All summer long, I have been meaning to write a series of posts about the history of the Rideau Canal and how it is tied up with the history of Manotick. Each day I work I drive 20 km back and forth beside our gorgeous Canal, and I often think about how integral it is to everything that Ottawa is today. And what better reason to get out and celebrate the Canal than the Rideau Canal Festival, coming up this weekend? Did I mention it was free? From the press release:
From August 3rd to 6th , the Rideau Canal Festival, will be taking place at two different sites, the Bytown Museum/ Ottawa Locks and the Dow’s Lake Site. This festival, which was voted one of Ontario’s TOP 100 Festivals in 2011, is entertaining, educational and best of all free.
For its 5th anniversary and the 180th birthday of the Rideau Canal, the festival has even more activities for you and your family than ever before! Over 100 000 visitors will partake in the Festival’s free programming, live entertainment, tons of culture, heritage, and contemporary activities that appeal to all ages.
FREE Festival Activities include:
· Outdoor shows on stage; live bands & DJs, Celtic music, and Céili on the Canal
· Buskers, jugglers, stilt walkers, fire weavers & face painters etc.
· Connecting Children with World Heritage; children’s crafts and activities
· Stone carvers & canoe carver exhibition
· The UNESCO World Heritage photo exhibit
· Rideau Canal heritage walking tours
· Kayak tours, canoe and paddle boat rentals, hula-hoop workshops
· Pirate adventures
· Parade of lights, Dows Lake Pavillion Fireworks, and Rideau Canal Festival Flotilla
· Acrobatic dance shows
· Colonel By Day celebrations,
· And More!
For more information and details on the events, you can check out the Rideau Canal Festival website. Sounds like a great way to learn a little bit of history and have some fun on a perfect summer long week end!
