Summer in Ottawa is festival season, which brings no shortage of outdoor concerts for every taste.
The big one, as always, is Ottawa Bluesfest, which attracts hundreds of thousands of people to LeBreton Flats Park in early July.
Iron Maiden is the opening night act on July 6. Joan Jett will be playing on Friday. Metric and the Flaming Lips are among the acts taking the stage on busy Saturday. Legendary Canadian Rock group, Rush, wraps up the first weekend on Sunday.
Things only get better for the second week with Arcade Fire, Santana, Crowded House, Drake, Keith Urban and Weezer rounding things out.
But it’s not all about rock and roll and rhythm and blues. Less than 48 hours before Bluesfest kicks off, John Geggie, Nick Fraser and Nancy Walker will be playing the final notes for the TD Canada Trust Ottawa International Jazz Festival at 101 Lounge.
Jazzfest starts June 24 and ends July 4. Most of the big concerts take place in Confederation Park, but shows also take place in the National Arts Centre.
Supafunk rocker Trombone Shorty will be the main act opening night. Herbie Hancock will take the stage June 25. The Saturday night show will feature smooth jazz progenitors the David Sanborn Trio featuring Joey DeFrancesco.
The Jazzfest concerts Canada Day will be part of dozens of shows available for revellers on the nation’s birthday.
On July 1, Montreal experimental duo BEAST will be playing an evening show in Jacques Cartier Park in Gatineau. There will also be concerts at Major’s Hill Park. The big show will be a concert from K’naan and Sarah McLachlan on Parliament Hill before the fireworks.
Not all concerts are taking place outside this summer.
With the Senators done for the season, Scotiabank Place is just as busy with big acts like Taylor Swift (May 20) and Sting (July 25) taking the place of Daniel Alfredsson and Mike Fisher.
