August 2026 Events (334 events)
Browse festivals, concerts, cultural events, sports, and more in Ottawa during August 2026.
Weekly Drum Circle
Weekly community drum circle at the Bronson Centre — no musical experience needed and drums are provided. A judgment-fre…
Ottawa Chamberfest 2026
The world's largest chamber music festival returns for two weeks of 120+ concerts featuring leading international ensemb…
Mamma Mia!
A mother. A daughter. Three possible dads. And a trip down the aisle you’ll never forget! Set on a Greek island paradise…
Summer Swelter: RnB Night with Emma Gabriel, Alicia Kayley,…
A midsummer night of RnB and pop from Ottawa's own Emma Gabriel, Alicia Kayley, Mari Milano, and Loch Nisse Monster at t…
Fever Pitch Hot Jazz
Art House is proud to present the hottest of jazz shows in the city on the last Friday of every month! Let the Capital C…
Dance Party 2000
Presented by Super Taste Ottawa
The Big Bounce Canada - Ottawa (CANCELLED)
CANCELLED — The Big Bounce Canada is not coming to Ottawa in 2026. The organizer has confirmed the tour is not running t…
Family Movie Showtime: Flow
Drop in for a free viewing of Flow. Participants are welcome to bring a light snack and a covered drink. Drop-in program…
NOICE! Vol. 1: A Night Of Inuit Circumpolar Excellence
Presented by Qamanik Records with the support of Debaser
Community in C: A Free Outdoor Festival Finale
Presented by Ottawa Chamberfest
Royale Lynn
Celtic Cross Ceremonies
Annual ceremony at the Celtic Cross monument honouring Irish immigrants who helped build the Rideau Canal, hosted by the…
Dragos in Ottawa: Material + Crowd Work
Miguel de Armas: The Feeling of Free
El español sigue al texto en inglés Enjoy a free, music-filled midday break in the O'Brien Atrium. Bring your meal, grab…
Youth Film Screening: Mean Girls (2004)
Drop in for a screening of Mean Girls. Come for the comedy, stay for the delicious drama! Goodie bags with snacks and dr…
Empanadas Ilegales: The Feeling of Free
El español sigue al texto en inglés Spend your night with us under the stars! Access our terrace directly from Elgin Str…
Empanadas Ilegales: The Feeling of Free
El español sigue al texto en inglés Enjoy a free, music-filled midday break in the O'Brien Atrium. Bring your meal, grab…
Velvet3: Undertow
Come on in, the water’s warm…Slip into the sensations of the velvet undertow An intimate lounge featuring the hilariousl…
Campbell, Austin Camp, and Liam Mayhew
Campbell is a dark folk rock artist and contemporary eco-poet, wrapped in the leather of a rockstar With strong Celtic r…
Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue
Following sold out performances in May and September 2025, The Golden Girls are back, better than ever! Picture it. 2026…
Primary Colours: The Feeling of Free
Primary Colours is a Canadian piano trio that builds from the traditions of jazz, with influences from modern acts like…
Chiron Promotions Presents: Saturn Sunrise, Moonlight Seeker…
Saturn Sunrise: Born in Ottawa’s underground scene, Saturn Sunrise is more than a band — it’s a resurgence of emotion, e…
A whirlpool hit my bedroom
Presented by Yader Molina + Noura Dawood
Family Movie Showtime: Finding Nemo
Drop in for a free viewing of Finding Nemo. Participants are welcome to bring a light snack and a covered drink. Drop-in…
Grace Petrie
For a decade and a half, Grace Petrie has been one of the UK’s most urgent and passionate songwriters. Coming of age ami…
Turkwaz & Medusa: The Feeling of Free
Spend your night with us under the stars! Access our terrace directly from Elgin Street, the canal, or the Mackenzie Kin…
Turkwaz: The Feeling of Free
Enjoy a free, music-filled midday break in the O'Brien Atrium. Bring your meal, grab a spot, and experience incredible l…
2026 Ottawa Jazz Festival — Wednesday, August 12
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 Lineup Daily lineup at Confederation Park. Headliner: **BRASS TAXX**. Festival Lineup 7:00 pm…
Drag Me To Live!
Drag Me To Live! is back this August celebrating it's 4 Year Anniversary! Drag Me To Live! is celebrating it's 4 Year An…
Medusa Quartet: The Feeling of Free
Enjoy a free, music-filled midday break in the O'Brien Atrium. Bring your meal, grab a spot, and experience incredible l…
Sea You At The Crafts Table
Craft and create your own ocean-inspired masterpiece, or anything really! We will be making sea animals or other images…
Bonnie Raitt: Live 2026 with Special Guest Maia Sharp
Bonnie Raitt is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist whose unique style blends blues, R&B, rock, and pop. After 20 years…
MY BODY IS A WORLD
Meteor Heist with August John
Named as one of Exclaim Magazine’s top five emerging Canadian artists in 2026, indie-favourites Meteor Heist perform liv…
Let your creativity flow | Laissez couler votre créativité
Scroll your thoughts down, draw a map, or write a siren's song. You decide! We will learn how to draw underwater sea cre…
Ottawa Stomp Music Festival
Get your tickets to the 2026 Ottawa Stomp Music Festival Aug 14-16 @ Metcalfe Fairgrounds.
Roxanne Goodman: The Feeling of Free
Get ready for an unforgettable performance with Roxanne Goodman! A magnetic entertainer with a voice that moves effortle…
Barbatuques with Victor Anastacio
Experience the richness and diversity of Brazilian music through the Brazilian Grooves Concert Series, featuring outstan…
The Extensions with Jameemah
Flow Through Time: A Yoga Fundraiser for the Bytown Museum
Join Ellen Bertrand, founder of Yoga Kāla, experienced Ottawa yoga teacher, local tour guide, and a member of the Bytown…
Knit With Greta Grip and Lee Jones
Join artistic duo, Greta Grip and Lee Jones, for a beginner-friendly knitting workshop at the Bytown Museum! On August 1…
Caipirinha Society
Presented by Caipirinha Society
Family Movie Showtime: Finding Dory
Drop in for a free viewing of Finding Dory. Participants are welcome to bring a light snack and a covered drink. Drop-in…
The Village We Sow
Youth Film Screening: Die Hard
Drop in for a screening of Die Hard. Come for the action, stay for the quipy one-liners! Goodie bags with snacks and dri…
La Famille Leblanc: The Feeling of Free
Take in a summer sunset with us! Access our terrace directly from Elgin Street, the canal, or the Mackenzie King Bridge…
La Famille Leblanc: The Feeling of Free
Enjoy a free, music-filled midday break in the O'Brien Atrium. Bring your meal, grab a spot, and experience incredible l…
S7 : i2 sunrise/sunset
Presented by Riverbed Reading Series
What Lies Beneath
From the deepest and darkest depths of the sea, explore the mysteries of the ocean. Trapped beneath the waves in a resea…
Teen Social: Escape Room Challenge
Search for clues and solve puzzles before the time runs out. Registration only, 6 participants max. Teen-specific librar…
OIAF 50th Launch Block Party
A free open-air block party kicking off the Ottawa International Animation Festival’s 50th edition, with a stop-motion w…
Dance at Zibi – Tango with Siempre Tango Ottawa
On August 20, take your first steps in Argentine Tango with the team from Siempre Tango Ottawa. Learn to create a great…
Anónimas & Resilientes: Experience bullerengue
From the deep countryside of Colombia’s Afro-descendant Maroon Caribbean emerges Anónimas & Resilientes, a collective of…
Classic Albums Live: Madonna: The Immaculate Collection
Classic Albums Live takes the greatest albums and recreates them live on stage – note for note, cut for cut, using the b…
Act Out! A Whacking Battle: Pride Edition
Join us for Ottawa's first edition of Act Out, a free dance battle, party, and celebration of 2SLGBTQI+ creativity centr…
The OG500 Poetry Slam
Join House of PainT as they kick off their 2026 festival with Ottawa’s largest and most competitive poetry slam, the OG5…
Underground Pride: Ottawa Edition
Presented by Shòu Entertainment
Clothing Swap
Refresh your wardrobe and celebrate sustainable fashion at Capital Pride’s Clothing Swap! Browse free clothing, accessor…
Ballroom on the Big Screen
Come experience the history, culture, and impact of Ballroom in Canada through film. Guided by the Icon Michael Roberson…
Film Screening Antidiva: The Carole Pope Confessions
Celebrate queer Canadian icon Carole Pope at a special Pride screening of Antidiva: The Carole Pope Confessions. Gather…
Miguel de Armas: The Feeling of Free
El español sigue al texto en inglés Miguel de Armas is an internationally acclaimed Cuban pianist, composer, and arrange…
Capital Pride Pageant
Do you know what it takes to be crowned Capital Pride royalty? Join us at the National Arts Centre as local drag perform…
GOAT! 15 Year Birthday Bash
GOAT! 15th Birthday Bash at LIVE on Elgin with Victor Complex and Lazy Brats Punk rock, great people, and maybe cake Com…
Category is… Face
Explore expression, presence, and storytelling with Canada’s premier Butch Queen Face; Father Quest Telfar! Discover tec…
Family picnic
Bring the whole family for an afternoon of games, activities, entertainment, and community. Meet local organizations, en…
Category is… Hands Performance
Every movement tells a story. Build confidence through Hands Performance by learning precision, musicality, and expressi…
Category is… Vogue Femme
Let’s explore the fundamentals of Vogue Femme! Learn the iconic elements from the ICON Snoopy Basquiat Fubu- build confi…
Queer Mayoral Town Hall
Join Queer Momentum, Capital Pride, the Ten Oaks Project and local partners for an Ottawa Queer Mayoral Townhall. This e…
ElderQueers (2SLGBTQIA+) Storytelling Workshop: with Mary El…
Welcome to Elder Queer (2SLGBTQIA+) Storytelling with Mary Ellen MacLean This workshop offers an opportunity to gather,…
Flag Raising
Join us at Ottawa City Hall as we officially launch Pride Week with the raising of the Progress Pride Flag—a powerful sy…
Ask a Trans Person Anything
Join trans activists Fae Johnstone and Victoria Bucholtz for a good faith open conversation about your unanswered questi…
Songs from the Shed
Gather for an intimate afternoon of live music featuring local queer performances sharing songs, stories, and heartfelt…
Aviva Chernick and La Serena Quartet: The Feeling of Free
Take in a summer sunset with us! Access our terrace directly from Elgin Street, the canal, or the Mackenzie King Bridge…
Politics with a Drag Queen
Sickening drag and a political wakeup call, wrapped together in a show you don’t want to miss. Join Karla Marx – drag ic…
Aviva Chernick and La Serena Quartet: The Feeling of Free
Enjoy a free, music-filled midday break in the O'Brien Atrium. Bring your meal, grab a spot, and experience incredible l…
Digi60 Film & TV Industry Mixer with Industry Leaders
Presented by Digi60 Filmmakers' Festival
EU Human Rights Panel
Hear from advocates, community leaders, and experts as they discuss the importance of advocacy, inclusion, and human rig…
Queered: A Minifest
Celebrate queer theatre with a curated showcase of outstanding local productions presented in partnership with Ottawa Fr…
Community Breakfast
Join Capital Pride and Operation Come Home for a lovely free breakfast! Community members are invited to come enjoy comm…
Songs from the shed
Gather for an intimate afternoon of live music featuring local queer performances sharing songs, stories, and heartfelt…
43 fest vol. 1
Stop the Pretty Noise: Ottawa Alt Rock
Blank Notion & special guests TBA at LIVE! on Elgin Blank Notion is a three piece alternative rock combo based in Ottawa…
A Kiss From the Middle East
Celebrate your Friday at Capital Pride with an evening set celebrating Ottawa-Gatineau’s diversity through music, dance,…
Friday Evening at TD Main Stage
Schedule - 7PM Ralph (Juno-nominated pop singer-song writer) - 8PM La Bronze - 9PM DJ Puppy Sierna Accessibility: - Acce…
Drag Me to Uranus
Presented by Be Proud Productions
Drag Extravaganza
DJ Roxy Sunset kicks off a jam-packed afternoon of drag with a DJ set from 2-3pm. Then catch Canada’s Drag Race stars an…
“Happy 200th Birthday, Ottawa!” A Drag Talent Showcase
The “Happy 200th Birthday, Ottawa!” Drag Talent Showcase is a special takeover birthday bash at the Capital Pride TD Mai…
Live from the Booth
Presented by Pass the Vibes, a grassroots collective creating inclusive spaces for Black and Black Queer youth. Enjoy lo…
Mixed Rock Band Night
Runner-Up (Alternative Rock) Perry and the Wobbly Pops (Hard Rock) Sad Boy Gingerale (Folk/Punk Rock) 3 mixed Rock Bands…
Queerlesque in the Capital
Celebrate with us for a sizzling, seductive, theatrical and satirical take on burlesque at the TD Main Stage. Curated by…
Pride Parade
Join over 200 groups, 11,000 participants, and over 150,000 attendees at Ottawa’s largest parade. Show your pride and ce…
Post-Parade Drag-A-Palooza
Headlined by Eboni La’belle and Van Goth and hosted by Cyril Cinder, join us for a spectacular set of drag on the TD Mai…
Drag Karaoke
Close Capital Pride festivities with a bang! Join Ottawa icons China Doll and Don Kwan for a night of song, dance and ka…
STOMP 2!
ASCENSION Of The Maple Leaf Empire Gala
Please join us for the official launch of the Imperial Court of the Maple Leaf Empire, the newest chapter of the Imperia…
EEPMON
Come to the Jackson Café to discover two large murals, featuring the digital artwork of Eric Chan (aka eepmon)! In Futur…
Qikiqtait ᕿᑭᖅᑕᐃᑦ
The Qikiqtait exhibition in the Polar Knowledge Canada Northern Voices Gallery celebrates Inuit knowledge and innovation…
Toddler Tuesdays at National Arts Centre
Interactive performing arts program for children aged 18 months - 5 years. Singing, dancing, games, story time and creat…
Sylvia Safdie: TERRA
Sylvia Safdie: TERRA examines the decades-long career of Montreal-based artist Sylvia Safdie through a selection of her…
Life onto Land: The Devonian
Find out how life took its first steps onto land. Discover Tiktaalik, an iconic fossil that helps us understand how fins…
613 Flea Market at Aberdeen Pavilion
Ottawa's largest indoor vintage and artisan market featuring 150 vendors offering antiques, vintage clothing, handmade g…
Art n Tell – Monthly Artist Showcase
Monthly open mic for visual and performing artists of all disciplines and skill levels to showcase their work in a suppo…
Threshold
Created by Ottawa-based artist Jennifer Macklem with studio assistance from Faezeh Maleki, these three large dragonfly w…
Diatom Rose Window
In this work, Ottawa-based artist Jennifer Macklem draws inspiration from an enlarged image of a diatom – microscopic je…
Canadian War Museum - Free Thursday Evenings
Free museum admission every Thursday evening with special exhibitions on Canadian military history. Reservations require…
Faith Fyles: In Full Bloom
Faith Fyles’s pioneering career as both a botanist and artist is brought into conversation with contemporary women artis…
What’s in a Frame? 200+ Years of Community Portraits
Our upcoming temporary exhibition, What’s in a Frame? 200+ Years of Community Portraits, officially launches on May 15th…
Flightpaths: Initiations
This interactive artwork encourages visitors to handle, move, and stack magnetic shapes – moths, butterflies and childre…
becoming|un|becoming: deepening relations
The artworks by Leah Decter, a white settler artist and scholar, offer an opportunity to reflect on repair and care of r…
Contact Zones: Gerald McMaster and the Reshaping of Canadian…
An accomplished artist, author, curator and educator, Gerald McMaster has had a profound impact on how contemporary Indi…
Sàgàbigonì
This banner combines detailed images from artist Stephanie Tenasco’s beaded deer hide work Kìwàbandamogoban “he/she had…
Diego Rivera Meets Henry Moore
Diego Rivera Meets Henry Moore pairs an international loan with a work from the Gallery’s collection to tell new stories…
Intertwined
In a time marked by our increasingly complex relationship to the natural world, Intertwined brings together artists for…
Groupe de conversation en français- Jeudi soir
Profitez de notre groupe de conversation afin d'améliorer vos habiletés en français l'oral. Join our free French Conve…
confinement (2024-2025)
This exhibition explores the artist’s experience under the shadows of the pandemic. During her almost daily walks, Roxan…
Rideau Friday English Conversation Group
Do you already have some basic English language skills, and are you looking for a casual, friendly environment where you…
Vernon Book Club
Everyone is welcome to join Vernon’s book club!Visit with your friends and neighbours to discuss great books.First Thurs…
French Conversation-Intermediate, Groupe de conversation- ni…
Améliorez votre français parlé et rencontrez des gens dans une ambiance décontractée et conviviale. Niveau intermédiaire…
Helen McNicoll: An Impressionist Journey
Helen McNicoll: An Impressionist Journey invites audiences to rediscover the career of a pioneering Canadian artist, who…
Canada at War Against Japan, 1941–1945
Marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, this exhibition explores different aspects of Canada’s…
Canada’s Unknown Soldier
Discover the history behind one of Canada’s most powerful symbols of remembrance. Marking 25 years since the repatriatio…
Winners of the National Youth Remembrance Contests 2025
Each year, students across the country submit artwork, poetry, essays and videos to the National Youth Remembrance Conte…
Monday Night at the Movies/ Lundi cinéma
Join us at Sunnyside for our monthly film screening every second Monday of the month.Monday May 11th at 6:15pm -About Ti…
Wild Colour
Through nearly 200 specimens, audio stories, and immersive colour zones, Wild Colour reveals how living things use colou…
Close to Conflict – Canada and the American Civil War
Explore the ways that the American Civil War (1861-1865) shaped Canadian society, politics and military - and why its le…
Qillaniq
The artworks celebrated in "Qillaniq" are multi-vocal, multi-disciplinary and improvisational, inspired by Indigenous va…
Timescapes
In the context of Ottawa’s bicentennial anniversary, and the large-scale environmental transformation that has occured o…
Learn how to access OPL eBooks and Audiobooks/ Apprenez à c…
Bring in your device and learn how to access The Ottawa Public Library’s thousands of digital titles, using resources li…
Free Thursday Evenings
Visit the Bytown Museum for free on Thursday evenings from 5–8 PM in July and August. Explore Ottawa’s history and enjoy…
LEGO Party | Fête en blocs
LEGO PartyCreate and build with LEGO®! Budding architects, ready to have fun one block at a time? Grab your LEGO®! Toget…
The Academy for Musical Theatre Summer Series 2026
Inspiring musical theatre presented by artists aged 7-18 Presented by The Academy for Musical Theatre
Book Talk: Manga
Share discussions and activities around your favourite light novels and manga books. Who knows, you might find your next…
Rural Business Touchpoint
Chat with a City of Ottawa Rural Business Liaison to ask questions about your business ideas, plans and impediments.
Appearing This Evening
It’s opening night of Henry VIII, Wives VI, but the leading actor hasn’t arrived! In true community theatre spirit, a su…
Teen Social: Create & Craft | Social pour ados : Créez & bri…
Drop-in to explore different crafting styles. A variety of materials will be available for you to use and explore. Our c…
Ottawa Miniature Gallery: Pride exhibition
The Ottawa Miniature Gallery (OMG) is a mobile gallery showcasing a diverse selection of miniature art from local artist…
ሀሌታ | Haleta: The Threshold of Being
Have you ever experienced a feeling so intensely, yet struggled to find the right word for it? The Amharic word Haleta o…
Death of a Salesman
Faltering salesman Willy Loman has returned early from a road trip plagued by memories of the past and his realization t…