Happy Monday, Ottawa! Do you smell the pollen in the air? Yeah? That must mean we're officially well into tulip season.
As we speak, over a million tulips are blooming all over the National Capital Region. Isn't that wild? The largest tulip festival on the planet is going on right now, and it's here, in Ottawa, "the city that fun forgot."
Here's the hard and cold truth: Ottawa is not boring after all. You just need to know where to look.
This is exactly why Narcity and I are here to provide you with a weekly guide to help you get through your week in the capital. I'll keep you updated with everything you need to know about what's happening in Ottawa each and every Monday. That includes the weather, things to do, entertainment, food recommendations, and so much more.
With all that being said, let's get started.
🗞️ THINGS TO KNOW 🗞️
☀️ WEATHER ☀️
The sun and rainfall will play peek-a-boo for the first part of the week, but starting Wednesday, you should expect to see more reliable sunshine.
This week's high will be 20 C, with a low of 15 C. If you plan on attending the Tulip Festival, this weekend will be the best time to go, as it'll be a nice and comfortable 20 C.
All in all, even though the weather should be relatively cooperative for this week's festivities, it may be a good idea to keep an umbrella on hand as the weather has been quite unpredictable recently.
If you notice that the city feels smoky this week, don't be alarmed. Wildfire smoke is drifting across Canada and triggering air quality advisories in some areas, although the majority of this is expected to have cleared by the weekend.
🌷TULIP FESTIVITIES ALL WEEK LONG🌷
Commissioners Park is beautiful, but it's relatively small, so if you want to get the most out of this year's tulip season; get your steps in. Consider taking the O-Train to uOttawa station, walking over to the canal, and then walking an hour along the water until you get to Commissioners Park. Along the way, you'll be able to take in the vibrant pinks, purples, oranges, and reds of the blooming tulips of spring.
This week, you'll also find a whole spectrum of colourful tulips in Ottawa and Gatineau's downtowns. I highly recommend taking some time to appreciate how charming the National Capital Region looks right now.
🏒A NEW HEAD COACH FOR THE OTTAWA SENATORS🏒
The search is finally over! Last week, it was announced that the Senators had found their new head coach, Travis Green.
Green, the former head coach for the Vancouver Canucks, and, most recently, the interim head coach for the New Jersey Devils, is set to be the head coach for the next four years.
Before starting his coaching career, Green was a player for 14 seasons, getting his start in the 1989 NHL Draft.
🚲 NCC WEEKEND BIKE DAYS ARE BACK 🚲
Last weekend marked the beginning of the National Capital Commission's Weekend Bike Days for the 2024 season.
Three Ottawa parkways operated by the National Capital Commission will be pedestrianized every weekend until October 14, 2024. No cars or buses will be permitted on the parkways, making it a beautiful place to take a bike ride by yourself, with friends, or with loved ones.
The Kichi Zībī Mīkan Parkway and Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parkway will be open to just bikes and pedestrians from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday. The Queen Elizabeth Driveway will be car-free every Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
🗓️ UPCOMING EVENTS 🗓️
🌷 WATCH A DRONE SHOW AT THE TULIP FESTIVAL'S CLOSING CEREMONIES 🌷
Price: Free
When: Sunday, May 19th, 2024, from 8:30 p.m. until 9:45 p.m.
Address: The Man with Two Hats Sculpture at 1001 Queen Elizabeth Driveway, Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: Come pay witness to the commemoration of the end of the 2024 Tulip Festival. There will be guest speakers, as well as a 10 minute drone show consisting of 200 drones at 9:30 p.m.
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
Canadian Tulip Festival website
🎪 A CIRCUS CABARET SHOWCASE AT THE ARTS COURT THEATRE 🎪
Price: $38.45
When: Friday, May 17, 2024, from 5:30 p.m. until 9 p.m.
Address: Arts Court Theatre, 2 Daly Ave, Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: Cirque A La Carte is a local showcase of all kinds of circus talents that are "crafted with passion." On Friday night, they'll be performing their acts in a very intimate setting, so you'll be able to witness these talented folks up close!
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible via 67 Nicholas St entrance
🎊 GET YOUR ROLLER SKATES ON; WE ARE HAVING A PARTY! 🎊
Price: $15 to $27.96
When: Friday, May 17, 2024
All Ages Session: From 5:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.
Adult Session: From 8:30 p.m. until 11 p.m.
Address: Horticulture Building at Lansdowne, 1525 Princess Patricia Way, Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: The Ottawa Quad Rollerskating Club is hosting an "Unbirthday Roller Party" this Friday and it's a fundraiser for the Algonquin Students' Association Food Cupboard.
If you have young ones, come by around 5:00 p.m. for the all ages session. However, if you're looking to be among just adults, come by after 8:30 p.m for the adult session, which will have live music.
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
Ottawa Quad Rollerskating Club Eventbrite
🇵🇰 CHECK OUT THE PAKISTANI FOOD FESTIVAL 🇵🇰
When: Saturday, May 18th, 2024, from 12 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.
Address: Greely Community Center, 1448 Meadow Dr, Greely, ON
Why You Need To Go: Salam Pakistan Canada, Canada's leading Pakistani community organization, is hosting its Pakistani Food Festival right here in the National Capital Region.
There will be live music, a cooking competition, a Henna Artist stall and, of course, plenty of food!
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
🏆 WEEKLY PICKS 🏆
☕ CAFÉ OF THE WEEK ☕
Name: Euro Bistro
Price: $2 to $17
Address: 274 Elgin St, Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: Euro Bistro is a little slice of Europe on Elgin Street.
The menu is incredibly extensive in terms of both food and beverages. Get a uniquely flavoured latte, like a Peach Cobbler Latte or a Créme Brûlée Latte.
I've been going to this place since it first opened last year, and each time I visit, I feel at home. The staff are lovely, and the food is delicious. My favourite item on the menu is Burrata on pita bread for $11.25.
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
🥙 SHAWARMA SPOT OF THE WEEK 🥙
Name: Mr. Fez
Price: $3.99 to $20
Address: 129 Bank St, Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: Mr. Fez has an incredibly creative menu compared to many other shawarma restaurants in town.
Of course, you can get the classic shawarma staples, but they also offer items like "Tacowarma," which is exactly what it sounds like. They also serve tasty and perfectly prepared falafel, and every employee wears an actual fez.
I highly suggest coming here for lunch if you find yourself in Centretown.
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
🍸 BAR OF THE WEEK🍸
Name: Nan's Parlour
Price: $7 to $24
Address: 73 Clarence St, Ottawa, ON
Why You Need To Go: You have to check out this cute, chic and cozy cocktail bar in the Byward Market. The cocktails are all delicious, and some really tasty craft beer is available on tap.
My personal favourite is the Perth Honey Lager for $8.50. The vibes here alone make it worth a weekend visit.
Accessibility: Nan's parlour is wheelchair accessible and a barrier-free environment
🍛 FOOD NEWS 🍛
🍴FINE DINING "WORTHY OF A MICHELIN STAR"🍴
When did you last sit down for a classy, multi-course meal? Sit across from Narcity's Jordan Pizzuti as he tours you through three fine dining establishments in Ottawa he deems "Michelin star-worthy."
From a restaurant that specializes in working with "molecular gastronomy" to simply delicious Indian cuisine -- I'm getting hungry!
🍔 JUST A REALLY TASTY BURGER 🍔
Last week, I had the best burger I've ever eaten in a parking lot in Little Italy. Smash Daddy is Ottawa's most viral food truck, and it only opened in March of this year.
The patties are cooked perfectly, with crispy, brown, and crunchy caramelized edges. They even offer a wagyu smash patty and a smokey, delectable "secret sauce" generously spread on each bun.
Wherever you are in the city, this food truck is a must-visit.
🍹 5 OTTAWA BRUNCH SPOTS ARE AMONG THE TOP 100🍹
Who needs therapy when you can just go out for brunch with the gals?
Narcity's very own Madeline Forsyth revealed last week that five Ottawa restaurants are officially in the brunch "big leagues."
Online restaurant reservation service OpenTable recently analyzed over 1.3 million reviews and dining metrics from its database to compile a list of the best 100 brunch restaurants across the country — and Ottawa is home to several. Yum!
🧳 TRAVEL UPDATES 🧳
🇲🇽 CANADA HAS UPDATED ITS TRAVEL ADVISORY FOR MEXICO 🇲🇽
Are you planning a trip down south? Narcity's Katherine Casperz reports that Canada has updated its travel advisory for Canadian citizens planning to travel to Mexico in the next few weeks ahead of the country's general election on June 2, 2024.
Canadian travellers are urged to "exercise a high degree of caution" if visiting Mexico, so make a note of that if you're travelling, Ottawans!
🛫 OTTAWA RANKS #9 FOR CHEAPEST CITIES TO FLY TO IN CANADA 🛫
Looking to see other parts of the country this summer but don't have much cash to splurge?
Narcity's Katherine Casperz has you covered with a recent top 10 list of the cheapest cities to fly to in Canada. Ottawa made it into the top ten, but was beaten by Toronto in first place, followed by Halifax, Calgary and Winnipeg, among others.
🇪🇺 CHEAP FLIGHTS FROM TORONTO TO EUROPE 🇪🇺
This summer might be your chance to hop the pond if you're working with a tight travel budget.
You can get a one-way flight from Toronto to Europe for less than $250 right now, which impressive considering the normal price is almost two times that. So, consider booking your trip from Toronto Pearson rather than Ottawa Airport this summer if you want the best deal.
That's all for now. Have a great week, Ottawa!
