La Machine grand finale modified to deal with capacity crowds downtown

For one more day on Sunday, two giant mechanical creatures will roam the streets of Ottawa.

Tens of thousands of people came downtown on Saturday to watch Long Ma, the giant horse-dragon, and Kumo the spider wander around the ByWard Market before making their way west.

It's all part of La Machine, the street theatre production that has been a runaway success for Ottawa 2017. It's an event unlike any the city has seen before.

And the event has drawn such crowds that organizers have adjusted Sunday night's finale to accommodate more people.

The battle between Kumo and Long Ma outside the Supreme Court of Canada drew capacity crowds, to the point where the city had to warn people to avoid the area because it was full.

Ottawa 2017 executive director Guy Laflamme says the Sunday night grand finale will be modified to create more of a corridor for emergency crews to access if necessary.

They also secured giant screens for Saturday night's show when they discovered the crowds were much larger than expected.

Meanwhile, some ByWard Market businesses reportedly ran out of food yesterday amid the massive crowds that spent most of the day in the area.

After spending most of the day in the market, Long Ma the dragon horse walked up to City Hall on Saturday, while Kumo the spider made her way directly to the Supreme Court lawn.

Later, Long Ma went to find Kumo and waged a battle to regain the dragon wings she had lost, part of the mythology of the street theatre show. The wings had been resting on the Supreme Court lawn since Wednesday.

On Sunday, Kumo awakens at 2:30 p.m. and Long Ma half an hour afterwards.

Both will end up at hte Canadian War Museum for a set piece at 9 p.m.

Here's the full schedule for Sunday:

2:30 p.m.: Kumo walkabout, departing from the Supreme Court of Canada

3 p.m.: Long Ma walkabout, departs from the Supreme Court of Canada

8:30 p.m.: Long Ma walkabout, departing from Chaudiere Falls

9 p.m.: Static scene: Kumo and Long Ma at the Canadian War Museum

 

Road closures for Sunday afternoon:

Wellington Street between Portage Bridge and Bank Street

Sir John A Macdonald Parkway between Portage Bridge and Slidell Street

Kent Street between Vittoria Street and Queen Street

Portage Bridge between Rue Laurier (Gatineau) and Wellington Street

Chaudière Bridge between Rue Laurier (Gatineau) and Sir John A Macdonald Parkway

Booth Street between Albert Street and Sir John A Macdonald Parkway

Road closures for Sunday evening:

Sir John A Macdonald Parkway between Slidell Street and Portage Bridge

Chaudière Bridge, between Rue Laurier (Gatineau) and Sir John A Macdonald Parkway

Booth Street between Albert Street and Sir John A Macdonald Parkway

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  A giant mechanical dragon gets ready to roam the streets of Ottawa in a four-day urban theatre performance involving a 45-ton half-dragon half-horse that towers 12 metres high. Long Ma, named after a Chinese mythological half-dragon half-horse, is shown below Parliament Hill, in Ottawa, Friday, July 28, 2017. (Fred Chartrand/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

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  A giant mechanical dragon gets ready to roam the streets of Ottawa in a four-day urban theatre performance involving a 45-ton half-dragon half-horse that towers 12 metres high. Long Ma, named after a Chinese mythological half-dragon half-horse, is shown leaving the grounds of Ottawa's City Hall, Friday, July 28, 2017. (Fred Chartrand/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

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  A giant mechanical dragon roams the streets of Ottawa starting a four-day urban theatre performance involving a 45-ton half-dragon half-horse that towers 12 metres high. Long Ma, named after a Chinese mythological half-dragon half-horse, is shown on the streets of Ottawa, Friday, July 28, 2017. (Fred Chartrand/THE CANADIAN PRESS)