Ottawa Had One of Its Best Weekends in Years
If you were out and about in Ottawa this past weekend, you already know: the city was absolutely buzzing. Between the return of the St. Patrick's Day Parade, the annual ByWard Beerfest, a sold-out Rise Against show, and a packed dance party, there was no shortage of things to do, and seemingly all of Ottawa was out to do them.
St. Patrick's Day Parade Returns
The headline event was undoubtedly the St. Patrick's Day Parade, which made its first appearance downtown since 2019. The new route from the Supreme Court of Canada to ByWard Market drew impressive crowds, with green everywhere you looked.
ByWard Beerfest Brings the Suds
Running alongside the parade energy, ByWard Beerfest once again transformed one of Ottawa's most iconic neighbourhoods into a celebration of craft beer and local flavours. The festival brings together breweries from across the region and beyond, giving beer enthusiasts the chance to sample a wide variety of styles in one of the city's most historic outdoor settings.
Rise Against at the Arena
For the rock fans in the crowd, Rise Against brought their intense, politically-charged energy to Ottawa, a show that by all accounts delivered. The Chicago punk legends drew a passionate crowd that clearly knew every word of every song.
Heated Rivalry Dance Party
And if you were looking for something a little more danceable, the Heated Rivalry Dance Party offered yet another reason to keep the evening going after dark.
Weekends like this are a reminder of what makes Ottawa special, a city that can host world-class events, beloved community traditions, and live music all at once.
Source: @ottawalist on Instagram
