Canada Day Live Again in Ottawa!

This year marks the 155th anniversary of our nation and also the return to a live show in the capital after a few long years of pandemic restrictions!

For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared more than two years ago, people gathered in Ottawa for official Canada Day celebrations. Yesterday’s festivities didn’t take place on Parliament Hill, however, as its buildings are in the midst of a lengthy rehabilitation project. Instead, they were held near the Canadian War Museum at LeBreton Flats, just west of downtown. This is also the longtime home of the Ottawa Bluesfest Festival that we’ll be covering for you beginning this week.

Although many expressed trepidation at heading downtown given the threats of protests, the crowd was relatively substantial and no major incidents were reported. This was no doubt aided by the hefty policy presence on the grounds and the obvious measures to manage crowd control and make sure everyone would be safe and orderly. The party started in the morning with live performances and speeches by the Prime Minister and the Governor General, among others. The party then stretched late into the evening, with a slate of musical performances beginning at 8 p.m. and fireworks to cap the night off. The performances that stood out for me were Ariane Moffatt and Riit performing together – unexpected but they really seemed to find a groove. I also really enjoyed Charlotte Cardin and Sarahmée interpreting Daniel Bélanger’s Fou n’importe ou. It was a true embodiment of female empowerment on stage and a true collaboration like only Canadian artists can.

Here’s a look at what else we saw during the evening ceremony: