Novotel Ottawa

Ottawa Events & Entertainment

Performing Arts

National Arts Center

53 Elgin St., at Confederation Square

613/947-7000).

Canadian and international musical, dance, and theater artists: including the resident National Arts Center (NAC) Orchestra perform at this elaborate center. The building, created by architect Fred Lebensold, is made of three interlocking hexagons beside the Rideau Canal, its terraces giving excellent views of Parliament Hill and the Ottawa River.

There are three auditoriums:

the European-style Opera, seating 2,300

the 950-seat Theatre, with its innovative apron stage

and the 350-seat Studio, employed for experimental works.

The National Arts Center Orchestra

613/996-5051

Guided tours are available.

performs in seven or eight main concert series per year. The center also offers classic and modern drama in English and French.

For reservations, call Ticketmaster at 613/ 755-1111 or visit the NAC box office Monday to Saturday noon to 9pm and Sunday and holidays when performances are scheduled noon to curtain time.

NAC Marketing and Communications Department

Box 1534, Station B, Ottawa, ON K1P 5W1

613/996-5051

www.nac-cna.ca

Offers a free monthly Calendar of NAC Events.

Great Canadian Theatre Company

910 Gladstone Ave.

613/236-5196

presents contemporary drama and comedy with Canadian themes September to May.

Sports

Casino de Hull

1 boulevard du Casino

1-800-665-2274

Daily 11AM - 3AM

At the Casino de Hull, a world-class gaming facility, visitors can try their luck at the gaming tables and slot machines.

The Ottawa Senators (Hockey)

613/599-0300

20min from downtown, bus #183.

one of the youngest teams in the National Hockey League ( their predecessors won a string of Stanley Cups earlier in this century) and currently play at the new 18,500-capacity Corel Center, 1000 Palladium Drive, Kanata (1-800-444-SENS)

Tickets :call Ticketmaster 613/755-1166.

Baseball

The Ottawa Lynx

747-5969.

a farm team (minor league) of the Montréal Expos, play at the Ottawa Stadium, Coventry Rd The season runs from mid-April to late September.

Soccer

Ottawa Intrepid play at Lansdowne Park

1015 Bank (bus #7 or #1) or the Terry Fox Stadium

Riverside Drive (bus #96).

Tickets :call Ticketmaster 613/755-1166.

Events

February

On weekends in February, it's Winterlude 613/239-5000

www.capcan.ca

an extravaganza with parades, ice-sculpture competitions, fireworks, speed skating, snowshoe races, ice boating, curling, and more. One offbeat contest is the bed race on the frozen canal, while the most exciting event may be the harness racing on ice.

May

Ottawa's biggest event is the Canadian Tulip Festival 888/465-1867

www.capcan.ca

for about 2 weeks in mid-May, when the city is ablaze with 200 varieties of tulips enlivening public buildings, monuments, embassies, homes, and driveways. (Among the best viewing points is Dow's Lake.) The festival began in 1945, when the Netherlands sent 100,000 tulip bulbs to Canada in appreciation of the role Canadian troops played in liberating Holland. Festival events include fireworks, concerts, parades, and a flotilla on the canal.

R.C.M.P. Musical Ride Sunset Ceremony

613/ 993-3751

www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca

with outdoor evening performances of music and horsemanship, including jumping and dressage, as well the ride itself.

National Capital Air Show in late May

613/526-1030

www.ncas.ottawa.com

June

National Capital Dragon Boat Race Festival in late June

613/238-7711

www.dragonboat.net

Children's Festival

613/728-5863

www.childfest.ca

In early June, the Canadian Museum of Nature holds this extravaganza of dance, mime, puppetry, and music.

Festival Franco-Ontarien

613/741-1225

www.leroux.ca

In late June, a 5-day celebration of Francophone Canada, featuring classical and other musical concerts, fashion shows, street performers, games and competitions, crafts, and French cuisine.

July

Canada Day

800/ 465-1867

www.capcan.ca

On July 1, Canadians flock to the city to celebrate a huge birthday party with many kinds of entertainment, including fireworks.

Ottawa International Jazz Festival

613/241-2633

www.jazz.ottawa.com

For 10 days in mid-July, the city is filled with the mainstream and cutting-edge sounds of local, national, and international artists giving more than 125 performances at more than 20 venues.

Ottawa Chamber Music Festival

613/234-8008

www.chamberfest.com

North America's largest chamber music festival, with 74 concerts in the city's churches. It lasts 2 weeks.

August

Central Canada Exhibition

613/237-7222

www.the-ex.com

10-days in mid- to late August.

Billings Estate Museum

2100 Cabot St

613/247-4830

Annual Heritage trades fair. Blacksmiths, quilters, cooks and others will demonstrate their crafts, and sell items.: Special historical tours will be offered; tea will be served on the lawn. Local artists will display their work. Daily (except Mondays and Saturdays): Tea will be served under a large striped marquee in the gardens. 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

September

Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival

819/243-2330

On Labor Day weekend, scores of brilliantly colored balloons fill the skies over Ottawa, while on the ground, people flock to musical events and midway rides.

December

In the months of December and January, Parliament Hill, Confederation Boulevard and the downtown area are ablaze with a dazzling display of lights forming a symbolic link of similar Christmas Lights displays in other provincial and territorial capitals, as part of the National Capital Commission's "Christmas Lights Across Canada" program.

Ottawa Destination Overview

Ottawa has been described as one of the most beautiful capitals in the world. Less than an hour's drive from the American border, Ottawa enjoys the attributes of a major center for the visual and performing arts, as well as other big city attractions. Yet, it still maintains the accessibility, atmosphere and charm of a smaller city, in addition to access to spectacular park and wilderness areas located within and around the city. From humble beginnings, Ottawa has evolved into Canada's cultural capital. The most difficult problem visitors have when visiting Ottawa is choosing what to do first.

There are over 50 galleries and theatres in the region, showcasing the best of Canadian and international art, theatre, music, and dance performances. The city's museums, heritage buildings, parks, and monuments paint an exciting picture of its colorful past, while also allowing a glimpse of its future. Canada's Capital Region is the fourth largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a population of just over one million people. The Capital Region is an area comprising two provinces (Ontario and Quebec) and two main cities (Ottawa and Hull), creating a region much like Washington, DC in the United States. The region comprises 27 municipalities (11 on the Ontario side) and covers an area of 1,800 square miles.

Because of its position as the capital of Canada and seat of the federal government, Ottawa has traditionally enjoyed a stable economy and measured growth. In turn, this has provided a supportive business environment for its commercial, industrial, retail, hospitality and government-related industries. The region is the headquarters of many national corporations. Termed "Silicon Valley North," Ottawa is home to more than 800 companies specializing in high technology. It is also a center for advanced research and development, especially in the fields of space science, telecommunications and environmental technology There are three universities in the area, Carleton University, the University of Ottawa and Université de Québec à Hull and two community colleges, Algonquin College and La Cité Collegiale As it is situated on the border of Quebec and Ontario, Ottawa blends English and French cultures; almost half of the residents are bilingual.

Added to this mix is a growing ethnic diversity inspired by the city's German, Lebanese, Italian, Polish, Dutch, Portuguese and Asian populations, among others. The result is a truly cosmopolitan city that celebrates its heritage in many colorful, multicultural festivals and events throughout the year. Ottawa's status as an international capital and its ethnic diversity have created an exciting dining scene. Food to suit just about any taste can be found : from African to Afghani, Canadian to French, German to Greek, from Lebanese to Mexican, Spanish to Sri Lankan, Thai to Turkish, vegetarian to Vietnamese and many others. Ottawa boasts one of the most modern public transit systems in North America.

Visitors who like to shop will find that Ottawa is their kind of city. Whether they are looking for major department stores, discount warehouses or individual boutiques, Ottawa has them all. The capital region is home to 70 large shopping centers. and also smaller shopping centers and boutiques in the downtown core. If it is entertainment visitors are looking for, the city has offerings to suit every taste. The ByWard Market and Elgin Street are well-known for their night clubs, pubs, dance clubs, and live music halls.

Ottawa has five theaters staging plays, musicals, operas and classical concerts. The Corel Center, an 18,500 seat sports and entertainment facility, offers NHL hockey, music's biggest stars, figure skating, and many family events. Ottawa is a meticulously maintained city. The grid-planned streets sparkle. Trucks sweep up litter even in pouring rain.

Snow is whisked off the pavements as soon as it hits; pollution is almost nonexistent. Ottawa has been accessorized with many beautiful parks and gardens, bicycle and jogging paths. The National Gallery of Canada, founded in 1880, is home to the world's largest collection of Canadian art (including major works by Inuit artists) as well as excellent European and American collections. The National Arts Center, opened in 1969, is Canada's premier showcase for the performing arts. It features three stages, where visitors can enjoy the best of English and French theatre, dance - avant garde to classical, music, opera and variety performances year-round.

Under the direction of the newly-appointed and world-renowned celebrated conductor, Pinchas Zucherman, the National Arts Center Orchestra has gained a high international reputation, touring at home and abroad. Ottawa's own Opera Lyra brings opera center-stage with its performances at the National Arts Center. The capital is divided by the Rideau Canal into Upper and Lower Town: to the west, on the steep banks of the Ottawa River, the Gothic-inspired Parliament Buildings are the high point of Upper Town, while in Lower Town the focal point is the boulevard of Sussex Drive, which curves along the river to the mansions of Rockcliffe in the northeast, passing the National Gallery and several other smaller museums on the way. To the south, beyond the Lower Town, the National Museum of Science and Technology. Originally constructed for defense and trading purposes, the 125.5 mile Rideau Canal is today used for leisure and pleasure.

This system of natural lakes and rivers is made navigable by locks, dams and canal cuts. During the winter, the Ottawa portion of the canal is transformed into a 4.5 mile long skating rink which is utilized also by many people on their way to and from their offices. During the summer, the canal provides a haven for hundreds of boating enthusiasts and, for those on shore, a constantly changing panorama of boats of all shapes, sizes and vintages. The Québécois town of Hull, just across the Ottawa River, is linked to Ottawa by five bridges and is fast becoming an integrated part of the city, though Hull is still very proud and protective of its French heritage. On the Hull side of the river is Gatineau Park, where residents and visitors alike enjoy swimming, fishing, biking, spelunking and skiing.

From May until October, train buffs can experience a half day trip along the beautiful Gatineau River on one of Canada's last authentic steam-powered trains.


Family Friendly Guide	Destination City Guide	Worldwide Hotels	Last Minute Deals F.A.Q.	Tours & Attractions
New Orleans Getaways	Miami Getaways	DC Getaways	Discount Vacations Travel	American Travel Getaways

Novotel Ottawa

Novotel Ottawa Property Information:

Novotel Ottawa Service

Novotel Ottawa Reservation Policies:

Ottawa Events & Entertainment

Ottawa Destination Overview