To mark the 180th anniversary of the Rideau Canal, families, heritage buffs, and art fans will be treated to four days of outdoor entertainment on the canal throughout the August long weekend.
The Aug. 3-6 Rideau Canal Festival will celebrate the landmark’s history and its current use as a leisure hot-spot through a bevy of exhibits and entertainers.
Animated shows at the Bytown Museum/ Ottawa Locks will regale crowds with the story of the Rideau Canal. Historians will act as guides on heritage walks, offering a history of the Lockmaster’s House, the National Arts Centre, and other important structures. Artisans will be on site and some of their work will be up for auction. Live entertainment will be featured throughout the festival.
Dows Lake will showcase flotillas and fireworks – a display the festival promises will be “the biggest floating birthday party the city has ever seen!”
The weekend-long party will also celebrate the fifth anniversary of the canal’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site – the only such site in Ontario and one of only 15 in Canada.
For more information and for a complete list of activities, visit www.rideaucanalfestival.ca.