Let’s Go Ottawa
Royal Visit mania strikes Ottawa!
- Friday, 24 June 2011 18:14
- Written by Jantine Van Kregten
The TD Ottawa Jazz Festival offers free progamming in Confederation Park on Canada Day.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are coming to Ottawa for Canada Day and the residents of Canada’s Capital Region couldn’t be happier!
The official itinerary has been released, showing visits at the National War Memorial, Rideau Hall, Canadian Museum of Civilization, Parliament Hill during the Canada Day Noon Show and the Canadian War Museum. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to come out and say hello to the newlyweds!
But what else is going on in town with a royal theme?
The National War Memorial is a stunning monument in downtown Ottawa.
On Canada Day, the Lord Elgin Hotel on Elgin Street downtown is creating a huge wedding cake in the couple’s honour that members of the public can sample. Right across the street, the TD Ottawa Jazz Festival offers free programming on Canada Day and great shows from June 23 to July 3, 2011.
Meanwhile, at the castle-like Fairmont Château Laurier, you can take it up a notch by indulging in their very popular afternoon tea service. For a limited time, they’re offering “Royal Tea” which includes a glass of Moet et Chandon champagne!
The whole family will enjoy a visit to the Currency Museum of the Bank of Canada on July 1 for their Canada Day Garden Party! Held on the Museum’s outdoor plaza at the corner of Bank and Sparks Streets downtown, they will celebrate the Royal Visit and Canada’s 144th birthday with a British-themed garden party featuring games, music, refreshments and crafts for everyone.
And if that works up a thirst, Mom & Dad can quench it at ZenKitchen on Somerset Street West with a refreshing take on the classic Cranberry Kir Royale with a pomegranate cranberry drink dubbed the Cranberry Kir “Royal Visit!”
For a more active option, head to MKC in the City which is planning a very cool tribute to the Royal Couple. On Thursday, June 30, between 1 and 4pm, you can try your hand at whitewater kayaking. For $30, you can paddle three times through the course at the Pumphouse, which is located at the western edge of downtown Ottawa, not farm from the Canadian War Museum. (Directions: Take Bronson Avenue northbound, turn left (west) on Albert Street, then an immediate right on Rue Commissioner.)
Welcome to Ottawa, Your Royal Highnesses!
Family Fun Activities
- Monday, 20 June 2011 18:19
- Written by Beverley Carkner
Looking from great family friendly activities this summer? Ottawa has a lot to offer, from splashing in the water parks, to running through hedge mazes, and exploring and learning in a vast array of air conditioned museums with hands-on activities. There’s no shortage of options.
Just Add Water
Calypso Theme WaterparkCalypso Theme Waterpark, just 20 minutes east of the capital, hosts Canada’s largest wave pool, state of the art slides, a whitewater rafting experience, and tons of other cool features that will be a blast for all ages. 10 new waterslides opened this year including the largest free-standing slide tower on the continent.
Just 20 minutes north of Ottawa in the scenic splendor of the Gatineau hills, Mont Cascades Waterpark features a showcase of water other pool attractions. Their new SplashForest combines all the excitement of waterslides with the new “activewaterplay” structure packed with water cannons and climbing nets.
Outdoor Adventures
Summer is a time for getting outside and reveling in the sunshine. At Saunders Farm , there are plenty of activities to do together, including an exploration of North America’s largest collection of hedge mazes. Navigate your way through more than 23,000 square feet of intricate paths, before climbing aboard a beautifully constructed pirate ship on land, and cooling off in the water spray zone.
Valleyview Little Animal Farm offers a wide variety of animals and birds up close, from alpacas to zebus, goats to geese. Ride the Valleyview Express, enjoy the farm playground, explore Bill’s Old Farm Museum and watch a puppet show.
In the heart of downtown Ottawa along the Rideau Canal, Pirate Adventures a unique and unforgettable experience aboard a fifty foot pirate ship armed with 12 water cannons. Watch your child transform into a pirate with face painting tattoos and pirate gear then discover a treasure map and solve its secrets. Pirate Pete will make an appearance!
Museum Madness
Gone are the days when museums were considered the realm of the adult. Ottawa’s cultural scene offers plenty of options for children with the right blend of education and amusement through tactile experiences. At the newly renovated Canadian Museum of Nature, toddlers will get a kick out of activity stations that have levers, buttons, and nozzles galore, from the inside of a mini submarine to a supermarket cash register.
Nature lovers will also enjoy taking a tour of the animal barns at the Canada Agriculture Museum, which is part of a working farm located in the heart of the city. There’s more hands on fun to be had at the Canadian Children’s Museum geared directly to youths through a setup that embodies worldwide adventure, complete with passports they can get stamped and take home. Here, young visitors interact with exhibits that take them on a stroll through a Market Bazaar, inside an Egyptian pyramid, and into a tatami room of a Japanese home, among other international outings.
And no visit to Ottawa is complete without a trip to the Canada Science and Technology Museum for a walk through the Crazy Kitchen – a dizzying household room that has become a staple childhood experience for local kids.
Join the Party on Parliament Hill
- Tuesday, 14 June 2011 18:25
- Written by Beverley Carkner
© Ontario Tourism
Come celebrate Canada’s 144 birthday in the presence of Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge who will be visiting Ottawa on the first stop of their Royal Tour of Canada. In a previous article we highlighted some suggested activities for the royal couple to experience on their Ottawa visit. While their official itinerary is a closely guarded secret, we can update you on confirmed activities that hundreds of thousands of people will partake in this Canada Day. The stages on Parliament Hill are already being set up for this spectacular July 1st celebration.
Morning
9:00am – 11:00am
In the morning, at 9:00am, take in a truly unique musical experience; hear the 53-bell Peace Tower carillon concert. At 9:30am, witness the traditional flag-raising ceremony, and Changing the Guard, a stirring military drill, follows at 10:00am.
Noon Show
12:00pm – 1:30pm
The Noon Show will include the traditional and exciting fly-past of CF-18 fighter jets and the Snowbirds Demonstration Team. Come join in the fun with a host of great Canadian talent:
- Great Big Sea (Newfoundland and Labrador) — Folk / rock
- Pierre Lapointe (Quebec) — Pop
- Florence K (Quebec) — Salsa / bossa nova
- Sam Roberts (Quebec) — Pop / rock
- Maria Aragon (Manitoba) — Pop
- Corb Lund (Alberta) — Country
- Dan Mangan (British Columbia) — Indie rock
- Elisapie Isaac (Nunavut) — Pop
- Jenn Grant (Prince Edward Island) — Folk
- Au tour de la Bolduc with Florence K (Quebec), Oumou Soumaré (New Brunswick), and Frannie and Fab of Random Recipe (Quebec) — Traditional
- Les 7 doigts de la main (Quebec) — Circus
- Dehli 2 Dublin (British Columbia) — World
- Kumpa’nia (Quebec) — Drum troupe
- Quartuor Orphée (Quebec) — String quartet
- Soul Influence (Ontario ) — A cappella / world
- Zogma (Quebec) — Dance troupe
Afternoon Pipes and Drums on the Lawns
2:30pm and 3:30pm, Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa
3:00pm and 4:00pm, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada
Evening Show
7:00pm – 10:00pm
Rebecca Makonnen and Jian Ghomeshi will be the MCs of this big evening show, with performances by Canadian artists:
- Great Big Sea (Newfoundland and Labrador) — Folk / rock
- Pierre Lapointe (Quebec) — Pop
- Florence K (Quebec) — Salsa / bossa nova
- Sam Roberts (Quebec) — Pop / rock
- Maria Aragon (Manitoba) — Pop
- Corb Lund (Alberta) — Country
- Dan Mangan (British Columbia) — Indie rock
- Elisapie Isaac (Nunavut) — Pop
- Jenn Grant (Prince Edward Island) — Folk
- Au tour de la Bolduc with Florence K (Quebec), Oumou Soumaré (New Brunswick), and Frannie and Fab of Random Recipe (Quebec) — Traditional
- Les 7 doigts de la main (Quebec) — Circus
- Dehli 2 Dublin (British Columbia) — World
- Kumpa’nia (Quebec) — Drum troupe
- Quartuor Orphée (Quebec) — String quartet
- Soul Influence (Ontario ) — A cappella / world
- Zogma (Quebec) — Dance troupe
Fireworks
10:00pm (approx.) at Jacques-Cartier Park (Gatineau)
The best views of this thunderous pyrotechnics show are from Jacques-Cartier Park and the Canadian Museum of Civilization (both in Gatineau), as well as Major’s Hill Park (in Ottawa) and along the Ottawa River.
What Else Is Happening On Canada Day?
Check out the full line up of Canada Day events at venues across the region.
Summer Exhibitions
- Wednesday, 08 June 2011 18:28
- Written by Beverley Carkner
Check out what’s happening at our national museums and galleries this summer.
National Gallery of Canada
June 17 – September 11, Ottawa’s National Gallery of Canada presents Caravaggio and His Followers in Rome, an ambitious exhibition on the genius of the great Caravaggio and the impact he had on his contemporaries. The exhibition brings 60 works of this genius to Canada for the first time, and marks the 400th anniversary of his death.
June 23 – October 2. See Hidden Treasures at Bytown Museum. This exhibition presents 41 exceptional artifacts from the Bytown Museum’s significant historic collection, and showcases the quality of its permanent holdings.
May 20 – October 10. Japan: Tradition. Innovation at the Canadian Museum of Civilization is an exploration of the astonishing ways in which Japan’s cutting-edge technology and design are rooted in the traditions of the past. In the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, we see once again the resilient, enterprising spirit that has moved Japan beyond darkness before.
June 3 – November 6, the Canadian Museum of Nature showcases Extreme Mammals. This exhibit explores the surprising and often extraordinary world of extinct and living mammals. Find out what makes a mammal “extreme”. Learn why some species died out while others thrived. And discover what you have in common with all other mammals.
May 26 – November 13 at the Canadian War Museum. From the battlefield to rehabilitation, War and Medicine explores the uneasy and evolving relationship between warfare and the medical profession.
From May 12. Be part of the Living in Space adventure, a new permanent exhibition at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum. Learn how to adapt to the rigours of daily life in space for months at a time on board the International Space Station (ISS). Discover how astronauts in the weightless environment work, entertain themselves and tackle such basics as personal hygiene, eating and sleeping among the stars.
Let’s Talk Energy: Engaging Ideas for Canada’s Future is a national multi-year program (June 2011 – June 2017) exploring Canada’s energy production and consumption and the implications of greening the country’s energy network. Visit the energy exhibitions at the Canada Science and Technology Museum Corporation’s three national museums to learn more:
June 9, 2011 – June 2017
Energy: Power to Choose
Canada Science and Technology Museum
Produce your own electricity with the Museum’s human hamster wheel. Interact with a map of Canada that identifies locations where energy is produced and where distribution of major sources of energy takes place. You’ll be shocked to discover that one producer of energy is the Museum’s electric eel.
June 16, 2011 – June 2017
Green Skies Ahead
Canada Aviation and Space Museum
Take a tour of the innovative carbon-friendly technology that will shape commercial aviation over the next 50 years. See some of the futuristic energy-efficient aircraft designs on the drawing table today and decide if they are science or science-fiction.
July 1, 2011 – June 2017
Energy Park: Nature at Work
Canada Agriculture Museum
See renewable energy in action. Take a stroll through this outdoor park and try your hand at “harvesting” energy. See if you can beat the wind and pump water faster than a windmill!
Book your stay in Ottawa through Ottawa Tourism’s website – check out the Third Night Half Price option for even better value!
Living in Space
- Friday, 03 June 2011 18:33
- Written by Beverley Carkner
Ever wonder how astronauts live on the International Space Station?
A must see this summer and a great new addition to the Canada Aviation and Space Museum is Living in Space, created by the Canadian Space Agency and on display as a new permanent exhibition.
Living in Space exhibitionThe exhibit features great hands-on interactive activities for the kids including a computerized game that lets you assemble a space meal. Place your hand on an astronaut’s hand print surrounding a giant rotating globe to learn more about them and other fun facts from space. Find out how able you would be at working in a weightless environment. Check out the various objects, replicas and components used daily by astronauts during a mission.
Fun for the family and kids of all ages.
