What to do in Ottawa for Father’s Day!

Father’s Day always seems to mark the entrance of summer. As the capital heats up this weekend, it offers many events to celebrate Dad in the best ways we know – with family, food, and fun. Celebrate fatherhood, paternal bonds, and the influence of fathers in society with quality dad time.

Arthaus Condos has compiled our favourite most happening events in Ottawa this Father’s Day weekend–with a little something for every type of Dad out there.

11th Annual Ferrari Festival June 17-19

Take dad to see some of Italy’s most beautiful cars and enjoy the culture of Little Italy. The Ferrari Club of America Ottawa Chapter , celebrates Ferraris and all things Italian this weekend. As the culminating event of Italian Week, the festival turns Ottawa’s Corso Italia (Preston Street) into a 1.3 km concourse of rare automobiles and fun for the entire family.The 3-day festival features car displays along both sides of Preston Street on Friday and Saturday evenings, with more than 50 Ferraris and other rare Italian and exotic sports cars. This year the festival will also have an array of race cars for your viewing pleasure! Perhaps papa would be interested in The Charity Ferrari Dream Ride–his chance to experience the thrill of driving in a Ferrari while supporting a great cause! Little Italy is also known for it’s array of authentic Italian fine-dining establishments. Enjoy the sights of Italian Week and sample the many fine restaurants along the closed “Corso Italia.” The Father’s Day Luncheon at Villa Marconi is a centrepiece of the Chapter’s annual events that lets you treat Dad, get a final look at the Ferraris, and savour the sweet sound of high performance engines!

Carivibe Beach Festival – Petrie Island Beach

Check out Petrie Island for Ottawa’s most extravagant Caribbean beach festival the Carivibe Beach and Food Festival. Thousands of people of all ages will enjoy over 11 hours of non-stop entertainment and plenty of Caribbean cuisine. An all-ages stage will showcase local musical talent, while the kiddies in the family will have a blast in the Carnival village filled with bouncy rides, inflatables, face painting, mascots and games. A free licensed child-minding service will also be available. Kick back and enjoy some smooth island beverages in the licensed beach tent–and don’t forget to toast to dad!

Glowfair

For the creative father, this two-day, free street party is set to light up nine blocks of Bank Street on Friday and Saturday between Slater and James streets. Now in its third year Glowfair is a collaborative effort by all merchants of the BIA and acts as a platform through which members showcase their part of the reimagined Bank Street. Each block has a theme–from stepping into Bank Street’s past between Gloucester and Nepean, to a two-block kids’ area between Nepean and Cooper, to an enchanted forest between Somerset and MacLaren, complete with glowing trees and fortune tellers. This is a main street festival unlike anything Ottawa has ever seen. Then, there’s two nights of music, with a lineup of the likes of JUNO winners Dragonette, Keys N Krates on the main stage. Amidst all the lights, music and marvels of Glowfair sits Glowfit, an activity block geared towards those who love to move it!  Get dad into circuit training and Taekwondo. Explore the exciting, strange and wonderful ‘Bizarre Bazaar’ with the astonishing antics of the amazing Chris Pilsworth. Take in films from the Ottawa International Animation Festival on Saturday night, and some of the coolest mad science demos you’ve ever witnessed. Our favorite, The Art Chaos block, is a mash up outdoor art gallery featuring local artists, and a collaborative community art piece.

Ottawa Garden Days

For the green-thumbed fathers out there, Gardens Days is held annually on Father’s Day weekend. The event draws attention to our city’s cultural garden landscape, history and innovations, and underscores the importance of public and private gardens. Celebrate the role of gardens in our communities and in our lives with over 200 gardening activities, events and destinations across Ottawa. Navigate The Ottawa Garden Map to see over 140 Gardens of all shapes and sizes, in all manner of places around the city. Explore their beauty in an array of public and private settings, parks, memorial sites, rooftops, green walls, and community plots and gardens across the city. There’s also a chance to win great garden prizes from VIA Rail, Garant, Gardendecor.ca and Scott’s Miracle Grow. This Promote environmental stewardship, and explore the beauty and value of gardening this Father’s Day.

It was a young woman over a century ago who, feeling as though mothers were getting all the acclaim, proposed a day of praise for dad. To show your appreciation for all Dad’s hard work and love, Arthaus Condos encourages you to pay homage to dad by enjoying time spent at one of the weekend’s many events in this beautiful capital.

To show our thanks Arthaus Condos will be offering an apron to all master (or apprentice) chef fathers! Visit our sales office at 264 Rideau Street June 18th & 19th 12pm-5pm.