You Know it’s Summer in Ottawa When…

Feature photo credit: Anna Jonas

A heat wave is about to hit the National Capital Region this weekend cementing that summer is officially here! Besides the heat, here are a few other classic, tell-tale signs that the hot season has graced the city. You just know it’s summer in Ottawa when…

Yoga on Parliament Hill kicks off!

As soon as the annual “Yoga on Parliament Hill” season is announced, we know summer is here in the National Capital! There’s nothing better than basking in the beautiful sunshine while getting your stretch on and interacting with fellow Ottawa yogis! You can be sure to find us there every Wednesday at noon. Namaste!

The dreaded construction work starts…

This may not necessarily be a highlight, but it is a sign that the season is here. The downtown core has been under heavy construction for the past few years and as soon as the warm weather hits, it starts up again. Though we can’t stand the road closures, lack of parking and the traffic all this construction causes, once we see the cranes and hardhats out, we know the summer heat is near so that’s one positive way to look at it.

The Rideau Centre bunnies come out!

Rideau Centre is not only a hot shopping destination ever since its amazing renovation, but the rooftop terrace is also such a great summer hang out. Its large, green spaces and tulip gardens make it a great place to eat your lunch or just chill. Best of all though, there’s a group of wild bunnies that live up there! A couple of adult rabbits usually come out at the end of May and by mid-summer, there is a whole brood of adorable babies! Because the bunnies are so used to humans hanging out up there, they are quite tame and you can get close enough for a good look and photos of them. Is there seriously anything better than fluffy bunnies?

The humidex begins to rise

One thing the Ottawa summer heat brings along is humidity. Lots and lots of humidity. This past month has been particularly humid as we bounced back and forth between hot days and rainy days. Though it makes our hair impossible to tame and has us sweating buckets, I guess we really shouldn't complain. We’ll take hot and humid over cold and snowy any day!

You can’t keep up with all the festivals

Ottawa is often stereotyped as being a “boring city,” but it truly comes to life in the summer! June marks the start of the city’s festival season, which runs all the way until early September, and there is literally something to do every weekend! Glowfair, Ribfest, Jazzfest, Bluesfest and of course the massive Canada Day celebrations; there is just too many to list. We are big supporters of local festivals over here at OLM, so make sure to keep up with us on social media for all the photos and videos we share!