BEWARE of this company FMG (Festival de montgolfieres de Gatineau)- we bought VERY expensive…read moretickets ($40 each) to see the balloons launch last weekend, and then had a family emergency where we could not attend- we were told in person that the tickets would be refunded and when I followed up the company refused. Also, I found out afterwards that you can see the balloons launch FOR FREE on the opposite side of the fence and apparently (because of the weather) the balloons didn't even leave the ground that night! Total RIP-OFF and poor customer service!

I accidentally wound up in Gatineau around the time of the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival. I…read moreremembered reading a quick blurb about it being one of the largest hot air balloon festivals in the world (if not THE largest) so my boyfriend and I trekked over from our hotel to check it out. It was fabulous! There were dozens of balloons taking flight, and not just your typical balloons. There were cats, Noah's Ark, a giant panda, and many more. The photo opportunities were infinite and I wish we could have stayed longer. The festival continues into the afternoon with food, music, and fun for everyone in attendance, but unfortunately we had to go once the last few balloons had gone up into the sky. I highly recommend trying to come out and see this, especially if you're a flight/festival fanatic! The good news for anyone who may want to visit from the US? It's always over Labor Day (or Labour Day if you prefer!) so you could easily make a long weekend of the adventure. And what an adventure it is!

I found out about a street food fair at the High Commission of Malaysia that happened yesterday May…read more12th. Sorry people I forgot to post it in the shout outs! We dropped and they had a 6-8 stands setup serving some delicious Malaysian food. Tickets had to be purchased for each food stand and the tickets were refundable if you did not use them all. They had a lot of home made goodness happening. My highlights were the chicken satay's peanut sauce and chili's from one stand that sold noodles. I even ventured off to try some Malaysian deserts...I'm not the biggest fan of Asian deserts but they weren't bad at all. There were a lot of delicious flavours happening and even Chahaya Malaysia was there serving up some food. I hope they do this again next year and have more tables setup for people who want to sit down.

The Canadian Tulip Festival happens every year in Ottawa in May. The exact date changes year to…read moreyear. The history of the Tulip Festival is very unique. It dates back to World War II. Canadian Troops played a significant role in the liberation of the Netherlands from German occupation during WWII. Furthermore, when Germany invaded the Netherlands, Princess Juliana (heir to the Dutch throne) and her 2 children fled to Canada and sought refuge in Ottawa. Princess Juliana gave birth to her third child, Princess Margriet, at the Ottawa Civic Hospital. Princess Margriet's birth in Canada would have been problematic as then she wouldn't hold sole Dutch citizenship and thus wouldn't be in the line of succession to the Dutch throne. Recognizing their predicament, the Canadian Government (temporarily) declared where she was born, Dutch soil. This act of goodwill was remembered by the Dutch. In 1945, the Dutch Government sent Canada 100,000 tulip bulbs to express their gratitude for Canada's role in their liberation and for the kindness Canada bestowed on their royalty. And they have continued to send tulip bulbs every year. So the tulip has become a symbol of international friendship. The tulips became a big tourist attraction, and it was photographer Malak Karsh, who in 1952, suggested the idea of a Tulip Festival to the Ottawa Board of Trade, and the inaugural Canadian Tulip Festival occurred in 1953 and has been going on every year since. So every May, Ottawa is filled with tulips. There are over 1,000,000 tulips in bloom (and over 100 varieties) in Ottawa during the festival. The largest concentration of them can be found in Commissioner's Park by Dow's Lake. However, they are literally everywhere in the city. And not just real tulips, but sculptures of tulips too get erected through the city. Local businesses even get in on it, offering tulip shaped cookies. It's truly a sight to see for tulip lovers. Or admirers of flowers in general. After a long, cold and dreary Canadian winter (it pretty much snows October to April, lol), welcoming Spring with colourful tulips all over the city is so wonderful. I absolutely love walking around and seeing (and occasional photographing) all the tulips. When I was new to Ottawa, I went to Commissioner's Park during the Tulip Festival. While it was beautiful, I found crowdedness and busyness incredibly annoying, lol. Now as a long-time Ottawa resident, I admire the tulips scattered throughout the city instead ;)

So I'm not sure what it was about this year but the Tulip festival was way more epic last year with…read morethe amount of flowers they had going on at Major Hills onwards. I'm comparing this years to last years tulip festival I guess... They had other events that were scattered around and those were ok but something seemed missing. The kick off ceremony was in a small cramped place in between Sidedoor and Planet Coffee. Most other times this would be an awesome place to kick off anything else but a festival? It was very difficult to fit people in there. I've seen more things happen in the past. It was cool that they had it across multiple sites this year. I'm not sure if that happened in the past. I hope they go all out again next year and do it better than this year!

Probably one of the best concerts I have attended was at the Jazz Festival…read more We were lucky enough to see Box Scaggs live on Friday night, and wow! Even at 74 his voice is so unique, and his band is the best. Thanks for bringing him to Ottawa!

From the owner: The Ottawa Jazz Festival, established in 1980, is one of Canada’s premier jazz events, renowned for…read moreshowcasing world-class talent in the heart of the nation’s capital. As it marks its 45th anniversary in 2025, the Festival remains a cherished summer tradition, featuring a diverse array of international and Canadian artists across jazz, blues, soul, and experimental genres. What began as a small local event many years ago, has now evolved into a dynamic celebration of live music, fostering meaningful connections between artists and audiences. Committed to honouring jazz’s rich history while embracing its ever-evolving future, the Festival continues to push musical boundaries. Join us in Ottawa from June 20 to 29, 2025, for an extraordinary experience of thrilling performances and vibrant programming. Set against the stunning backdrop of downtown Ottawa in Confederation Park, the Festival offers both ticketed and free shows across multiple satellite location venues, all of which in walking distance to aid in creating a truly unforgettable musical journey for your friends and family.  Mark your calendars! The 2025 Ottawa Jazz Festival will run from Friday, June 20th to Sunday, June, 29th. Festival hours are from 11:30am to 12am. There will be no programming on Monday, June 23rd, 2025.

Perhaps this is a cocky move, but without research I'm going to claim that this is one of Ottawa's…read moremost popular and lucrative festivals. It has to be. This Blues festival is one of the largest in the world and for some reason it's in Ottawa. It's also one of Canada's largest outdoor music events. The 11 day line up of local, national and international musicians attracts music lovers from across Canada and beyond. During that time, a slew of performers grace multiple stages, most of which are situated at LeBreton Flats, which is a large, centrally located venue that's perfect for the festival. Many people plan their schedule around this festival when it's in town, usually because they buy a $200 unlimited access bracelet for the entire festival's performances. It's a great deal if you use it well. Unfortunately, the price of tickets will most likely increase next year since the City of Ottawa wants to cut all funding to festivals. This will no doubt impact the affordability of this festival and the caliber of musicians it will be able to attract. This is despite the fact that Bluesfest generates about $60 million dollars for the National Capital Region. Aaanyway... I should also mention that the festival's name is a misnomer. It's actually rare that you find Blues at Bluesfest. You'll definitely find a mishmash of styles and performances, but it's usually Rock that you'll hear.

All my experiences at Bluesfest have been excellent. This venue provides a wide range of music from…read morefolk, to rap, to rock, and even blues !!! I have been going many years, and look forward to this years lineup, especially the Foo Fighters. A tip of the cap to all the wonderful staff, volunteers, and organizers. Keep up the great job everyone.

Happy Canada Day to my northern neighbors! I haven't made it to Canada this year for the…read morefestivities but I have happy memories of a long weekend in Montreal when I got to celebrate Canada Day with fireworks, poutine, smoked meat and vague French accents. Canada is one of three countries that make up North America, the others being the United States and México. Canada was granted independence from the United Kingdom on July 1 1867 as part of the formation of the Dominion of Canada though the term has faded as part of post-colonial nationalism. And that's about all I know about Canadian history. Sorry, friends. We just don't teach it much (or much of anything outside America) in American schools. I've been all about (aboot?) your wonderful nation though I have way more to explore. Only around 240 reviews across six of your ten provinces. I'll do better, I promise! https://www.yelp.com/collection/Gxf6xvx-hAJmXl4V_7f3gw/ [Review 19963 overall - 96 in Ontario - 937 of 2023.]

My track record visiting Ottawa is fascinating. I have visited the city in September once. The…read moremultiple other times have been in November. I tend to take in Remembrance Day ceremonies. I decided to visit Ottawa in July this year. It was a nice change to put away the winter gear and break out summery clothing. Fortunately, I got to take part in the Canada Day celebrations at Parliament Hill. I loved it! I drove to Rideau Centre and parked. I spent several hours taking in the Canadian national anthem, speeches by the Prime Minister and Governor General, and various performances, both dance and song. I stood behind the gates at Parliament Hill. It was fine until a dog liked my left leg and decided it was a good place to pee. The dog didn't pee on my leg or shoe, thankfully. The dog's aim was horrible, but it worked out perfectly for me! I enjoyed performances by K'naan, Alan Doyle from Great Big Sea, William Prince, and more at around noon and stayed there until nearly 3 pm. They were all great. Sadly, I forgot to apply sunscreen, so my arms nearly matched the red on my Canada t-shirt. Lesson learned! I am peeling these days. How attractive! Ottawa does Canada Day well. It was wonderful seeing everyone in red and white, showing off their Canadian pride. It was simply a great day. After the performances, I went to Rideau Centre and ByWard Market to walk around. You can take in some shopping and buskers, respectively. It's also fun to walk on streets that are typically buzzing with traffic. There are fireworks and even more performances at night. I decided to skip them and watch at the hotel. I needed a break from the heat and enjoyed the air conditioning. I do recommend giving Canada Day a try in Ottawa. You'll feel great that you did. (241)

I go every year and am always able to pick up interesting books and furniture! Go early (7-8am) to…read moreavoid crowding, and to snag the good high-priced furniture away! Bring lots of water and sunscreen as the sun can get hot during the day!