21 Spring Family Fun Events and Activities in Ottawa-Gatineau
Spring is about to bloom in the nation’s capital! Families can take in the warmer weather and enjoy more of what this city has to offer! Ottawa is a great city that offers many events and activities for families to take part in during this time of year. Below are 21 spring family fun events and activities in and around Ottawa to enjoy this year.
21 Spring Family Fun Events and Activities in Ottawa-Gatineau
Specific Dated Events
1. Stanley’s Olde Maple Lane Farm SugarbushSaturdays and Sundays until April 21, 2019
Plan a sweet outing for your family at Stanley’s Olde Maple Lane Farm! Sleigh rides, the sugar shack, taffy in snow treats and the Pancake House are ready for families to experience!
2. Sugar Festival 2018 Museoparc Vanier April 2-7, 2019
This festival brings together a variety of fun activities for families to take in and enjoy. There are maple tastings, musical acts, performers and more.
3. Sparks Street Poutine Festival April 25-28, 2019 Thursday to Saturday 11 am – 9 pm, Sunday 11 am – 7 pm
Fries, cheese, gravy are just the beginnings of what food trucks will have on hand for visitors at PoutineFest! Live music, street performers and patios to watch.
4. Camp Fortune Aerial Park May 5 – June 22 2019
Want to take your family for an exhilarating adventure through the trees just 20 minutes from downtown Ottawa? Visit Camp Fortune’s Zipline and Aerial Park for the ride of your life!
5. Ottawa Children’s Festival May 8-12, 2019
The world of the arts is on display at the Ottawa Children’s Festival! Performers from around the world come to Ottawa to deliver world-class theatre, music and dance to children and their families.
6. Canadian Tulip Festival May 10-20, 2018
Flower power will be in full force at the 2019 Canadian Tulip Festival! Over one million tulips will be on display at this world-famous festival to stroll through and enjoy.
7. Doors Open Ottawa June 1 and 2, 2019
Business owners from Carp to Cumberland open their doors and invite the public through their doors. Visitors get to view the architectural and historically significant buildings for free!
8. Westfest June 7-9, 2019
Take the family for a visit this festival of music, art and life at the biggest free street party in Canada! Concerts and a Kidszone will be available for visitors to enjoy.
9. GlowFair June 14 – 15, 2019
Music, art, and fun brighten downtown Bank Street come together for the GlowFair festival! There is something for everyone to enjoy! Streel instillation, musical performances, street artists, and art for kids are only a few of the events and activities visitors can take in at this festival that lights up this area of the city.
10. Italian Week Preston Street June 6-16, 2019
Delve into the rich diversity of the Italian-Canadian community by taking part in the events and activities of Italian Week! This celebration has been a fixture in the city for over forty years and is one of its largest festivals. Music, food and fun are all part of this annual festival for the community to enjoy.
11. Ottawa Fringe Festival June 13-23, 2019
Take in the arts with your family at the Ottawa Fringe Festival! Various theatre companies will perform for audiences throughout various locations around the city.
12. Festival franco-ontarien Major’s Hill Park – June 14-16, 2019
Plan to visit the biggest French celebration in Canada’s capital region at the Festival franco-ontarien. Concerts, street art and entertainment are awaiting visitors taking in Franco-Ontarian culture.
14. Tim Horton’s Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival June 20 – 23, 2019
200 teams compete in North America’s largest dragon boats at the Tim Horton’s Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival. Watch as these boats hit the water to race to be the fastest on Mooney’s Bay. Visitors can also take in family-friendly activities and musical performances at this festival.
Easter Activities
15. Easter is a hop, skip and a jump away! There are plenty of Easter activities your family can enjoy anywhere to get ready for the Easter Bunny’s visit!
Outdoor Adventures Throughout the Spring
16. Gatineau Park
Trails for various sports. Camping and boating. Learning about how to use a map. Searching for creatures in nature. These are a few of the activities Gatineau Park has for everyone in the family to enjoy!
17. NOKIA Sunday Biking
Dust off those helmets and get the family out on the bike trails with NOKIA Sunday Biking! There are over 50 kilometres of some of Ottawa and Gatineau’s scenic roadways to explore on Sunday mornings. These road closures take place from 9 am – 1 pm from late May to early September every year.
Museum Amusement Throughout the Spring
If rainy days make getting outdoors impossible, a visit to one of the museums is a great place to go! They have special exhibits, films and activities that will entertain your family.
18. Canadian Museum of History
Art, mysteries and animation wait for visitors to learn about and explore this spring at the Canadian Museum of History. The Museum has special exhibitions, permanent exhibitions, and the CINÉ+ to visit.
19. Canadian Museum of Nature
This spring is a buzz at the Canadian Museum of Nature. Visitors can take in the museum’s special exhibits, 3D movies, and permanent exhibits that are a huge hit with kids!
20. Canadian Museum of Science and Technology
The Canadian Science and Technology has something for families to enjoy. Museum favourites such as the locomotives and the Crazy Kitchen are available to interact with.
21. Cumberland Heritage Village Museum
Families will have fun learning at the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum! Animals from the Heritage Livestock Club of Eastern Ontario will be on display. Radio Flyer wagons, go-carts, life-sized board games, and wagon rides will be available to enjoy. Sawmill and blacksmith demonstrations will be available for families to see. Train lovers will love experiencing the Ottawa Valley Live Steamers and Engineers’ miniature railway. Visitors will discover how the railway operates and the history behind it.
Hopefully, these 21 Spring Family Fun Activities in Ottawa can help you to plan some great adventures this season!
What would you like to do with your family this spring?
Category: Arts/Entertainment, Attractions, Blogs, Living, Ottawa & Surrounding Area, Ottawa Events, Spring, Stuff of Interest, Tips, Weekly Themes
Sounds like a wonderful assortment of events to start off celebrations of warm weather.
I love the photo of the children in the tulip field. 🙂
So many great activities and festivals… which is why we love spring and are so ready for it!
Thank you for the list of the actives, reminds me of all what the Ottawa area has to offer.
Good to know with nicer weather and spring break now
A great assortment of activities to enjoy the warmer weather. The Camp Fortune Aerial Park sounds like a lot of fun.
I’d love a trip to Ottawa and especially to the Canadian Tulip Festival. I’m ready for spring/summer vacation.
Lots of wonderful opportunities here.
Canadian Tulip Festival in May is my favorite, such a burst of colors and flowers!
They have so much activities for the kids too!