Canadian Tulip Festival, May, heralds spring awakening with thousands of tulips in bloom on the 15km (9-mile) Tulip Route alongside the Rideau Canal (website: www.tulipfestival.ca)
Changing the Guard, late Jun-late Aug, thrilling spectacle of the Changing the Guard ceremony on Parliament Hill (website: www.parl.gc.ca)
Sound and Light Show, Jul-Sep, spectacular sound and light show portraying songs, poems, stories and visions of Canada's achievements (website: www.canadascapital.gc.ca/soundandlight)
Ottawa Bluesfest, Jul, top blues musicians from around the world perform at the second-largest blues festival in North America, Lebreton Flats near downtown Ottawa (website: www.ottawabluesfest.ca)
Alcatel-Lucent HOPE Volleyball SummerFest, Jul, the largest charity beach volleyball tournament in the world, followed by a benefit rock concert, Mooney's Bay Beach (website: www.hopehelps.com)
Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, Jul-early Aug, the world's largest chamber music festival, with concerts played in beautiful Ottawa churches, various locations (website: www.chamberfest.com)
Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival, late Aug-early Sep, Canada's largest balloon festival over the skies of Gatineau and Ottawa, La Baie Park, Rue de la Baie, Gatineau (website: www.balloongatineau.com)
Winterlude, Feb, winter festival with skating on the canal, ice sculpture and snowboarding competitions, beavertails (Ottawa's unique, deep-fried pastry) and hot chocolate (website: www.canadascapital.gc.ca/winterlude)