Canada Day is coming up, and there is no shortage of celebrations to enjoy on July 1st this year. With Canada turning 150, there’s no better time to join in the festivities. If you are looking for something fun to do this Canada Day with friends and family, here are some suggestions.

Downtown Events

The Canada Day events hosted in downtown Ottawa are always the biggest and most impressive, and this year looks to be no exception:

  • Parliament Hill – Parliament Hill will be holding Canada Day events from morning till night, including ceremonies, shows, activities for young and old, all culminating in a spectacular fireworks show over the Ottawa River. You won’t want to miss it!
  • Major’s Hill Park – Major’s Hill Park will be filled with day events this July 1st, including a wide variety of multi-cultural exhibits, displays and performances. There will be plenty of activities for people who want to get involved, or just watch on the sidelines, so pick your activity and have some fun!
  • Canadian Museum of History – The Canadian Museum of History will be hosting a number of events throughout the day, with plenty of inside and outside games, performances, exhibits and other activities aimed for kids and families. There’s even a free shuttle from Major’s Hill Park, and the museum is right on the Ottawa River, so you can watch the fireworks from there if you find Parliament Hill too crowded.

 Municipal Events

For people who can’t get downtown, or don’t want to face the crowds, there is plenty of Canada Day fun to be had throughout the city. We’ve included a list of a few below, but you can also find the official list of all the civic events here:

  • Canada Day in Barrhaven­ – This large event in Ottawa’s South attracts big crowd every year, and includes a carnival with rides and games, the Homeniuk Midway, plenty of food vendors, fun and games for kids and adults, and of course a fireworks show.
  • Canada Day in Kanata – This event has plenty to do for people of all ages, from the Carter Shows Midway to the Kanata Festival of Beer, and also features a marketplaces for local small businesses, a breakfast for seniors, baseball games, demonstrations of martial arts and dancing, and plenty more. A fireworks display will close the day off with a bang.
  • Canada Day in Stittsville – Stittsville may be smaller than Kanata or Barrhaven, but that doesn’t mean it lacks excitement. Stittsville’s Canada Day celebration will include a petting zoo and horse-drawn wagon rides for animal lovers, a sports demonstration, family games and activities, a magic show, plenty of food vendors for when people get hungry, the Royal Canadian Legion Colour Party, and live stage entertainment. No Canada Day celebration would be complete without a fireworks display, and Stittsville will certainly deliver.

No matter where you decide to celebrate it, make sure to have fun on July 1st this year, and make the 150th Canada Day one to remember!