival (Sparks Street Mall)
Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival
Ottawa International Children’s Festival
Ottawa International Film Festival, The
Ottawa International Storytelling Festival
Ottawa International Writers Festival – Spring
Ottawa International Writers Festival – Fall
Ottawa Irish Festival
Ottawa Kennel Club, The
Ottawa Lumiere Festival
Ottawa Turkish Festival
Preston Street – Grapefest
Puppets Up! International Puppet Festival
RBC Royal Bank Ottawa Bluesfest
Richmond Fair
Salamander Theatre for Young Audiences
South Asian Festival
Sparks Street BIA – International Busker Festival
Sparks Street BIA - Ottawa Ribfest
Summer Solstice Aboriginal Arts Festival
SuperEx (Central Canada Exhibition)
TD Ottawa Jazz Festival
Theatre Wakefield - The Ta Da! Festival
Theatre Wakefield - Wakefield International Film Festival
Tim Horton’s Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival
Torchlight Shakespeare Series
undercurrents: theatre below the mainstream
Unisong Choir Festival
Victoria Day Festival
Winterbrewed Festival
Winterlude - Canadian Heritage

These are just the member events listed on www.ottawafestivals.ca. There are undoubtedly many others; a big example is the Ottawa Wine and Food Festival.

[S-Man]

I see the Edmonton-Ottawa comparison being the most apt - both in terms of size, makeup and history of development. Obviously, the two have differences though.

When I think Edmonton and the arts, I always think of this musical gem

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqOxyqGiLeE

[waterloowarrior]

No more personal attacks please, this is otherwise an interesting topic...

I think I'm in agreement with several of the other posters... yes Ottawa is not as exciting as Toronto, Montreal, many other world cities, and even smaller/denser cities... but so what, it's still a great place to live. And the more density and people we can bring to our core and main streets the more exciting and lively it will become.

[ue]

Originally Posted by ac888yow

Member Events
3i Summit (Tucker House)
Almonte Celtfest
Arboretum Arts Festival
Asian Heritage Month
Bank Street BIA
Blackburn Hamlet Fun Fair
Byward Market BIA – Stew Cook Off
ByWard Market BIA – Oktoberfest
Canada Dance Festival
Canada Day – Canadian Heritage
Canada Day Arts Festival
Canadian Croatian Folklore Festival
Canadian Folk Music Awards
Canadian Museum of Nature – Creatures of Light Exhibition
Canadian Museum of Nature - Edible Arctic
Canadian Tulip Festival
Capital Pride Festival
Capital Vélo Fest
Capital Vélo Rally
Carnival of Cultures
Carp Fair
Christmas Lights Across Canada
Colonel By Day (Council of Heritage Organizations in Ottawa)
Community Cup
Cracking Up the Capital Comedy Festival
Downtown Rideau – Canada Day on Rideau Street
Downtown Rideau – Chill Factor
Electric Fields Festival (Artengine)
European Union Film Festival
FCA Ottawa Ferrari Festival
Festival franco-ontarien Banque Nationale
Festival de la St-Jean à Ottawa
Festival of India (FMO)
Folk Music Ontario
Free Thinking Film Festival
Game Summit
Harvest Noir Secret Picnic/ Dance
HOPE Volleyball Summerfest
House of Paint
Italian Week of Ottawa/Settimana Italiana di Ottawa
Kidsfest
Kinburn Swampfest
Kingdom of Osgoode Medieval Festival, The
Kiwanis Music Festival – National Capital Region
Latin American Festival Latino
Latin American Film Festival
Lebanorama
Magnetic North Theatre Festival
Maple SugarFest (Muséoparc Vanier Museopark)
Metcalfe Fair
Mosaika: Sound & Light Show on Parliament Hill
Music and Beyond
Muslim Summer Festival
National Capital Craft Beer Festival
Navan Fair
Nuite Blanche Ottawa-Gatineau
Oktoberfest Ottawa
One World Awesome Arts
One World Film Festival
Ontario Scene (2015) – National Arts Centre
Orléans Festival d’Orléans
Ottawa Fashion Week – Fall/Winter
Ottawa Fashion Week – Spring/Summer
Ottawa Folk Festival
Ottawa Fringe Festival
Ottawa Grassroots Festival
Ottawa Greekfest
Ottawa International Animation Festival
Ottawa International Busker Festival (Sparks Street Mall)
Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival
Ottawa International Children’s Festival
Ottawa International Film Festival, The
Ottawa International Storytelling Festival
Ottawa International Writers Festival – Spring
Ottawa International Writers Festival – Fall
Ottawa Irish Festival
Ottawa Kennel Club, The
Ottawa Lumiere Festival
Ottawa Turkish Festival
Preston Street – Grapefest
Puppets Up! International Puppet Festival
RBC Royal Bank Ottawa Bluesfest
Richmond Fair
Salamander Theatre for Young Audiences
South Asian Festival
Sparks Street BIA – International Busker Festival
Sparks Street BIA - Ottawa Ribfest
Summer Solstice Aboriginal Arts Festival
SuperEx (Central Canada Exhibition)
TD Ottawa Jazz Festival
Theatre Wakefield - The Ta Da! Festival
Theatre Wakefield - Wakefield International Film Festival
Tim Horton’s Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival
Torchlight Shakespeare Series
undercurrents: theatre below the mainstream
Unisong Choir Festival
Victoria Day Festival
Winterbrewed Festival
Winterlude - Canadian Heritage

These are just the member events listed on www.ottawafestivals.ca. There are undoubtedly many others; a big example is the Ottawa Wine and Food Festival.

Good for you, you can copy and paste a list. I could do the same for Edmonton, but why? It's a meaningless list of festivals. I have no idea how well attended and important most of these are because it's just a list.

Edmonton is known, at least in Western Canada, as a festival city, not unlike Winnipeg, Toronto, and Montreal and it has a huge roster of well-attended events. I'm not doubting that Ottawa doesn't have great festivals, though.

I get the impression that Ottawa has other assets to fall on (government, museums, bilingualism, the market people don't shut up about ), whereas Edmonton really banks itself on its festivals, especially in the summer, but increasingly in every season. I'm less familiar with Ottawa than Edmonton obviously, but perhaps that and it being sandwiched between two great festival cities gives me the impression that Edmonton exudes more of a festival city persona.

[YOWflier]

I'm less familiar with Ottawa than Edmonton obviously, but perhaps that and it being sandwiched between two great festival cities gives me the impression that Edmonton exudes more of a festival city persona.

That's the one and only point I'd agree with you on. i.e., your lack of familiarity, and other assumptions, have resulted in you forming an opinion that you've attempted (unsuccessfully) to pass on as fact, but in actuality is nothing more than boosterism.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by S-Man

Patios? Look out! I don't know why bars and restaurants on well-travelled strips bother with the expense and hassle.

The city's sphincter is a little too tight.

Just watch out in the coming weeks when spring arrives, and that first warm Friday afternoon hits, and bars in the Market or Elgin decide to open up their patios before the Anal-Retentive Calendar Minders say they are allowed to.

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by Jim613

My theory is that's is due mostly to where we are. We are ~2 hours away from city of 2 million people and are about ~4 hours away from a city of 4 million people.

And yet, a city of similar population, in a similar geographical situation in the NE US or Yurp, will quite often have touring bands do a show in them on the Wednesday between their Tuesday night gig in 2millionville and their Thursday night one in 4milliondale.

In Ottawa? Meh. No venue. No promoters. Crap radio stations. And yet a young population that doesn't get to much in the way of entertainment between the Zaphods-class act and the Whatever The Hell That Stadium In Stittsville Is Called This Year - level "artist". (Which is usually Top 40 or "young country" garbage.)

[Uhuniau]

Originally Posted by ue

But I think even compared to Edmonton or Calgary, Ottawa is a bit dull. It's got the pretty angles that postcards are made of, but the streets are kind of sterile. Of course Edmonton and Calgary are newer cities and thus don't have the charm of Lowertown or the grandeur of Parliament Hill, but they both have an energy to them that Ottawa seems to lack.

I dunno bout that. I wish Ottawa had Calgary's level of LRT penetration, but Calgary and Edmonton don't have nearly as large of a multi-use core as Ottawa does. And in all three cases, in any event, the office-tower portion mostly whithers away after 5 p.m.

First time I was in Calgary, I got in to my hotel "late", say 8:30 or 9:00. Starved. Went looking for something functionally equivalent to Bank Street in Centretown where I could find a pizza or shawarma or anything. Failed. Utterly. Met a couple of ladies on one street corner. They seemed nice.

[phil235]

Originally Posted by ue

I'm less familiar with Ottawa than Edmonton obviously, but perhaps that and it being sandwiched between two great festival cities gives me the impression that Edmonton exudes more of a festival city persona.

Ottawa is not sandwiched between two great festival cities. Montreal yes, Toronto no. Toronto has a few big festivals, but it has no identity as a festival city.

I've lived in both Toronto and Ottawa, and Ottawa blows Toronto away for festivals. Of the ones listed, Canada Day, Bluesfest, Folk Fest, Westfest, the Jazz festival, Hope, the Dragon Boat festival, Race Weekend, the Tulip Festival, Winterlude, the Writer's festival and Chamberfest are all massive festivals. For instance, Chamberfest bills itself as the largest in the world, Race weekend and Dragon Boat festival the largest in Canada, Hope the biggest one day event etc. Bluesfest is a two week music festival that brings in 25,000 people per day, ranking among the biggest of its kind.

It seems that people outside of Ottawa don't seem to realize the extent of the festival scene here. I know I was very pleasantly surprised when I came.

[ue]

Originally Posted by Uhuniau

I dunno bout that. I wish Ottawa had Calgary's level of LRT penetration, but Calgary and Edmonton don't have nearly as large of a multi-use core as Ottawa does. And in all three cases, in any event, the office-tower portion mostly whithers away after 5 p.m.

First time I was in Calgary, I got in to my hotel "late", say 8:30 or 9:00. Starved. Went looking for something functionally equivalent to Bank Street in Centretown where I could find a pizza or shawarma or anything. Failed. Utterly. Met a couple of ladies on one street corner. They seemed nice.

You're complaining about a lack of stuff late at night in Downtown Calgary and then say how it isn't the case in Centretown. Ok. Try the same thing on Sparks St or on Bank north of Laurier. If you would've ventured south in Calgary, much like you would in Ottawa, you would've found a lot in Calgary's Beltline. Also immediately NW of the core on the other side of the river you would've found Kensington.

Originally Posted by phil235

Ottawa is not sandwiched between two great festival cities. Montreal yes, Toronto no. Toronto has a few big festivals, but it has no identity as a festival city.

I've lived in both Toronto and Ottawa, and Ottawa blows Toronto away for festivals. Of the ones listed, Canada Day, Bluesfest, Folk Fest, Westfest, the Jazz festival, Hope, the Dragon Boat festival, Race Weekend, the Tulip Festival, Winterlude, the Writer's festival and Chamberfest are all massive festivals. For instance, Chamberfest bills itself as the largest in the world, Race weekend and Dragon Boat festival the largest in Canada, Hope the biggest one day event etc. Bluesfest is a two week music festival that brings in 25,000 people per day, ranking among the biggest of its kind.

It seems that people outside of Ottawa don't seem to realize the extent of the festival scene here. I know I was very pleasantly surprised when I came.

Toronto has Caribana, Pride (plus World Pride this year), Nuit Blanche, NXNE, CNE, Christmas Market at the Distillery, TIFF, MMVAs, the Toronto Indy, the Beaches Jazz Fest, the Toronto Dragon Boat Fest, Taste of Danforth, etc.

Originally Posted by ac888yow

That's the one and only point I'd agree with you on. i.e., your lack of familiarity, and other assumptions, have resulted in you forming an opinion that you've attempted (unsuccessfully) to pass on as fact, but in actuality is nothing more than boosterism.

You seem to have a problem with me, so why do you keep reading my posts? It's like the claws always come out when you read a post of mine...jeez...everyone else has remained civil in response to my posts, so what is your fucking problem?

You yourself seem to be very unfamiliar with Alberta's two cities. I have been to Ottawa recently and stuck to the central areas (I wasn't holed out in Kanata or Barrhaven), so I figured I'd give my honest two cents on the topic as an outsider. Clearly, based on the thread topic, I'm not the first one to think Ottawa lacks certain qualities.

I mentioned that regarding the Edmonton-Calgary-Ottawa triangle, it seems like most are blinded by their preferences. It seems like Ottawa is more of a festival city than I thought...though there was literally nothing going on during the time I was there during a September...so that may have tinged my thoughts.

I still stand by my comments vis-a-vis Ottawa's contrived feel. To each their own, though. You don't need me to tell you Ottawa is fan-fucking-tastic.

[kevinbottawa]

Originally Posted by ue

Toronto has Caribana, Pride (plus World Pride this year), Nuit Blanche, NXNE, CNE, Christmas Market at the Distillery, TIFF, MMVAs, the Toronto Indy, the Beaches Jazz Fest, the Toronto Dragon Boat Fest, Taste of Danforth, etc.

Even with all those festivals (some of the most well attended festivals in North America), Toronto isn't a festival city. My personal opinion is to be a festival city festivals have to be a major part of the city's identity. When you think Toronto you don't think festivals; you think major sports market, economic/financial centre, live theatre, national media centre, nightlife, shopping. I spent the first three decades of my life there and almost five years in Ottawa and I'd say of the two Ottawa is more of a festival city.

[ue]

^ Fair enough. I'd agree with you there, for Toronto, while it has many great festivals, they're just the icing on the cake for that city. It's the same as how I said Edmonton seems to cling more to the festivals it has as part of its identity moreso than Ottawa. Perhaps this is off, but Ottawa still has things like museums and government to fall back on. Not that Edmonton doesn't have other offerings, but we seem to put more eggs in the festival basket than most cities, it seems.

[bikegypsy]

Originally Posted by ue

the market people don't shut up about

Why should people shut up about it? The market is great and most Ottawans are very proud of it. It is by far the most important entertainment district in the city and offers everything from dinning to night clubs as well as shopping and theater. We cannot endlessly brag about our great LRT system or huge downtown buildings; but please let us love our gentrified, historic, bilingual and cosmopolitan Byward market.

[ue]

^ It was a joke, hence the winkey-face...

[bikegypsy]

Originally Posted by ue

I'm not the first one to think Ottawa lacks certain qualities.

And certainly not the last one; talking negatively about Ottawa is the second national pastime after hockey. Contrary to inhabitants of other important canadian urban centers, Ottawans are extremely aware of the shortcomings of their city as they get to be reminded, directly and on a daily basis by visitors or newcomers, how much it sucks compared to *put name of any cookie-cutter town here*. So much so that it starts to sound and feel false after a while... The term "contrived" would properly describe this phenomenon. It's actually very strange don't you think? The effort and time some people put into thrashing a place. Normally, really boring places don't receive this much attention.

[bikegypsy]

Originally Posted by ue

Not that Edmonton doesn't have other offerings, but we seem to put more eggs in the festival basket than most cities, it seems.

Just to give you the eastern perspective of Edmonton; people talk about its great art scene for a city its size.

[ue]

I'm not trashing the city and don't really put much thought into Ottawa tbh, especially considering I wasn't there within the past 6 months. I'm just offering my outsiders opinion. I certainly didn't have this less-than-amazing impression of the city prior to visiting. There are still a great many things about Ottawa, but I can definitely see where people are coming from regarding the 'dull' impression. Many people do move to Ottawa and love it and if you love Ottawa then great, you're in the right city, and I can definitely see its charms. I remember the cab driver from the airport remarking over how much less hectic Ottawa is compared to Toronto and how it's more 'homely'.

That's interesting about Edmonton, I wouldn't think people would know much about our art scene or even really much about the city out East. We're kind of off-the-radar compared to Calgary, unfortunately...

[bikegypsy]

Originally Posted by ue

We're kind of off-the-radar compared to Calgary, unfortunately...

Being famous for the art scene includes festivals btw. Calgary is on the radar of arts? For what? We know it for oil businesses and the stampede. That's it... it must be an Alberta thing.

[EdFromOttawa]

Originally Posted by bikegypsy

Why should people shut up about it? The market is great and most Ottawans are very proud of it. It is by far the most important entertainment district in the city and offers everything from dinning to night clubs as well as shopping and theater. We cannot endlessly brag about our great LRT system or huge downtown buildings; but please let us love our gentrified, historic, bilingual and cosmopolitan Byward market.

The market is completely overrated in my opinion... It's not terribly clean, doesn't offer a lot outside of a few vendors selling basically worthless tourist tack ($8 mini bottle of maple syrup WTF) and has a lot of generic restaurants (somethingsomething bar and grill anyone?). Not to mention there's a strange lack of street performers (more Ottawa regulations???!) and generally stuff to actually DO other than walk around and look (takes about an hour or two max).

Not sure why Ottawan's cling to this thing so desperately...having brought people from out of town to it, trust me it's not that impressive.

Hell a lot of cities have something similar. Just look at Toronto's St. Lawrence Market area, or Kensington Market. Even their Market Building is bigger!