The City of Ottawa will celebrate its bicentennial this weekend with a full day of programming at Ottawa City Hall and a vibrant nighttime experience of art, light and discovery across the downtown area. Saturday is Ottawa 200 Day, with a day of events to celebrate Ottawa’s 200th birthday. The Ottawa 200 Block Party runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Ottawa City Hall, while Nuit Blanche runs from 7 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday in the ByWard Market and at venues across the downtown area. CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at what you need to know about the Ottawa 200 Block Party and Nuit Blanche Ottawa on Saturday. OC Transpo OC Transpo is offering free service this weekend as part of the Ottawa 200th birthday celebrations. All O-Train, bus and Para Transpo service will be free from 3 a.m. Saturday until 3 a.m. on Monday. OC Transpo will also be hosting an open house at Place d’Orléans Station on Saturday to showcase the new O-Train Station. On Sunday, drop by Hurdman Station to take a tour of transit vehicles and learn about new services, safety and customer experiences. Ottawa 200 Block Party The Ottawa 200 Block Party runs from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Ottawa City Hall. The city says it’s a free, all-ages event at Marion Dewer Plaza with live music, cultural programming, hands-on activities and a “few fun surprises.” There will be a foodie zone with on-site vendors and a beer garden. The Family Zone will include OC Transpo exploring Ottawa’s transit history, interactive games with WaterAid Canada, the Ottawa Art Gallery, the Ottawa Horticultural Society, the City of Ottawa Archives colouring station, St. John Ambulance with first aid awareness and more. Here is a look at some of the programming. Performance Zone For more information, visit https://ottawa200blockparty.ca/. Nuit Blanche The City of Ottawa transforms into a vibrant nighttime experience of art, light and discovery on Saturday night. Nuit Blanche Ottawa runs from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. in the ByWard Market, at Confederation Park and at venues across Ottawa. Here is a look at some of the events. eVenti Verticali: CUBO Nuit Blanche describes eVenti Verticali: CUBO as a “suspended cube of light and shadow where dancers become part of the structure itself.” See eVenti Verticali: CUBO on York Street at 7:20 p.m., 9:20 p.m. and 11:20 p.m. on Saturday. Prismatica Prismatica is a glowing labyrinth of 25 rotating prisms, inviting people to spin them to “paint the night with colour.” See Prismatica all night on William Street. Impulse See Impluse in ByWard Market Square from 7 p.m. Saturday until 7 a.m. on Sunday. “Hop on a giant seesaw and set off waves of light and sound with every tilt. This playful urban installation turns collective play into an ever-changing symphony of joy,” Nuit Blanche says. Monuments Trees come alive after dark in Confederation Square. Monuments sees monumental human portraits projected onto their “living forms – a striking contemplative fusion of nature and humanity not to be missed,” Nuit Blanche says. Monuments runs from 7 p.m. Saturday until 7 a.m. on Sunday. National Arts Centre The NAC Kipnes Lantern will project Odāwā Tomorrow: Odāwā Wàbang all night. Arts Court The Ottawa Arts Court at Daly and Besserer will have the following events: Other activities Here is a look at some of the other events: For more information on Nuit Blanche, visit https://nuitblanche-ottawa.ca/.
