Ottawa Forum: New Year's Day in Ottawa.

Hi Vitalka,

Hmmm, well it would be an understatement to say that Ottawa has a "quiet" New Years vs some other Canadian cities (Niagara Falls and Toronto come to mind with their huge parties). To be honest, I think it is because so many of us go away over the holidays to warmer climates.

:-)

That and living so close to Quebec, we have a fairly large French Canadian population which does not celebrate New Years in the traditional North American sense... for them it is a "family celebration" (the biggest of the year... kind of like US Thanksgiving). It is known as "réveillon du nouvel an" (or just "Reveillon" in English) which features a gathering... with a multitude of generations and extended family at home with a huge feast and finishes with a toast at midnight.

Also in recent years neither the City of Ottawa nor the National Capital Commission (Federal Government) have put on fireworks... citing a lack of funds... so as I said the night itself is pretty "low key".

:-(

Most locals wanting to "go out" tend to either head to the more organized BIG Hotel parties (which can be expensive) or to small intimate gatherings at Bars, Pubs, Clubs and Restaurants around town (many of which require pre-booking). OR the other big attraction is to spend the night at the Hull Casino which has a variety of events (many requiring pre-booking, and some of them are quite expensive). But the Casino is open 24 Hours, so it is a good place to party in general (whether one opts for a package deal or not). The Hotel de Lac Leamy Hilton which is attached to the Casino usually offers some overnight packages as well. And all the Restaurants (Casino & Hotel) have great meals on New Years Day.

Hotels that usually have New Year's Eve events include - The Chateau Laurier - The Westin - The Marriott Downtown (Kent Street) - Brookstreet Hotel (Kanata)... just to name a few.

Ottawa being a much more family place, and an active community New Year's itself seems to be the bigger event... with most families finding outdoor activities to enjoy on January 1st.

New Year’s Days favourites include Skiing in Gatineau Park (Cross Country or Down Hill at Camp Fortune), Skating on the Rideau Canal (often open by then). Other favourite activities include - Ice Fishing on the Ottawa River (Petrie Island), Snowmobiling, Dog Sledding (Montebello) or catching a hockey game - Sens or Ottawa 67s.

Also visiting local museums between Christmas and New Years is a great way to pass the time (particularly if the weather is frigid).

I checked around the web a bit, but didn't find many entries for New Year's as of yet... some aren't announced until later this month or by December 1st... I will do some more research, and will open a seperate New Year's Topic in the TRAVEL FORUM as I compose a list of what is happening.

Cheers!

Wine-4-2