Spring Blooms in The Capital: The Top Events in The Byward to Kick off the Season

The capital is in store for a well-deserved dose of sun-filled weather. Ottawans are increasingly taking it outdoors for another beautiful May in the market. The vendors are out, patios are open, and our country’s 150 celebrations are just getting started.Tune up your bicycle or get out your spring footwear, and experience spring in the heart of the city. ArtHaus Condos has compiled the top events happening this May in the historic ByWard Market to kick off the season.

Inspiration Village

Inspiration Village is a core site for Ottawa 2017 programming, built out of sea containers transformed into an ephemeral hub on beautiful York street. This modern-looking entertainment locale will be the hub of a succession of special exhibits and performing arts events, each one showcasing Canada’s provinces and territories. Inspiration Village is a work of art itself, its sustainable, cost-effective and flexible building material making it a sight to be seen. Open daily from noon to 8 p.m. (and until 10 p.m. on Canada Day) there will be exhibits, demonstrations and performances to keep your social schedule busy from May to summer’s end. Among the countless activities, visitors will be able to: step inside a sound studio and share stories about Canada and their vision for the future of our country; enjoy culinary demonstrations showcasing Canadian food culture from across the country;take a guided virtual tour of Parks Canada’s natural and cultural treasures from coast-to-coast-to coast; and take-in live dance, musical and artistic performances representing all provinces and territories as well as local up and coming artists and previews of Ottawa area festivals. This is the spot to indulge in Canadiana culture and history and the incredible awe-inspiring diversity of our land.

Byward Market Food Stalls

Experience the Ottawa’s oldest public market and discover the Byward’s high quality, local products. The thriving outdoor market has once again opened its produce and plant stalls. Featuring fresh flowers and herbs for your garden, and an array of fruits and vegetables grown by local farmers. This year coffee roasters, cheese makers and jam producers will soon be invited to sell their products at the ByWard stalls.The city has proposing to expand the criteria for its outdoor markets to include a new “microprocessor” category; small-scale, local producers engaged in the transformation of agri-foods. In previous years the market’s inventory has been limited to fruits, vegetables, plants, roots, seeds, cereal and cereal products, mushrooms, eggs, meat and fish, poultry and game, and dairy, honey and maple products.The addition of microprocessors will broaden the existing range of products, letting you pick up your coffee and jams for breakfast, or your array of cheeses for your next soiree.

Tulip Festival

In honour of Canada’s 150th birthday, the annual tulip festival will be in even more bright and blooming, with over 200,000 specimens of a special red and white tulip sprouting throughout Ottawa.  Each year, the Canadian Tulip Festival celebrates the return of spring by showcasing over a million tulips across Canada’s capital region. This festival is the largest of its kind in the world and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors globally. Celebrating Canada’s 150th anniversary of confederation under the theme One Tulip, One Canada, the festival’s 65th edition  will host countless family activities, live entertainment, fireworks, and more. Discover the colourful tulip beds moments from your ArtHaus condo over at Major’s Hill Park, near the Fairmont Château Laurier, and throughout the ByWard Market neighbourhood. The Canadian Tulip Festival will kick off the festivities, joining all of Canada in celebrating the May long weekend with a spectacular firework show overlooking the spring blooms.

Fiesta de la Primavera

The ByWard Market is welcoming spring and summer weather to the capital with the Fiesta de la Primavera. This festive latin-themed community event focusing on arts & culture to celebrate the return of spring in the capital. Hosted by ByWard Outdoors, it will kick off May 20th with a showing of the movie Grease at the Hudson’s Bay plaza on George St. as part of the Movies in the Market summer series! Bring your own chair or blanket and watch the film at sunset, and enjoy a popcorn or another yummy snack by Corazón de Maíz or Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory-Ottawa. Get active Saturday with a zumba session at 10am. Mini History Walks will depart at 11am, 1pm and 3pm. The Asociación Cultural Dominicana Ottawa-Gatineau Dance Party with DJ Mendez (Mendez Entertainment). An array of activities will take place in different public plazas around 55 ByWard Market Square. Get a dose of entertainment as performers hit the Market, such as Los Paisanos and flamenco dancer Sara Pelizer, while stilt walkers and a face painter will entertain the little ones.

As the capital begins to bloom, the neighbourhood bustles with Ottawans taking in the sunshine. Enjoy these top events in the historic ByWard Market and kick off the season, steps from your ArtHaus condo.