Ottawa had one of its busiest event weekends of winter, with three major draws pulling people across the city: the Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade, the RCMP Musical Ride, and the Ottawa Senators Skills Competition.
Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade
Ottawa's Chinatown on Somerset Street West hosts one of the city's most vibrant cultural celebrations for Lunar New Year. The parade draws thousands of spectators to watch lion dancers, dragon performances, firecrackers, and community floats wind through the neighbourhood.
The 2026 Lunar New Year celebration marked the Year of the Snake. Ottawa's Chinatown has been celebrating Lunar New Year for decades, and the parade remains one of the city's most-attended cultural events.
If you missed this year's parade, pencil in the 2027 celebration—dates typically align with the Lunar New Year calendar in late January or early February.
RCMP Musical Ride
The Musical Ride is one of Canada's most iconic traditions: a choreographed equestrian performance by members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, accompanied by music. Performed on selected occasions across Canada, Ottawa audiences get an especially privileged view given the RCMP's national headquarters in the capital.
Ottawa Senators Skills Competition
The Ottawa Senators host an annual Skills Competition that gives fans a chance to see their favourite players show off individual abilities outside of a game context: fastest skater, accuracy shooting, puck handling, and more. It's a fan favourite for families, offering up-close access to the players in a more relaxed, entertaining format.
More Coming Up: Ottawa I ❤️ Beer Festival and Live Music
The same weekend also featured the Ottawa I ❤️ Beer Festival, one of the city's biggest craft beer events drawing hundreds of attendees to sample local and regional brews—plus live music events and the tail end of Winterlude activities.
Ottawa's February and early March event calendar is consistently one of the richest of the year. Watch the city's event listings and local accounts for updates as dates are confirmed each season.
