Looking for fun activities in the Ottawa area? Check out these options over the next seven days, starting on Thursday, February 5. Be sure to verify details with the organizers as plans can change at any time.
Ongoing | Warm up indoors and immerse yourself in the sounds, sights, and stories of Centre Block with a free visit to the multi-media attraction Parliament: The Immersive Experience.
Ongoing | Experience Canadian winter at its best in Ottawa–Gatineau with these top things to do this weekend at Winterlude! BARBEGAZI in the ByWard Market, Art Battle: Inspired by the Vault at the Canadian War Museum, the Ryan Hill Ice-Carving Public Challenge at Confederation Park, and the Rideau Hall’s Winter Celebration.
For more Winterlude excitement…
- Until Friday, February 6 | Taste Ottawa: Capital City Bites features a curated lineup of Ottawa restaurants, cafés, and culinary businesses offering exclusive menus, special features, and limited-time bites created specifically for the event.
- Ongoing | Every winter, the Rideau Canal turns into the Rideau Canal Skateway, aka, the world’s largest skating rink! FREE!
- Friday, February 6 to Sunday, February 8 | Expect a weekend with sky-high levels of adrenaline with ice-cold freestyle snowmobile performances reaching up to 40 feet in the air with BARBEGAZI, held in the ByWard Market. FREE!
- Friday, February 6 | Experience Winterlude after dark with Afterslide Evenings, a new nighttime program designed for teenagers and young adults at the Snowflake Kingdom. This festive winter experience blends DJ performances, illuminated attractions, tube sliding and interactive features like a 360-degree camera.
- Ongoing | Winter Wander: Winterlude Edition adds fresh energy to the street with live DJs, ice sculptures, interactive installations, and photo ready moments throughout downtown. FREE!
- Ongoing | Step into The Lantern Grove, a magical forest where light, sound, and winter wonder come together in an immersive experience designed to delight all ages. FREE!
- Ongoing | Capital Art Fair Gallery Winterlude Art Show features more than 30 Ottawa-area artists and artisans presenting original winter- and Ottawa-inspired works in gallery and boutique settings. FREE!
- Saturday, February 7 | Young and old alike can have fun while taking part in winter sports and activities outside on the grounds of Rideau Hall, the official residence and workplace of Canada’s Governor General. FREE!
- Ongoing on Saturdays and Sundays | Discover how money has evolved in Canada through engaging objects and hands on exploration at the Bank of Canada Museum. FREE!
For arts, culture and markets…
- Fridays and Saturdays | Dance the night away at Club Aléa in the Casino du Lac-Leamy with its lineup of talented DJs!
- Ongoing Wednesdays through Sundays |At Le Petit Chef, guests enjoy a playful animated chef who appears on their plates between courses, adding whimsy to the meal, blending 3D projection with creative gastronomy. Held at Tulip Restaurant and Bar.
- Friday, February 6 to Sunday, February 8 | Experience the energy of competitive gaming at Perfect Storm, an in-person esports tournament that brings the fighting game community together in Ottawa.
- Friday, February 6 to Sunday, February 8 | Join Unikkaatuarniq: Snowscreen for a celebration of Indigenous films from the circumpolar North! At Lansdowne Park and Beandigen Cafe. FREE!
- Friday, February 6 | The one-of-a-kind Capital Hoops Classic returns to The Arena at TD Place, featuring men’s and women’s basketball matchups. Four of Canada’s top teams will go head-to-head in this highly anticipated double-header.
- Friday, February 6 to Sunday, February 8 | Founded in 1966, Canadian Ski Marathon is North America’s oldest cross-country skiing event, taking place in the beautiful Outaouais region.
- Saturday, February 7; Sunday, February 8; Wednesday, February 11 | Support the Ottawa 67’s at TD Place Arena at Lansdowne.
- Saturday, February 7 | The Ottawa Black Creatives Hub Showcase returns with a second edition that highlights the work of emerging Black artists in the capital. At the Shenkman Arts Centre.
- Saturday, February 7 | In The Air Tonight is a tribute performance celebrating the music of Phil Collins and Genesis. At Hard Rock Ottawa Hotel & Casino.
- Saturday, February 7 | Explore the art of street photography with the National Gallery of Canada in a dynamic three-part series inspired by the exhibition Camera and the City. Presented with the SPAO: Photographic Arts Centre, the series offers a tour of the exhibition, a ByWard Market photo walk, and a photo critique session.
- Saturday, February 7 | Cheer on the Ottawa Black Bears, the city's Canadian professional box lacrosse team that competes in the National Lacrosse League.
- Sunday, February 8 | Explore over 85 local vendors year-round at the Lansdowne Farmers’ Market every Sunday. FREE!
