Lansdowne Park Archives - The Glebe BIA

Looking for the best March Break activities in Ottawa? Look no further than your own backyard. The Glebe is serving up a full week of family fun, from live sports at Lansdowne to café crawls on Bank Street and everything in between.

🛍️Shop, Browse & Discover

Bank Street is your March Break playground. With over 400 businesses, the Glebe BIA represents one of Ottawa’s most unique retail corridors. Spend a morning hopping between boutiques — from cute apparel and toys for the kids at Shoe Plus Shoe, to eclectic home décor and gifting treasures at Hokum, and artisan goods from Il Negozio Nicastro. Kids and parents alike will love the variety. Don’t miss the specialty craft shops and art galleries that invite you to slow down and explore.

🍕Eat Well, Eat Local

Fuel the family adventure with the Glebe’s diverse dining scene. Grab a morning coffee and pastry at Little Victories, then settle in for a leisurely lunch at one of Bank Street’s farm-to-table restaurants, like Wild Oat Bakery. For a casual dinner, Chipotle keeps the whole crew happy and it’s always best to follow up with a warm fresh cookie from Insomnia Cookies.

🏒Live at Lansdowne Park

Snag tickets to the Ottawa 67’s game versus the Oshawa Generals at TD Place on March 18th. Live junior hockey is affordable, energetic, and a fantastic March Break outing for families. If you’re a musical family, come out and enjoy The Rock Orchestra by Candlelight on March 20th. Lansdowne Park itself is worth exploring, the outdoor plaza, weekend local markets, and a Cineplex to entertain cinephiles of all ages..

🌿Outdoor Exploration

March in Ottawa means the first hints of spring are in the air. Take the family for a walk along the Rideau Canal and Patterson Creek, binoculars in hand for a birdwatching adventure. Grab a fun drink from Beandigen Cafe to accompany you! If you love to browse fun finds, go to the 613Flea at the Aberdeen Pavilion on Saturday, or the Farmer’s Market on Sunday. The Glebe is perfectly positioned between the canal and Bank Street, making it easy to mix outdoor time with indoor warmth whenever needed.

🎨Arts, Culture & Creativity

The Glebe’s arts scene is a hidden gem. Visit de Montingy Contemporary, Jaya Krishnan Arts, and look out for local murals and street art that dot the neighbourhood. For a rainy afternoon, the neighbourhood’s bookstores like Octopus Books, or Evermore Booktique (which opens on March 20), and craft shops are perfect for a quiet browse.

Keep young hands busy at 4Cats Art Studio which is offering March Break drop-in programs and camp for the full week. Painting, clay, creativity – hands-on art is endlessly engaging for young kids and produces a keepsake to bring home. They also run all-ages sessions, so parents can join in too.

If you’re looking early, you can register your child to March Break Camp at GNAG where they can let their imagination soar, explore fun outdoor activities, and learn about themselves. If they’re all booked up, no worries, simply set up a fun craft at home using supplies from The Papery.

Creativity is baked into the Glebe’s identity; let it inspire your family too.

🗺️Plan Your Visit

The Glebe is easily accessible via Bank Street from downtown Ottawa. Parking is available throughout the neighbourhood, and it’s a short transit ride from the core. The best way to experience the Glebe? Slow down, wander Bank Street, linger over coffee, and chat with local shopkeepers. This is a neighbourhood you savour, and March Break is the perfect time to do just that.

📣 Follow @intheglebe on Instagram and share your adventures!

The Ottawa Children’s Festival has been delighting the region’s youngest arts lovers with enriched, creative programming for 40 years — and for the first time, the festival is coming to the Glebe.

As Ottawa’s only festival dedicated to world-class theatre, music and dance for young audiences, the Ottawa Children’s Festival has built an outstanding reputation over the decades. Performers have travelled from across Canada and around the world to take part in this much-loved event.

To mark its 40th anniversary, the festival is setting up in the Glebe on Lansdowne Park’s Great Lawn, inside the Horticulture Building and at Arts Court on Daly Avenue in downtown Ottawa. With its family-friendly atmosphere, excellent accessibility, top-tier facilities and proximity to elementary schools, the Glebe offers the perfect new home for the beloved event.

“Since 1985, the Ottawa Children’s Festival has been dedicated to enriching the lives of children through world-class performing and visual arts experiences. This move to the Glebe marks an exciting new chapter — one that reflects our mission to spark imagination, celebrate creativity and ensure every child has access to the arts,” said Catherine O’Grady, executive director of the Ottawa Children’s Festival.

This year’s six-day celebration features crowd favourites like Missy D, BullyBully and Polar Bear & Penguin. Organisers are transforming the Horticulture Building at Lansdowne Park into a black box theatre — an adaptable performance space that offers a blank canvas for artistic freedom and an intimate, immersive experience for audiences.

“The Glebe offers everything we were looking for — a vibrant, family-focused neighbourhood, accessible facilities and strong community spirit. With its proximity to schools and easy access via public transit, the Glebe makes it possible for even more families and students to participate. We’re excited to become part of this dynamic community and to contribute to its cultural and economic vibrancy in a meaningful way,” said O’Grady.

Also returning this year is the mesmerizing Architects of Air: Arborialis installation — an awe-inspiring, inflatable labyrinth that combines light and sound to create a multi-sensory experience. Inspired by the natural world, Arborialis evokes the feeling of wandering through an enchanted forest, with radiant canopies of leaves overhead and luminous, tree-like columns rising from beneath your feet.

Whether you’re discovering the magic of the Ottawa Children’s Festival for the first time or returning for another year of wonder, this milestone edition promises unforgettable moments for the whole family. The festival runs from May 8 to 13. Don’t miss your chance to experience world-class performances, interactive installations and creative play — right here in the Glebe. Visit ottawachildrensfestival.ca to view the full schedule and get your tickets today.

Photo credit: Curtis Perry

March Break in the Glebe: Your Ultimate Guide

Celebrating 40 Years of Wonder: Ottawa Children’s Festival Comes to the Glebe

The Ottawa Children’s Festival has been delighting the region’s youngest arts lovers with enriched, creative programming for 40 years — and for the first time, the festival is coming to the Glebe.

Lansdowne Park

The Ottawa Children’s Festival has been delighting the region’s youngest arts lovers with enriched, creative programming for 40 years — and for the first time, the festival is coming to the Glebe.

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