Free Things To Do In Ottawa This Summer

free –adjective
[free]
1. provided without, or not subject to, a charge or payment

On an ever pursuit of saving a buck or two, I have decided to share with you my list of FREE things to do in Ottawa this summer:

Events

May

International Museum Day - although I wasn't able to find which Ottawa museums are participating, May 18th is International Museum Day and admission should be FREE.

Canadian Tulip Festival is FREE until May 23rd.

The Great Glebe Garage Sale it's FREE to walk around, but will cost ya to buy someone else's junk and takes place on May 28th.

June

Orleans Festival, yup, that’s right, Orleans has its own festival, and it's FREE. If you want to drive all the way out there, it runs from June 3rd to June 4th.

Bicycle Rodeo - I'm not really sure what it is, but it is on June 4th and it's FREE.

Auto Classic in the ByWard Market - Sunday, June 5th and the admission is FREE.

Westfest is a FREE multidisciplinary art festival, which runs from June 10th to June 12th.

Summer Solstice Aboriginal Arts Festival is a celebration of everything aboritiginal. Admission is free and the event takes place from June 17th to June 19th.

The Ottawa Fringe Theatre and Arts Festival provides some FREE shows and takes place this summer between June 16th to June 26th.

The Community Cup is a FREE one-day multicultural event that takes place on June 26th.

July

Canada Day at the Parliament Hill it's FREE and if you don't know already, it's on July 1st.

Ottawa International Jazz Festival offers some FREE shows and takes place June 23rd to July 3rd.

August

Ottawa GreekFest is annual event that features live Greek music and traditional Greek cuisine. The event is FREE and runs from August 11th to the 22nd.

Colonel By Day is a free heritage festival that celebrates the founding of Ottawa and the construction of the Rideau Canal. There event runs on On August 1st, 2011, between 11am - 4pm and will feature live music, such as the local FiddleGround and Heritage Hands Ottawa Drum Club, and performances by Scottish dancers, step dancers, English country dancers, and local story teller Ruthanne Edward. There is also free admission to the Bytown Museum.

Ongoing Events

Parliament Hill Tours are offered FREE everyday of the year.

Jane's Walk, a festival of free neighbourhood walking tours that runs throughout the summer and the service is offered FREE.

Mosaika, Sound and Light Show is offered for FREE every evening from July 6th to September 11th, on Parliament Hill.

Supreme Court of Canada provides FREE guided tours daily.

Music Under the Stars is a FREE event every Thursday from 7pm to 9pm, which takes place June 16th to July 21th.


The Great Outdoors

Gatineau Park is always FREE and you can explore such sites as the Lusk Caves, Pink Lake and the Eardley Escarpment.


Museums

National Gallery of Canada - FREE admission every Thursday after 5 pm.

Canadian Museum of Civilization - FREE admission every Thursday from 4 pm to 8 pm.

Canadian Warm Museum - FREE admission every Thursday from 4 pm to 8 pm and all day on Canada Day.

Bytown Museum- FREE admission every Thursday from 5 pm to 9 pm.

The Currency Museum of the Bank of Canada - Admission to the Museum, including its programs, activities and guided tours are always FREE.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police Stable - Admission is FREE between May and August, seven days a week from 9:00 am – 3:30 pm

The Canada Aviation Museum - FREE admission between 4 pm and 5 pm every day.

Canadian Museum of Nature - FREE admission every Thursday from 5 pm to 8 pm


Workshops

Art Engine.ca. is offering a series of workshops this summer, and best of all they are FEEE.


Parking

The city actually has free parking, can you believe it? FREE parking is offered every weekend at the The World Exchange Plaza.