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 activities for families to take part in during this time of year. Below are 21 spring activities in Ottawa to enjoy with the kids!
Spring Family Activities in Ottawa
There are many spring outdoor activities for families to enjoy in Ottawa!
1. Easter Activities in April
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!
2. Ottawa Grassroots Festival April 20-23, 2023
The Ottawa Grassroots Festival is an annual family event that celebrates folk music, dance and spoken word. The festival is held at the Southminster United Church in the Glebe neighbourhood.
3. Beauty and The Beast, Opera for Young Audiences May 4th, 2023
In an enchanting production adapted for young audiences, this opera recounts the beloved fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast. In the exotic setting of an island in the Indian Ocean, bright, cheery music abounds, transporting the audience to a fantastical land that brims with fun and excitement. Show is held at the Shenkman Arts Centre. Tickets can be purchased online.
4. Wesley Clover Parks Equestrian Tournaments starting May 2023
World-class equestrian sport located at the Wesley Clover Parks in the heart of the nation’s capital. Bring the family as spectators to view showjumping at it’s best!
5. CN Cycle for CHEO on May 7, 2023
Dust off those helmets and get the family out on their bikes for the CN Cycle for CHEO! This family-friendly event has everyone ride the open road, enjoy a fun day with friends and family, and a chance to support children facing cancer. Please register ahead of time.
6. Jane’s Walk Ottawa May 6th and 7th, 2023
Jane Walk Ottawa is festival of free neighbourhood walking tours given by locals who care passionately about where they live, work, and play. All over Ottawa, so check out their website for updates on walk dates, times, and topics, plus information about our incredible kick-off and wrap-up events.
7. Canadian Tulip Festival May 12th to 22nd, 2023
Flower power will be in full force at the 2023 Canadian Tulip Festival! Over one million tulips will be on display at this world-famous festival to stroll through and enjoy.
8. Ottawa Children’s Festival May 11th-14th, 2023
The world of the arts is on display at the Ottawa Children’s Festival! Spend an awesome day at this spring family fun festival. Performers from around the world come to Ottawa to deliver world-class theatre, music and dance to children and their families.
9. Camp Fortune Aerial Park Starting May 19th, 2023
Want to take your family for an exhilarating adventure through the trees just 20 minutes from downtown Ottawa? Visit Camp Fortune’s Aerial Park for the ride of your life!
10. Cumberland Heritage Village Museum as of May, 2023 (TBA)
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.
11. Ottawa Titans Baseball Club starting May 5th, 2023
Take the family to a fun baseball game as the Ottawa Titans Baseball Club start their second season on May 5th at the RCGT Park.
12. Ottawa Ribfest on Sparks Street TBA
Ottawa Ribfest is a family-friendly event featuring delicious mouthwatering ribs, meat treats as well as vegetarian options. There are plenty of entertainment, live music, and kids activities.
13. Doors Open Ottawa June 3rd and 4th, 20223
Business owners from Carp to Cumberland open their doors and invite the public through their doors with Doors Open Ottawa. Visitors get to view the architectural and historically significant buildings for free!
14. Bird Watching in Ottawa ( spring and summer months)
When bird watching in Ottawa, please follow birding etiquette as specified in the Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club (OFNC) code of conduct, as well as any rules posted at the sites. If you are looking for a location where birds where sighting, OFNC regularly gathers and shares recent sighting information. They also share a list of the best locations where you can go birding around Ottawa.
15. Italian Week on Preston Street TBA
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.
16. Ottawa Fringe Festival TBA
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.
17. Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival June 22nd-25th, 2023
200 teams compete in North America’s largest dragon boats at the 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.
18. Gatineau Park (year round)
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 spring family fun day activities Gatineau Park has for everyone in the family to enjoy!
19. Canadian Museum of History (year round)
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.
20. Canadian Museum of Nature (year round)
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!
21. Canadian Museum of Science and Technology (year round)
The Canadian Museum of Science and Technology has something for families to enjoy. Museum favourites such as the locomotives and science exhibits are available to interact with.
Hopefully, these 21 Spring Activities in Ottawa can help you to plan some great adventures with the family this season!
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!
We plan to be in the Ottawa area in April 2020 and this blog offers a lot of sightseeing and things to do.
Yes, we do! You can check the list for spring 2020 in March!
sounds like some fun things to do but I will have to wait til next spring now
I would like to see the Canadian Tulip Festival.
Hope to be in Ottawa again one day. Will definitely be looking at these ideas when we are there.
The Tulip Festival and the Dragon Boat Festival sound like a lot of fun.
The OTTAWA CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL would be fun to take the kids to.