Ways To Celebrate New Year’s Eve Like a Real Ottawan

8 Ways To Celebrate New Year’s Eve Like a Real Ottawan

New Year’s Eve has earned itself remarkable importance over the years. There are large parties, long queues to get into bars, and crowds gathered wherever you look.

Ottawa has the best New Year’s Eve parties, as you would expect of the country’s capital city. 

From a fantastic 12 PM light show to a night of open-air entertainment, every venture attracts large groups. It appears as if the midtown and the busy roads and streets have gathered around the city’s celebrated Parliament Hill.

Earlier years have seen the parties focused on the Sparks Street region, with a stage for live music and fireworks at midnight. 

There are a number of activities you can perform to keep yourself amused on New Year’s Eve in Ottawa.

Watch the Parliament Hill fireworks and Lightscape Multimedia Show.

Watch the Parliament Hill fireworks and Lightscape Multimedia Show.
Image from Flickr

Every year, there is a New Year’s party on Parliament Hill. A lot of entertainment shows are arranged, including live music and entertainment throughout the evening leading up to the fireworks. 

There is also the lighting of a cauldron at Ottawa City Hall on the Marion Dewar Plaza. 

Sound and light displays provide thrilling thematic journeys throughout all of Canadian history. And you’ll get to experience these a lot on Parliament Hill.

The show also sees an Aurora Borealis-style lightscape being broadcasted onto the Parliament building. It runs constantly on a loop every night from 5:30 pm to 11 pm. 

There are christmas lights across the city, including the areas of Confederation Boulevard, Canada’s stately route, which includes Wellington Street, Mackenzie Street, Elgin Street, Sussex Drive, Laurier Street, and Alexandra Bridge.

Attend bar parties.

Attend bar parties.
Image from Freepik

From dynamic night bars to fun in the pubs, you will have all sorts of chances to enjoy the New Year in Ottawa. 

Bars are the main points of interest for many people, especially those who like to mix up socially and meet new friends. 

You can always go to the bar alone or take your friends with you to have a couple of drinks and dance.

Prepare the perfect cocktails.

Prepare the perfect cocktails.
Image from Freepik

Celebrating at home means you will not need to wait in a queue for a drink. Stock up on all of your spirits, beers, wines, and mixers so you will have a lot of choices when New Year’s Eve comes around.

Then, at that point, prepare a few merry mixed drinks or blend your go-to drink. This is an excellent activity that can keep you indulged. 

On the off chance that you’re not drinking, make a cocktail instead. It is advised to always have a flavorful drink close by for the night.

Go ice fishing.

Go ice fishing.

Image from Ontario Ice Fishing

It is not always necessary that New Year’s Eve is celebrated at a bar with a lot of strangers.

As a matter of fact, in the event that you are hoping to ring in the New Year like a real Ottawan, you could be more likely to end up surrounded by stars, trees, or snow than excessively energetic revelers.

There has been increasing popularity in cold-weather sports lately, such as ice fishing. For this, Petrie Island is an incredible spot. 

Situated East of Ottawa on the Ottawa River, Petrie Island offers a lovely view and a tremendous assortment of fish, including crappie, perch, and northern pike, among others. 

The Ottawa East Marina offers ice fishing bundles for guests of Petrie Island. For an overnight stay, you will get a warm 16’X16’ hut and a stove too.

Go to parks.

Go to parks.
Image from Little Miss Ottawa

Going to parks is another recreational activity that people perform in New

Year’s Eve. In Ottawa, there is likewise a significant firework show that happens at the

Hogmanay yearly party coordinated by the Scottish Society of Ottawa. 

This takes place at the noteworthy Aberdeen Pavilion at Lansdowne Park on Exhibition Way. This occasion endeavors to imitate a huge party in Edinburgh and includes Scottish-themed music, food, drink, as well as outdoor skating. 

This is also a great chance to experience Scottish culture in Ottawa.

Try ice skating.

Try ice skating.
Image from National Capital Commission

Cold-weather sports are highly popular in Canada. If you are looking forward to celebrating the New Year in style, strap on some skates and get your friends to the nearest skate park. 

Ice skating is truly a Canadian pursuit, no matter what day of the year it is. It’s equally fun if you’re out with friends or family on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. 

You’ll also get a spectacular fireworks display, as well as live music, and maybe even a steaming cup of hot chocolate.

Attend music concerts.

Attend music concerts.
Image from Ottawa Tourism

Another activity can be to catch up with local or foreign artists. 

There are a lot of concerts happening in Ottawa on New Year’s Eve and attending them is an excellent opportunity to experience the energy of live music performed by local and international artists. 

Whenever you stumble across a concert happening, grab your tickets and enjoy.

Hold a nighttime campfire.

Hold a nighttime campfire.
Image from Freepik

If you have a backyard, toasting marshmallows over a comfortable little pit fire in the evening can be an excellent way to celebrate the New Year. 

You can stir up heartfelt energies by enriching the open-air space. Adding a couple of transparent bubble balloons made with LED lights can spice up campfire tales and food.

Make a New Year’s resolution time capsule.

Make a New Year’s resolution time capsule.
Image from Freepik

Another great activity you can do on New Year’s Eve is to write down your resolutions. 

Write a letter to your future self, considering the year you have had and what you need to achieve in the arriving year. 

Put the letter inside a jar or a box and bury it in your terrace or garden to be uncovered towards the end of the following year. 

You can likewise get your entire family involved, writing letters to each other and setting them in individual boxes for every relative to open a year later.

Conclusion

There are numerous activities you can do on New Year’s Eve in Ottawa, but we have

narrowed down the list to help you get a true Ottawan experience. 

To make this trip memorable, make sure you share these activities with your loved ones or someone special.