Ottawa's beloved St. Patrick's Day parade is making its triumphant return this Saturday, March 8, after a six-year absence, and the city couldn't be more ready to celebrate.
The parade kicks off at noon from the Supreme Court of Canada, winding east along Wellington Street before turning onto Sussex Drive and finishing on York Street in the ByWard Market around 1:30 p.m. It's a route steeped in history: the very neighbourhoods where Irish immigrants settled after building the Rideau Canal in the 1820s.
Why It's Been Six Years
Ottawa's last parade was in 2019, just before COVID-19 shut everything down. But even after the pandemic lifted, the event kept running into roadblocks: funding gaps in 2023, permitting issues in 2024, and regulatory hurdles in 2025. That makes Saturday's return all the more meaningful.
"The canal was dug by the Irish and they lived in the ByWard Market," Irish Society president Tom O'Neill told CBC. The new route was chosen specifically to honour that legacy.
What to Expect
This year's parade features approximately 50 floats and 800 participants, expect community groups, marching bands, and plenty of green. On Friday, organizers will pour non-alcoholic Guinness into the Rideau Canal in a symbolic nod to the Irish workers who built it.
If you're planning to watch, get there early. Wellington Street closes at 10:45 a.m. and doesn't reopen until 2 p.m. Sussex Drive follows suit from 12:30 to 2 p.m., and York Street stays closed until 3 p.m. Eight OC Transpo bus routes will be detoured, so plan your transit accordingly.
A Perfect Start to Spring
With winter finally loosening its grip on the capital, Saturday's parade doubles as an unofficial kickoff to Ottawa's outdoor season. Whether you're Irish, Irish-adjacent, or just ready to be outside after months of cold, this is one you won't want to miss.
The parade is free to watch and open to all. Grab your green, find a spot on Wellington, and welcome spring the Ottawa way.
Source: CBC Ottawa
