Ottawa turns 200 on Saturday, and you can mark the milestone by pulling a 10-plus-tonne fire truck in the ByWard Market, dancing at a free block party downtown, or staying out until sunrise as Nuit Blanche transforms the core into an open-air gallery. Those unusually big anniversary celebrations share the weekend with Chinatown’s Mid-Autumn Night Market, Jagged Little Pill in Hintonburg and the 50th Ottawa International Animation Festival, giving Ottawa events this weekend a particularly strong mix of street festivals, art, food and performances. Friday starts with vegan snacks at Parkdale Public Market and ends with Latin jazz or contemporary Irish dance, while Saturday ranges from a 9:00 AM museum celebration to a 7:00 AM Nuit Blanche finish on Sunday. Here are 15 Ottawa events this weekend, September 25-27.
Top Ottawa events this weekend
1. Ottawa 200 Block Party
Ottawa’s 200th birthday takes over Marion Dewar Plaza with a free, 12-hour celebration on Saturday. The program combines live music, cultural programming, interactive art installations and community-led activities, with local food and beverage vendors on site throughout the day. Running from morning until late evening, it’s one of the easiest anniversary events to build other downtown plans around.
π Saturday, September 26, 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM π Marion Dewar Plaza, 110 Laurier Avenue West, Downtown Ottawa ποΈ Free
2. Nuit Blanche Ottawa
The ByWard Market becomes an overnight open-air gallery when Nuit Blanche Ottawa runs from Saturday evening straight through to 7:00 AM Sunday. Highlights include eVenti Verticali: CUBO dance performances at 7:20 PM, 9:20 PM and 11:20 PM, the Prismatica prism labyrinth, the interactive Impulse light-up seesaw and Monuments portrait projections. Admission is free, making this a standout option for anyone looking for late-night Ottawa nightlife that goes well beyond the usual bar or club.
π Saturday, September 26 at 7:00 PM to Sunday, September 27 at 7:00 AM π ByWard Market Square and surrounding areas, 55 ByWard Market Square ποΈ Free
3. Ottawa Chinatown Mid-Autumn Night Market
Somerset Street West fills with street food, lion dances, martial arts, music and crowds for three days at the Ottawa Chinatown Mid-Autumn Night Market. Food is a major part of the experience, with dumplings, BBQ skewers, bubble tea and desserts among the options to look for while exploring the closed-off stretch between Bronson Avenue and Bell Street North. The combination of performances and food and drink in Ottawa makes this an easy event to visit for an hour or turn into a full evening.
π Friday, September 25 to Sunday, September 27, starting Friday at 6:00 PM π Somerset Street West between Bronson Avenue and Bell Street North, Chinatown ποΈ Free
4. Ottawa International Animation Festival
The Ottawa International Animation Festival celebrates its 50th anniversary with five days of screenings, competitions, workshops, talks and parties. Weekend visitors can explore short film competitions, Animation ExposΓ©, hands-on animation workshops and artist talks, with programming spread across Arts Court, ByTowne and other downtown venues. Cartoonist Seth designed the anniversary poster, adding another distinctly Canadian creative name to a festival that has spent half a century bringing animators and audiences together in Ottawa.
π Wednesday, September 23 to Sunday, September 27 π Arts Court and other downtown Ottawa venues, including 67 Nicholas Street ποΈ Admission varies by festival event
5. Ottawa 200 Day: Bytown Together
The Bytown Museum is celebrating Ottawa’s 200th birthday with free admission and a full schedule of special programming. Saturday’s activities include an Indigenous welcome, costumed interpreters and a Heritage Fair from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, plus theatrical performances by Pierre Brault at 11:30 AM, 1:00 PM and 2:30 PM. Its location beside the Rideau Canal also puts you within walking distance of several other major anniversary events happening downtown.
π Saturday, September 26, beginning at 9:00 AM π Bytown Museum, 1 Canal Lane, Downtown Ottawa ποΈ Free
More Ottawa events this weekend
1. Vegans Who Snack Food and Art Festival
Parkdale Public Market gets a plant-based makeover on Friday evening with Vegans Who Snack. The festival brings together vegan food and art vendors in the heart of Hintonburg. Little Jo Berry’s is organizing the event. Small businesses are at the centre of the vendor lineup.
Expect food from independent vegan vendors rather than a single restaurant or caterer. Art vendors add a shopping component between snacks. That combination makes the event useful for groups who want something more casual than a sit-down Friday dinner.
The festival runs for four hours, from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Its Parkdale Avenue location also puts Wellington Street West nearby if you want to continue the night elsewhere in Hintonburg. Admission pricing was not included in the supplied listing, so check the organizer’s event page before heading over.
π Friday, September 25, 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM π Parkdale Public Market, 366 Parkdale Avenue, Hintonburg ποΈ Admission price not listed in the supplied event information
2. Ottawa Latin Jazz Conference
Latin jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms fill the NAC’s Fourth Stage during the Ottawa Latin Jazz Conference. The weekend program celebrates Canada’s multicultural diaspora through music and conversation. Rachelle Behrens, Anh Phung & Civil Lizard and the Orlando Cardoso Trio are among the featured performers.
The conference is more than a series of concerts. Workshops, panels and networking sessions are also part of the September 25 to 27 program. That gives musicians and dedicated jazz fans opportunities to engage with the music beyond watching a performance.
Friday’s concert runs from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Tickets for that performance are $25. For anyone comparing live-music Ottawa events this weekend, the conference offers an intimate alternative to the much larger productions elsewhere at the NAC.
π Friday, September 25 to Sunday, September 27, with Friday’s concert from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM π Fourth Stage, National Arts Centre, 1 Elgin Street ποΈ $25 for the listed Friday concert
3. Michael Keegan-Dolan’s MΓM
Twelve dancers and live musicians take over Southam Hall for Michael Keegan-Dolan’s MΓM. The work draws on Irish culture and mythology. TeaΔ DaαΉsa performs the production with concertina player Cormac Begley and five contemporary musicians.
The live music is central to the experience rather than simply accompanying the dancers. Movement and sound combine throughout a performance lasting approximately 80 minutes. The supplied event listing describes the work as an experience of “ritualised ecstasy.”
Performances take place at 8:00 PM on both Friday and Saturday. That gives audiences two chances to catch the production during the weekend. Tickets range from $33 to $79, making it an option for people seeking contemporary dance or multidisciplinary performance rather than a conventional play or concert.
π Friday, September 25 and Saturday, September 26 at 8:00 PM π Southam Hall, National Arts Centre, 1 Elgin Street ποΈ $33 to $79
4. Jagged Little Pill
TotoToo Theatre brings the Tony Award-winning Jagged Little Pill to the Great Canadian Theatre Company in Hintonburg. The musical is built around the songs of Alanis Morissette. Its story follows the Healy family as relationships, identity and personal truths come to the surface.
Fans will recognize songs including You Oughta Know, Hand in My Pocket and Ironic. The familiar soundtrack is woven into a contemporary family story rather than presented as a tribute concert. That makes the production accessible both to longtime Morissette listeners and musical theatre audiences.
The run continues through October 3, with performances taking place during this weekend. Tickets are listed at $69 plus tax and a $3 service fee. If you’re looking for a theatre-focused Ottawa date idea, the Wellington Street West location also makes it straightforward to pair the show with dinner or drinks in Hintonburg.
π Performances during the weekend, with the run continuing through October 3 π Great Canadian Theatre Company, 1233 Wellington Street West, Hintonburg ποΈ $69 plus tax and $3 service fee
5. Ottoberfest
Lansdowne Park gets a Bavarian-themed party on Saturday with Ottoberfest. The event runs inside the Horticulture Building. Admission is free, but the celebration is restricted to guests 19 and older.
Stein-holding competitions are part of the program. There are also singalongs, games, live music and a best-dressed prize. Organizers are even planning a world record attempt for the longest online video chain toast.
The party starts at noon and continues until 11:00 PM. That long schedule gives visitors flexibility to stop by before or after other Glebe plans. Among Ottawa events this weekend, it’s one of the more straightforward picks for groups looking for a lively adult afternoon or evening without paying an admission charge.
π Saturday, September 26, 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM π Horticulture Building, 1525 Princess Patricia Way, Lansdowne Park ποΈ Free, 19+
6. OAG Mini Market
The Ottawa Art Gallery is celebrating its anniversary weekend with a special edition of the OAG Mini Market. The curated marketplace features handmade goods from Ottawa artists and makers. Vendors are set up on Level 1 just outside the OAG Shop.
This is primarily a shopping and browsing event rather than a formal exhibition or performance. It gives visitors a chance to meet local makers and look for locally produced pieces. The gallery setting also makes it easy to combine the market with other arts programming nearby.
The market runs from 1:00 PM until 8:00 PM on Saturday. Admission is free. Its Daly Avenue location is especially convenient if you’re already downtown for the Ottawa 200 celebrations, animation festival or Nuit Blanche later that evening.
π Saturday, September 26, 1:00 PM to 8:00 PM π Ottawa Art Gallery, 10 Daly Avenue, Downtown Ottawa ποΈ Free
7. REDBLACKS vs Calgary Stampeders
The Ottawa REDBLACKS face the Calgary Stampeders at TD Place on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 PM. Doors open one hour earlier at 2:00 PM.
The game is being paired with a substantial lineup of family activities. Face painting, balloon artists, a petting zoo, characters and gaming stations are among the extras listed. A baby race is also scheduled for halftime.
That makes the afternoon more than a standard football game for families bringing younger children. TD Place’s Glebe location puts restaurants and other Lansdowne attractions close by before and after kickoff. Ticket pricing was not included in the supplied event listing, so check TD Place for current seat options before attending.
π Saturday, September 26 at 3:00 PM, doors at 2:00 PM π The Stadium at TD Place, 1015 Bank Street, The Glebe ποΈ Ticket price not listed in the supplied event information
8. Ottawa Fire Truck Pull
A 10-plus-tonne Ottawa Fire Services truck becomes the centrepiece of an unusual competition in the ByWard Market on Saturday evening. Teams of 10 will attempt to haul the vehicle 100 feet. Spectators can watch without having to sign up for the pull themselves.
The event is part of Ottawa’s 200th anniversary celebrations. It’s presented in partnership with Nuit Blanche and Ottawa Fire Services. CHEZ 106.1 is scheduled to host the welcome activities beginning at 6:00 PM.
The sheer scale of the challenge makes this one of the weekend’s more unusual spectator events. ByWard Market Square will already be a major activity hub as Nuit Blanche prepares to run overnight. Admission information was not specified in the supplied listing, so spectators should check the event site for any final attendance details.
π Saturday, September 26 from 6:00 PM π ByWard Market Square, 55 ByWard Market Square ποΈ Admission price not listed in the supplied event information
9. Le Clown Burlesque Show 2
Clown performance and burlesque collide at The Show Ottawa on Saturday night. The 19+ production brings performers from both disciplines together in the ByWard Market. Comedy, theatricality and adult cabaret-style performance are all part of the concept.
The night begins with a social hour hosted by DJ Serpenta Neona. That portion runs from 7:00 PM until 7:30 PM. The main performance then continues until 10:00 PM.
The organizers describe the atmosphere as relaxed and filled with surprises. At $30, it’s one of the smaller ticketed nightlife productions in this weekend’s selection. Its Clarence Street location also makes it easy to step directly into the wider Nuit Blanche atmosphere after the show finishes.
π Saturday, September 26, social hour at 7:00 PM and main show from 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM π The Show Ottawa, 104 Clarence Street, ByWard Market ποΈ $30, 19+
10. Rise Ashen and Iron Cabaret
DJ Rise Ashen and Iron Cabaret join forces for a free outdoor late-night performance at the National Arts Centre. Rise Ashen supplies soulful house beats. Iron Cabaret brings aerial artistry, acrobatics and GoGo dance into the mix.
The performance is connected to Nuit Blanche Ottawa. That places it within a much larger overnight program of art and performance happening across the downtown core. It also means you can treat the NAC as one stop on a longer Nuit Blanche route.
The event starts at 9:00 PM on Saturday and continues until 2:00 AM Sunday. Admission is free. For people who want Ottawa events this weekend that continue well past midnight, this offers five hours of outdoor music and performance without a ticket cost.
π Saturday, September 26 at 9:00 PM to Sunday, September 27 at 2:00 AM π Peter A. Herrndorf Place, National Arts Centre, 1 Elgin Street ποΈ Free
Frequently asked questions
What’s free in Ottawa this weekend?
Nuit Blanche Ottawa, Ottawa 200 Block Party, Ottawa 200 Day: Bytown Together and Rise Ashen and Iron Cabaret are all free options in this weekend’s lineup. Find more no-cost activities on our free events in Ottawa page.
What are some good date ideas in Ottawa this weekend?
Jagged Little Pill, MΓM, the Ottawa Chinatown Mid-Autumn Night Market and the Ottawa Latin Jazz Conference can all work for a weekend date, depending on whether you’d rather see theatre, dance, explore street food or hear live music. Find more inspiration on our Ottawa date ideas page.
Where can I find nightlife in Ottawa this weekend?
Nuit Blanche Ottawa runs right through the night, while Rise Ashen and Iron Cabaret continues until 2:00 AM and Le Clown Burlesque Show 2 offers a 19+ Saturday performance in the ByWard Market. Explore more evening options in our Ottawa nightlife guide.
What family-friendly events are happening in Ottawa this weekend?
Ottawa 200 Block Party, Ottawa 200 Day: Bytown Together, the REDBLACKS game and the Ottawa International Animation Festival all offer programming that can work well for families, although individual festival screenings should be checked for age suitability. Browse more family options on our Ottawa events page.
New listings get added constantly, check the complete calendar of Ottawa events.
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