Canada Day
Ottawa, Canada’s Capital, is the place to be July 1 for the country’s biggest annual birthday celebration. It’s a giant patriotic party on the lawns of Parliament Hill, Major’s Hill Park, Jacques Cartier Park and on the closed streets of downtown. The crowds start to gather on Parliament Hill early, for a 9 a.m. carillon concert featuring the Peace Tower bells, followed by the official flag raising and the Changing the Guard ceremony. Be there at noon for a thrilling performance by the Snowbirds aerobatic team, and a noon hour show filled with cultural entertainment. Excitement continues throughout the day at major sites and attractions downtown and across the Capital. The evening show on Parliament Hill this year features a stellar lineup of Canadian performers, including Simple Plan, Feist, Roch Voisine, Jully Black, Marie Mai, Misstress Barbara and more. And as always, the evening will be topped off by a giant fireworks show you simply don’t want to miss!
Fast Facts
- Canada Day celebrates the anniversary of Confederation, when Canada became a country separate from the British Empire.
- Parliament Hill is the focal point for Canada Day celebrations, with a giant stage featuring Canadian performers throughout the day, the noontime playing of Oh Canada and a flyby by Canada's Snowbirds aerobatics team and other military aircraft.
- The celebrations spill over from Parliament Hill to venues on both sides of the Ottawa River, including Major's Hill Park and Jacques Cartier Park in downtown Gatineau, with fun and activities for people of all ages.
- The day is capped-off with a massive fireworks finale visible from any vantage point downtown.
