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 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 Sugarbush April 12, 2020
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 Museoparc Vanier March 30th to April 5th, 2020
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 23rd to 26th, 2020 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 11th to June 21, 2020
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 6-10, 2020
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 8-18, 2020
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 6th and 7th, 2020
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. Ottawa Grassroots Festival April 23-26, 2020
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.
9. Jane’s Walk Ottawa May 2-3, 2020
A 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.
10. Italian Week Preston Street June 11-21, 2020
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 18-28, 2020
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 13-15, 2020
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 25 – 28, 2020
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 Activities in Ottawa can help you to plan some great adventures 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