Ottawa is going green.
The Irish Society of the National Capital Region and the Ottawa Irish Festival are bringing together local community groups in a citywide celebration of Irish-Canadian culture.
The Ottawa Irish Festival — held March 10 to 17 — is a weeklong celebration of Irish roots, which remain strong in the capital.
“The Ottawa Irish Festival is truly a unique cultural undertaking,” said Irish Society president Brian Heaney. “This event is not only a testament to the strong community spirit that exists in Ottawa, it is also evidence of the large impact that the Irish have had on our city and nation.”
Irish immigrants helped build the Rideau Canal.
The festivities will begin on Wednesday with a concert at the National Irish Canadian Cultural Centre at 7 p.m.
The 28th annual Ottawa St. Patrick’s Day parade, followed by the Grand Irish Party, will be held at 11 a.m. on March 13. The parade, with honorary parade marshal Charlie Muldoon, will begin at city hall on Laurier Avenue West and proceed to Lansdowne Park.
The Ottawa Food Bank will be collecting food items and cash along the parade route and at the Grand Irish Party.
David Rankine will present the Celtic knotwork workshop at the National Irish Canadian Cultural Centre on March 15 and a lecture on “Book of Kells — Dark Age Visions of the Design” at the University of Ottawa on March 16.
