Best of the Fests

Here a festival, there a festival—we’re spoiled for choice here in Ottawa during the summer. Thus, we present to you our annual top picks for festival going families.

There are of course our perennial faves like the International Busker Festival, the Ottawa Folk Festival, and the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival but we’ve added a few new ones to our round up this year.

We’re particularly excited about the third annual South Asian Festival coming up on July 16. Centrally located in Confederation Park (free admission), this one-day event will feature non-stop entertainment with classical, bhangra and Bollywood dance performances, fabulous South Asian cuisine, displays and sales of traditional artifacts, jewellery, glass bangles, silk and more, plus henna artists, laughter yoga—yes, laughter yoga—and face painting. There will even be a Kids’ Zone. If you can’t get to India with your kids, this may be the next best thing.

This year we’ll also revisit the young and growing Rideau Canal Festival (July 28 to August 1) popping up at the Dow’s Lake Pavilion, the Bytowne Museum, the Rideau Canal and Confederation Park. Events celebrate the canal with paddle boat, canoe, kayak and bicycle rentals, canal-side dining, art exhibits, walking tours and more. A Children’s Celebration of World Heritage on July 29 will feature a face painter, balloonist, a workshop from the Ottawa School of Dance, a Chinese dance troupe, a Culture Shock Workshop and musical entertainment from Puffin Productions.

Ottawa’s Lumiere Festival, a celebration of light and community in New Edinburgh, is also growing and will run for 20 days this year, from August 1 to 20. This festival offers numerous lantern-making workshops and three unique evening activities that culminate in the grand Evening of Light Celebration on August 20, when children are invited to make a lantern, don some fairy wings and take part in a magical light procession. Don’t miss Story Telling in the Park on August 6 or the Drums and Dance Evening on August 13.

They say life is a festival—we say summer is too. Tested by Patti R., Ottawa

Don’t forget to check our new GoSavvy Event Finder for events all across Canada, all year long.

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