The summer is shaping up to be a lively season, with the city’s signature events already set in motion. Still haven’t made any plans? Don’t worry, here’s a guide of some of the capital’s most anticipated events and activities.
Markets
Celebrating its 101st season, the Parkdale Public Market remains a cornerstone of the Hintonburg neighborhood and a testament to Kitchissippi’s enduring market culture.
According to Tina Barton, the Market’s organizer, putting a season at Parkdale together looks very different in 2025 than it did in 1924, but the spirit remains unchanged: the market is a place for local farmers, artists, and food vendors to connect with the community and grow their small businesses.
As part of the ByWard Market District Authority, Parkdale collaborates with stakeholders citywide to ensure Ottawa’s historic marketplaces thrive with quality programming and robust support for small businesses.
This year, the market operates seven days a week from May through October, offering a diverse mix of produce, street food, and artisan goods. Some vendors have been part of the market for decades, while others are brand new – but all contribute to a vibrant, ever-changing scene.
Barton said she was lucky to take the lead in organizing centennial events for Parkdale in 2024 and after digging deep into the history of what makes the market special, is excited to see how the market will continue to change with the community.
“What is the future of a public market like Parkdale, and how do changes in farming, business practices, and consumer behaviours impact a space where we’ve sold local food for over 100 years? I think there’s a bright future in store for Parkdale, and I’m looking forward to seeing the first year of our next century unfold,” she said.
Sundays feature a free yoga practice in Parkdale Park, facilitated by PranaShanti Yoga Centre, and the popular Parkdale Night Market returns every Wednesday evening from June 4 to Oct. 8, with live music on the Pat MacLeod Stage, expanded vendor stalls and a lively atmosphere that spills onto Armstrong St. and Hamilton Ave.
At the gateway to Hintonburg in the Wellington West food and shopping district is the Urban Art Collective Hintonburg Night Market. Held every Thursday, the market offers a variety of products that range from art to jewelry, clothing and food.
Festivals
The Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival is a highlight of Ottawa’s cultural calendar, and its success is the result of a full year of planning. Trina Mather-Simard, CEO of Indigenous Experiences and the festival’s producer, said they begin preparing for the next festival during the current season to ensure each year brings something new and memorable for festival fanatics.
“Thankfully, we have so many talented Indigenous artists, elders and chefs,” said Mather-Simard. “We can create new experiences each year and bring back our visitor favourites. We look forward to creating a fun, engaging and family-friendly event that really brings all Canadians together to learn about and celebrate Indigenous culture.”
In 2025, the festival will be set at Wesley Clover Parks. This move allows the festival to expand its offerings which will include a larger pow wow, more vendors and extensive family programming.
Fan-favorite activities like the drone show and glow-in-the-dark pow wow return, joined by exciting new elements such as Indian Relay Racing demonstrations and the SuperDogs dog show.
“The Summer Solstice is more than just a free and fun outing for your family,” said Mather-Simard. “It’s a chance for all Canadians to really immerse in Indigenous culture and appreciate everything it brings. It is a chance for our Indigenous community to reconnect to our culture and our community.”
Mather-Simard said she is especially excited about the new location of the festival due to the opportunity to showcase Indigenous horse culture, including a new program of teachings around the Ojibwe Spirit Horses.
Capital Pride continues to be one of Ottawa’s most anticipated summer festivals, and 2025 promises to be the biggest festival yet.
Organizing Capital Pride is a year-round effort, with each festival building on the last. Callie Metler, the festival’s executive director, said she has been a part of planning for three festivals in a row and is thrilled to be a part of the 2025 edition.
Metler said the entire team works hard to ensure the event is inclusive, vibrant and reflective of the community’s diversity. The festival’s growth has been unstoppable, with attendance increasing by 10 to 20 per cent each year since 2022, and this year’s theme, “We Are The Village,” emphasizes the importance of the local community.
“We’re just really looking forward to having the biggest parade in Ottawa again, the Pride Parade,” said Metler. “It’s really exciting to see the festival get bigger and better every year.”
Signature events return, including the family picnic and the Capital Pride pageant, alongside new programming such as an international human rights panel focused on international perspectives on creating 2SLGBTQ-dedicated safer spaces.
The festival features a street festival with 150 community groups, a main stage drag extravaganza with drag race headliners and curated DJ lineups.
Metler said the theme, as well as advocacy, are very important parts of the celebration this year.
“There’s always kind of something coming down the pipeline when we’re talking about Pride festivals,” said Metler. “But we’re doing whatever we can to just make sure that, for that week, we’re celebrating the wins that we’ve accumulated throughout the year for the advocacy that we do and the lives we lead as a community.”
The festival culminates with Ottawa’s largest pride parade, expected to draw over 12,000 people and more than 250 groups. For Metler, the most magical moment is the start of the parade, when the city comes together in celebration.
“The thing that I always remember is I really look forward to just being able to say happy Pride to people,” said Metler. “And for people to know that that’s a time to celebrate and a time to be who they are. It just has so much meaning, that little phrase – happy Pride.”
One of the vendors that will be at the pride festival is Tubby Tabby Soaps, a queer and trans-owned family business that makes small-batch, handmade soap. The brand also includes a range of sustainability initiatives such as packaging trade-ins and use of sustainable materials.
Co-owner, Lia Walsh said they make quality products with a cute and fun personality that shines through their products and marketing.
“We make a real effort to make our products as inclusive as possible,” said Walsh. “Part of that is making soap that looks like various Pride Flags, but another part is making sure we’re using inclusive language in our marketing. We decided from the start not to gender our soaps, for instance. And we try to steer away from appropriating cultures that aren’t ours. Pop culture references are typically related to folks that have shown support for marginalized communities because we feel those are the voices that should be magnified.”
Capital Pride Week begins Aug. 16 and concludes with the parade on Aug. 24 starting at 1:00 p.m.
Central Experimental Farm
The Central Experimental Farm offers a range of sightseeing, history and educational programming.
According to Linda McLaren, gardens director for the Friends of the Central Experimental Farm, summer tours are put together in a collaborative effort, with volunteer garden teams leading tours during peak bloom times, although weather can always be a factor. Information is shared online, and tours are popular enough to require waitlists. Each tour offers visitors a chance to explore specific gardens or plant collections, learn about the history and care of the gardens and enjoy the results of the volunteers’ hard work.
“We do this every year,” she said. “Asking the volunteers who lead the various garden teams to lead the tours – they choose dates when the gardens are likely to be at their best, though that can be a bit of a guess as the weather affects bloom time.”
What makes the farm special is its accessibility — a free, beautiful attraction in the heart of the city, where visitors can return throughout the summer and fall to witness the changing landscape.
The Canada Agriculture and Food Museum, located on the farm, offers hands-on experiences for families, including animal encounters, kitchen demonstrations and interactive science labs. For the volunteers, the tours are a chance to share their passion and expertise, as well as highlight the unique features and stories of the gardens.