On July 1, 1867, Canada became a nation. Every
year on that date, Canada celebrates Canada Day. Many of the biggest events for
this national birthday party are held in the city of Ottawa, in the province of
Ontario. That’s because Ottawa is Canada’s capital. If you’re there on Canada
Day, you’ll see parades and spectacular fireworks displays.
GOVERNMENT HEADQUARTERS
The focus of Ottawa’s Canada Day events is
Parliament Hill. Canada’s government meets in buildings on Parliament Hill to
make laws for the nation. In the center of Parliament Hill is the Peace Tower.
It was built after World War I (1914-1918) to honor Canada’s soldiers who died
in that war.
FESTIVALS FOR ALL SEASONS
Parliament Hill overlooks the Ottawa River. The Rideau
Canal connects the Ottawa River with Lake Ontario. In winter, the canal freezes
and becomes the longest skating rink in the world! Skaters fill the canal
during Winterlude. Ottawa holds this winter festival in January. Snow
sculptures and ice sculptures line the banks. Ottawa is one of the coldest
national capitals in the world.
Another big event in Ottawa is the Canadian
Tulip Festival, held in May. It features large displays of tulips. As part of
the event, boats decorated with tulips travel down the Rideau Canal. In 1945,
The Netherlands sent Ottawa 100,000 tulip bulbs. The bulbs were a thank-you
present to Canada for helping The Netherlands during World War II (1942-1945).
VISIT A FARM MUSEUM
You might not expect to find a farm in a big
city, but there’s one in Ottawa. The Central Experimental Farm is part of the
Canada Agriculture Museum. The farm conducts research, but it’s also a fun
place to visit. You’ll see barnyard animals, rare trees, fields of grain, and
beautiful gardens.
Ottawa has some other museums you might enjoy. See
dinosaur fossils and enormous gemstones at the Canadian Museum of Nature. Learn
about the world from exhibits at the Canadian Children’s Museum.
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