What's happening in Ottawa this weekend: Dec. 24-27
CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at activities and events happening in Ottawa, eastern Ontario and western Quebec over the Christmas weekend.
SKATING
The city of Ottawa's outdoor skating rinks are open for the season.
Rink of Dreams at Ottawa City Hall
- Daily: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Dec. 24: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Dec. 25 and 26 – 1 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Lansdowne Park Skating Court
- Daily: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Ben Franklin Place Skating Rink
- Daily: 9 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Jim Tubman Chevrolet Rink
- For skating times, visit https://ottawa.ca/en/jim-tubman-chevrolet-rink#schedule
Skaters on the Rink of Dreams at Ottawa City Hall on Monday, Dec. 7, 2020.
SKIING
Ski resorts are open across eastern Ontario and western Quebec. Visit each resort's website for details.
- Camp Fortune
- Calabogie Peaks
- Mont Cascades
- Mont Pakenham
- Mont Ste. Marie
- Ski Vorlage
- Sommet Edelweiss
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS ACROSS CANADA
Parliament Hill and downtown Ottawa are dressed up for the holiday season with the Christmas Lights Across Canada.
Checkout the multimedia projection on Parliament Hill and the Pathway of Lights in Canada's Capital Region.
Christmas Lights Across Canada continues until Jan. 7.
MAGIC OF LIGHTS
The Magic of Lights light up Wesley Clover Parks this holiday season.
Don't miss this dazzling, drive-through holiday lights experience featuring favourite holiday scenes and characters of the season.
Every ticket to Magic of Lights benefits CHEO.
The Magic of Lights runs until Jan 8.
For tickets, visit https://magicoflights.com/events/ottawa/.
A COUNTRY CHRISTMAS AT SAUNDERS FARM
Celebrate a Country Christmas at Saunders Farm with a drive-thru light and sound experience through its 180-year-old family farm and forest.
The Country Christmas Light and Sound Show runs until Dec. 30.
Guests visiting Saunders Farm for the drive-thru experience only do not need to be vaccinated. All guests 13 years old and older must be fully vaccinated to visit the Farm Shop, CiderHouse and Christmas Tree lot.
For more information, visit https://saundersfarm.com/.
ALIGHT AT NIGHT AT UPPER CANADA VILLAGE
Alight at Night is billed as eastern Ontario's biggest outdoor light festival.
Lights adorn the heritage buildings, trees, and fences of Upper Canada Village in Morrisburg, Ont. creating a one-of-a-kind magical backdrop for its annual Alight at Night Festival.
Alight at Night runs until Jan. 1
Visit uppercanadavillage.com for details and tickets.
St. Nick's workshop at Alight at Night at Upper Canada Village in Morrisburg, Ont.
MUSEUMS
A look at museum hours in the national capital region over the holidays.
- Open: Dec. 27 to Dec. 30
- Closed: Dec. 24, Dec. 25, Dec. 26, Dec. 31, Jan. 1.
Canada Agriculture and Food Museum
- Open: Dec. 24, Dec. 26, Dec. 27, Dec. 28, Dec. 29, Dec. 30, Dec. 31, Jan 1, Jan. 2
- Closed: Dec. 25
Canada Science and Technology Museum
- Open: Dec. 24, Dec. 26, Dec. 27, Dec. 28, Dec. 29, Dec. 30, Dec. 31, Jan 1, Jan. 2
- Closed: Dec. 25
Canada Aviation and Space Museum
- Open: Dec. 24, Dec. 26, Dec. 27, Dec. 28, Dec. 29, Dec. 30, Dec. 31, Jan 1, Jan. 2
- Closed: Dec. 25
- The Canadian War Museum is closed over the holidays.
- The Canadian Museum of History is closed over the holidays.
- Open: Dec. 24 (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.), Dec. 26 (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), Dec. 27 (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), Dec. 28 (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), Dec. 29 (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), Dec. 30 (10 a.m. to 8 p.m.), Dec. 31 (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.), Jan. 1 (12 p.m. to 5 p.m.)
- Closed: Dec. 25
- Open: Dec. 29, Dec. 30. Dec. 31 (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
- Closed: Dec. 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and Jan. 1.
As of Dec. 1, all guests 12 and older must show proof of full vaccination to visit the Canadian Museum of Nature, Canada Agriculture and Food Museum, Canada Science and Technology Museum, Canada Aviation and Space Museum, Canadian War Museum, Canadian Museum of History and the National Gallery of Canada.
OWLS RENDEZ-VOUS
Come face-to-face with live owls at the Canadian Museum of Nature.
Don't miss this outdoor exhibition, created in partnership with Little Ray's Nature Centre. See owls and an eagle in their specially-designed habitat enclosures.
BYWARD MARKET AND PARKDALE MARKET
The ByWard Market and Parkdale Public Market are open.
For more information, visit www.ottawamarkets.ca.
PARC OMEGA
Parc Omega is open in Montebello, Que.
For more information, visit https://www.parcomega.ca/en/.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
Suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery caught on video
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.