Celebrate being Irish during the Ottawa Irish Festival
- Ottawa Travel Guide
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- Thursday, 28 February 2013 08:03
Festivals and Ottawa go hand-in-hand, as it seems there is always something being celebrated in Canada's capital, and those who are planning on travelling to Ottawa between March 7 and 17 are certainly in for a treat. The Ottawa Irish Festival is kicking off that Friday, and those who want to celebrate their Irish heritage will have plenty of fun-filled activities to attend. Here are a few things that they can expect from event:
What is the festival?
The Ottawa Irish Festival is a celebration that brings together the Irish and Irish-Canadian culture in Canada's capital, and this 11-day festival is jam-packed with activities and events for everyone to enjoy.
What visitors can expect
Everything from good Irish food to singing and dancing will be occurring during the festival. Throughout the week, there will be different events held at restaurants and establishments around the city. The Ottawa St. Patrick's Day Run 10K, 5K and Family Fun 1K Runs will take place on March 16, and there will be a Cookery Class, Dinner and Kitchen Party on March 10 for everyone to learn how to cook traditional Irish dinners. Visitors will also be able to learn the Irish language and attend a poetry reading.
The parade and pub crawl
The biggest events take place March 16 and 17. First of all, March 16 is the 31st St. Patrick's Parade and Grand Irish Party. The parade, which starts at 11 a.m., will be travelling down Laurier Avenue West from Elgin Street to Bank Street, then up Bank Street to Wellington Street. The parade is full of green decor, shamrocks and everything else Irish, and it is certainly fun for the whole family. There will be more than 100 volunteers, but travellers who also want to help out can lend a hand the day of - or they can just enjoy some green beer as they toast to another St. Patrick's Day. After the parade, everyone gathers for the Grand Irish Party, which takes place at the National Irish Canadian Cultural Centre. There will be tons of food and beverages.
On St. Patrick's Day, there will be an all-day pub crawl, which will stop at all of the best Irish pubs that Canada's capital has to offer. It will certainly be a week that many will not forget for years to come.
