July 1st 2017 – Canada’s 150th birthday –  is right around the corner. To make the most of your day we have outlined a foolproof schedule to hit all the major Canada Day events. Follow our day plan to ensure you don’t miss out on any of the fun!

MORNING

3:45 AM: Chasing the Sunrise

Do not waste a minute of your Canada day sleeping in. Meet up with hundreds of other Canadians to hike King Mountain in Gatineau Park to watch the sunrise on Canada Day.  The pack will be departing the parking lot at 4:15 am sharp to make it to the top by the 5 am sunrise for the loudest singing of O’Canada ever heard from a mountain top.

Check out the website for the complete plan.

9:00 AM: Parliament Hill

Make your way onto Parliament Hill for a morning of entertainment and celebration. The official opening ceremony will start at 11:30 am, where you can catch Prime Minster Justin Trudeau welcoming the world to Canada followed by performances from Bono, Walk Off The Earth, The Edge, and many more! Parliament Hill is the place to be this Canada Day and the perfect start to your day (if you don’t feel incline to wake up before the sunrise).

See Ottawa Tourism for more details.

AFTERNOON

1:00 PM: National Arts Centre

The National Arts Centre is a quick walk down from Parliament Hill and the best place to grab lunch on your busy Canada Day. For just ten dollars, lunch will be served just outside of the gallery and feature BC salmon, the great Canadian cheese burger, grilled maple chicken breast, and the classic sausage on the grill. Lunch will be served from 11 am – 9 pm so you have plenty of time to stop by and grab a bite to eat and check out the gallery.

For full details and other National Art Gallery Canada Day Events check out their website.

3:30 PM: Canada Museum of History

After lunch take a quick walk over the bridge to Gatineau (or take the bus for free) and check out the Museum of History. From 3:30-6:00 pm the museum will be celebrating Canada with song and dance to highlight the gallery. Take advantage of this opportunity to experience some of the special exhibits, such as the “Terry Fox” or “Our Flag”, displays to enhance your Canadian pride.

The website features a full schedule for the day.

EVENING

8:30 PM: Parliament Hill

Head back to Parliament Hill for the evening celebrations. This show is set to be the highlight of your Canada 150 celebration. It will feature Canadian Cirque du Soleil acrobats and performances from Alessia Cara, Marie-Mai, Walk Off The Earth, Lisa LeBlanc, Kelly Bado, Dean Brody, Louis-Jean Cormier, Serena Ryder, Kinnie Starr, Gordon Lightfoot, Mike Tompkins and more.

Then stick around for the best view in town of the fireworks starting at 11:00 pm. If you aren’t on the hill consider finding a seat at the central loop of Confederation Boulevard, Major’s Hill Park, or back the Canadian Museum of History. Regardless of where you are, you don’t want to miss this amazing 20 minute and 17 second display of lights.

This of course, is just a sampling of Canada Day events. With the world coming to Ottawa, our nations capital, you can be sure the city is gearing up to entertain. So consult the Ottawa Tourism website for more details to plan your personal celebration schedule.