What's On in Ottawa? Things to Do in the 613 — Welcome to 613cal
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Wondering what's on in Ottawa today, tonight, or this weekend? You're in the right place. 613cal is a free, community-run calendar of everything happening in Ottawa — the 613 — gathered into one place so you can stop hunting across a dozen websites and just see what's going on.
What's happening in Ottawa this week?
A lot. On any given day in Ottawa there's live music, a festival, a night market, a comedy show, a hockey or soccer game, a kids' workshop, a food-and-drink event, an art opening, or a free community gathering. 613cal pulls all of it together and updates every single day — so "what's happening in Ottawa this week" is always one glance away. Browse by month, scroll the list, or filter down to exactly what you're in the mood for.
What can I do in Ottawa today (or tonight)?
Open 613cal and you'll see what's on right now — today's events, tonight's shows, and everything coming up. Want free things to do in Ottawa? Flip on the free-only filter. Travelling with kids? Filter for family-friendly. Looking for things to do near me? Sort by distance from where you are. Every event tells you when it starts and ends, where to go, and links straight to tickets or details.
I just landed / just moved to Ottawa — what should I do?
Welcome to the 613! Whether you're visiting Ottawa for the weekend or you've just moved to the city, 613cal is the fastest way to plug into what's going on. New here, you might not know that LeBreton Flats hosts huge summer festivals, that the ByWard Market and Bank Street buzz at night, or that neighbourhoods like Hintonburg, Westboro, and Wellington West run their own markets and street parties. You don't need to know any of that — just open the calendar and the city shows you itself.
Why we built 613cal
We kept finding out about great events after they happened. Ottawa is always doing something, but the listings are scattered across ticketing sites, venue pages, social media, and posters on telephone poles. No single place answered the simple question: "what is there to do in Ottawa?" So we built one.
What we care about
- Everything, not just the big stuff. A stadium concert and a free library talk both belong here. The small, local, easy-to-miss events are the ones we most want to surface.
- Free and open. 613cal is free to use, light on ads, and never asks you to make an account just to browse.
- Credit where it's due. Every event links back to the organizer or venue that created it — we're a signpost, not a middleman.
- Local-first. Ottawa and the surrounding region: Kanata, Nepean, Barrhaven, Orléans, Stittsville, Gatineau and nearby. Made in Ottawa, for Ottawa.
Our goal: the calendar for the city
Simple and a little ambitious — we want 613cal to be the calendar for Ottawa. The first place you check for things to do in Ottawa this weekend, and the place where nothing happening in the 613 slips through the cracks. We're not there yet, but every week the calendar gets fuller and sharper.
How to use 613cal
- Browse the calendar or list view at any time — no login needed.
- Filter by genre (music, festivals, food & drink, sports, comedy, arts, family, markets and more), by price, by audience, and by distance.
- Add an event you know about — we review submissions before they appear.
- Subscribe to the free weekly email for a hand-picked guide to the week ahead in Ottawa.
So: what are you doing today? Browse the calendar, find something good, and go enjoy the 613. 🎉