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The nation’s capital is turning 200 this year and the City of Ottawa has a number of events planned, some running all the way into the early hours of Sunday, giving Ottawans plenty of time to celebrate.
On Saturday, Marion Dewar Plaza in front of city hall will be transformed into a big birthday block party.
The free event will run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and will include food and drink vendors, art exhibits, live music and an “Ottawa transit museum” put on by OC Transpo, along with other family-friendly events.
The City of Ottawa’s 200th anniversary block party will be held outside city hall on Sept. 26. (City of Ottawa)
It all begins with the opening of the family fun and interactive art zones where visitors can enjoy games and art exhibits.
Ottawa’s Jamie Fine is set to headline the party, performing at 8:15 p.m.
‘It’s so rare to find a topic that isn’t [usually] discussed in music. So we kind of instantly fell in love with this song, and it fit my voice really well.’ — Jamie Fine on Magic!’s ‘Rude’ (Myles Chiu/CBC)
The party will feature free shows by a variety of other artists including a performance of Ottawa’s 200th birthday song Heart of This Place (Adàwe c’est ma Ville), which was released earlier in the summer by a team of four local musicians.
Once night falls, Nuit Blanche Ottawa returns to the city, turning public spaces into illuminated artistic playgrounds. From 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., artwork and performances will animate the downtown area.
Nuit Blanche (Darren Bernhardt/CBC)
Bars and restaurants with special approval will extend their last call past 2 a.m. on Sept. 26. OC Transpo service will also be free on the anniversary weekend — part of the city’s compensation for service disruptions during the past winter.
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A number of streets, museums and public spaces will also offer free experiences this weekend.
The city is also reminding residents that there will be military activity throughout the day. The Canadian Armed Forces will be racing assault boats on the Rideau Canal all afternoon, and each of four races will begin with the firing of a cannon at Parliament Hill.
For more information, the city has a website with full details of the day’s events.