OTTAWA — Ottawa Tourism is rolling out a slate of new events and visitor experiences ahead of the capital’s bicentennial celebrations, announcing funding for 14 projects through its 200th Tourism Animation Fund.
The program is designed to help tourism operators and cultural organizations develop new offerings that encourage overnight stays, boost visitor spending and support private sector investment as Ottawa marks 200 years. Ottawa Tourism said the funded projects will run between March 1 and Dec. 31, 2026, aligning with the city’s anniversary calendar.
Under the fund, recipients can receive grants of up to $20,000 per project, covering as much as 50% of eligible expenses. Ottawa Tourism said the program prioritizes new tourism-oriented experiences that highlight the city’s culture and history while strengthening collaboration across the tourism sector.
“The diversity of the projects supported by the 200th Tourism Animation Fund showcases the creativity of Ottawa’s tourism community and will help make this anniversary a truly memorable experience for residents and visitors alike,” says Michael Crockatt, President and CEO of Ottawa Tourism. “We are excited to see these initiatives come to life across the city this year to help make Ottawa a can’t-miss destination in 2026.”
The list of funded initiatives spans festivals, concerts, public art installations and immersive digital programming, with several projects focused on bilingual and Indigenous-led storytelling tied to Ottawa’s history.
Among the first events on the calendar is Deux Voix, Une Capitale, a monthly music series running from March through December. Produced by the Bronson Music Theatre, the program will feature nine performances spotlighting French-language music, pairing established francophone headliners with local opening acts.
Spring programming includes Saunders Cider TulipFest, a new three-week festival beginning May 1 at Saunders Farm. Organizers plan nearly half a million tulips, artistic photo installations, live entertainment, English and French storytelling, and culinary experiences set within a six-acre circular orchard anchored by a 30-foot windmill.
Also launching May 1 is Requiems: Jim Logan, a major retrospective at S.A.W. Gallery highlighting the work of Métis artist Jim Logan. The exhibit will bring together more than 40 artworks from across Canada and wrap the exterior of Arts Court with a 200-foot outdoor banner, supported by free public programming through June 27.
Downtown streetscapes will be part of the bicentennial programming as well. Ottawa 200+: Portraits, Places, and People, led by the Bytown Museum and beginning May 15, will transform storefronts and public spaces along Rideau Street and in the ByWard Market. The outdoor gallery will feature large-scale archival images, animated projections and bilingual stories aimed at celebrating Ottawa’s communities.
Food tourism is also on the agenda, including Shawarma Fest 2026; World Record Attempt on June 7. Giza Entertainment will host a Guinness World Records™ attempt to build a 160-metre shawarma in the ByWard Market, alongside 60 vendors and live programming. Organizers said all portions will be donated afterward to local food security partners.
Several June projects are built around new technology and site-specific installations. The Voices of Bytown, running June 11 to 13 at the Festival Franco-Ontarien’s 51st edition in Major’s Hill Park, will offer a 360-degree immersive VR experience. The production uses four musical voices—an Algonquin, a French-Canadian canal worker, an Irish immigrant and a contemporary Ottawa performer—to guide visitors through two centuries of local history.
During the same weekend, Debaser – Pique will animate Arts Court with Indigenous-led performances and installations, including projection mapping and artwork created specifically for the 200th anniversary.
Indigenous programming will continue through the year with The Chief Speaks, a touring Algonquin cultural installation from Indigenous Experiences running from June to December. The project includes a moveable wigwam and a hologram voiced by Elder Merv Sarazin sharing stories about Algonquin life past and present at events across the city.
Summer highlights include Bytown 200 – A Musical Journey through Ottawa’s History, a five-concert classical series presented by Music and Beyond from July 4 to 17, combining performances with bilingual narration, archival imagery and new commissions.
Two dates are set for A Night of Inuit Excellence, presented by Qamaniq Records on July 11 and Nov. 8. The concert series will bring together Inuit musicians, storytellers and multidisciplinary artists from across the circumpolar Arctic to celebrate Inuit musical culture and its influence in Ottawa.
At the Ottawa Art Gallery, Indigenous History in Motion will run from July through December, with Kitigan Zibi Anishinābeg illustrator and animator Jay Odjig creating two short animations projected nightly on the OAG White Cube façade and the National Arts Centre Lantern.
Family-focused programming includes the Ottawa 200 Corn Maze Festival at Saunders Farm, running July 10 to Sept. 7. The three-acre maze will feature bilingual interpretive installations, soundscapes, performers and activities designed to explore Ottawa’s past.
Later in the summer, Capital Pride will stage Happy 200th Birthday, Ottawa! on Aug. 29, featuring a drag talent showcase with all six Ottawa queens from Canada’s Drag Race and a birthday-themed takeover of the festival’s main stage, presented in both English and French.
The year’s final funded project, O-Town Animated, will run from Sept. 18 through Dec. 31. The Ottawa International Animation Festival will activate a downtown Public Art Trail featuring three original animated short films created from archival Bytown photos and displayed on Rideau FX Poles as a free, bilingual experience connecting cultural sites through digital storytelling.
Ottawa Tourism said it will continue positioning the capital as a major urban destination as the anniversary approaches. The organization estimates Ottawa welcomes about 10 million visitors each year, generating $2.6 billion in annual spending that supports the local economy and quality of life.
