Mother’s Day is a special occasion to show appreciation for all the love, care, and hard work that mothers put in every day.
Ottawa offers a range of events and activities to help celebrate mothers and make their day special. From spa treatments to outdoor adventures, there are plenty of ways to spoil the special woman in your life.
Mothers Day Brunch
From elegant brunches to exquisite dinners, there are plenty of restaurants to choose from. Treat your mom to a memorable experience at one of Ottawa’s top dining destinations this Mother’s Day.
Other options:
- La Pizza Week: Restaurants create a special pizza at a special price for the week of La Pizza Week.
- Taste Ottawa invites locals and tourists to enjoy diverse, cultural meals through a restaurant-driven event from May 14th-20th, 2023. The event offers delicious meals from some of the city’s finest restaurants in a unique and enticing format.
Shop For/With Mom
- Bouquets and gift baskets can be a great option to show your loved ones that you’re thinking of them from far away.
- Nepean Night Market: Visit the night market for local shopping, live music, and delicious food. Different musicians play each week, with JJ’s Wings food truck and local vendors. The market runs on May 14, 5 pm-9 pm, at Mr. Lube Baseline in Nepean.
- Friends of the Farm Plant Sale: The annual plant sale offers a wide range of gardening supplies from the region’s top specialty growers and nursery vendors. Master Gardeners of Ottawa-Carleton provide free advice, and there are refreshment tables and gardening books for sale. Admission is free, and the sale takes place on May 14, 2023, from 8 am-1 pm at the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa.
- Gloucester Horticultural Society Annual Fundraising Plant Sale: The Gloucester Horticultural Society holds its annual fundraising plant sale with perennials, native plants, pollinator plants, herbs, veggies, and garden-related items for all ages. The event offers free advice from Master Gardeners and children’s activities. The sale takes place on May 13, 2023, from 9 am to 12 pm, at Orleans Fruit Farm, Ottawa.
- Almonte Art in the Public showcases works of local contemporary artists, including painting, photography, pottery, jewelry, and more, in a spacious and historic Almonte Old Town Hall setting. The event takes place on May 13-14, 2023, and admission is free for all ages. The quality and originality of the presented works have remained consistent over three decades, with something for everyone.
- SeedLing Saturday: Join Just Food Community Farm for a free day of spring fun, including seedling vendors, an organic gardener, food vendors, information tables, and live music. The event takes place on May 13, 2023, from 10 am-1:30 pm, at Just Food Community Farm in Ottawa.
- 613flea: 613flea at Aberdeen Pavilion in Lansdowne Park is a not-for-profit event where the creative community, entrepreneurs, and small businesses showcase their products to shoppers. The market features artisans, artists, designers, makers, entertainers, antiques dealers, independent boutiques, food merchants, and vintage clothing vendors.
Tulips & More:
Ottawa’s award-winning flagship festival, Canadian Tulip Festival kicks off Mother’s Day weekend. Take mom and enjoy historical and horticultural displays among 300,000 tulip blooms over a kilometer of parkland at Dow’s Lake in Ottawa. The exhibit includes free movies, a blacklight garden display, lit garden beds, a walking tour, a floral marketplace, and a nightly 10-minute light and sound show on Dow’s Lake. Join for free and enjoy a unique experience with family and friends.
Green Corners – Ottawa’s U-Pick Tulip Farm: Pick your own bouquet or simply enjoy the view of over 350,000 tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths. Tickets start at $10, with picking tickets including 10 tulips, and looking tickets available for those who want to explore the field without picking. The farm is open from May 7 to May 15, 2023, with additional dates depending on the weather.
Walks
- Spend quality time with Mom this Mother’s Day by taking her for a refreshing walk. It’s a simple yet thoughtful way to show your love and appreciation.
- Breast Cancer Canada’s Mother’s Day In-person Walk: Do some good deed with Mom. Create a team, gather pledges and walk to raise funds for breast cancer research. All ages are welcome to join for the 5KM walk/run on May 14, 2023, at Walter Baker Park, Kanata. Registration is free, and every dollar raised contributes to life-changing research.
- Mother’s Day Flower Fun Run: The Mother’s Day Flower Fun Run at Dows Lake supports the Canadian Tulip Legacy.Enjoy the view of the tulips, the closed run course, and easily navigable route, making it perfect for new runners. Tickets range from $20-$45 and include a personalized bib, professional timing, on-course nutrition, race photography, post-race snacks, and memories. The event takes place on May 14, 2023, with a 1K run for children under 12 at 12 PM and a 5K run at 12:20 PM.
Give Her a Spa Day
Treat your mom to a relaxing day at a spa in Ottawa. She deserves some pampering and relaxation.
- Brookstreet Hotel, 525 Legget Drive, Ottawa
- Holtz Spa, 135 Rideau St., Ottawa
- The SPA Day Retreat, 26 Castlefrank Road, Kanata
- Moulin Wakefield Mill, 60 Mill Road, Wakefield, QC
- JASK Salon + Day Spa, 10 Cedarow Court, Stittsville
- York Street Spa, 11 York Street, Ottawa
- Strathmere, 1980 Phelan Road West, North Gower
Kid-Friendly Mother’s Day Activities
- Light Up The Night With Chemistry In The Dark: The Chemistry Magic Show, a free, one-hour, family-friendly event, features explosions, fireworks, spontaneous combustions, and glow-in-the-dark objects. The show takes place on May 13, 2023, at Alumni Park, Carleton University, as part of Science Rendezvous and Science Odyssey. Hands-on activities, including making ice cream and learning about fluorescence and phosphorescence, start at 7 pm. Admission is free, but donations of cash or non-perishable food for the Ottawa Food Bank are welcome. The event has a rain date of May 19 or 20.
- Fish Ontario Licence Free – Ontario Family Fishing: Enjoy free fishing on Mother’s Day weekend from May 13 to 14, 2023. Ontario Family Fishing Events (OFFE) is a province-wide initiative that offers Canadian residents a chance to fish without a license. Participants must follow the Ontario fishing regulations, fees, and limits during license-free days, except for the licensing requirement.
- Ottawa Children’s Festival offers award-winning international performances of theater, circus, dance, and music for young audiences. The festival takes place from May 11th to May 14th, 2023, at eight venues across two locations: LeBreton Flats Park/Canadian War Museum and Arts Court. Tickets range from $10 to $20, and family packs are available for $40.
- Cineplex Family Favourites: Watch The Wolf and the Lion, a family film about two cubs embarking on a journey to reunite with each other and their owner Alma, for only $2.99 at participating Cineplex theatres on May 13, 2023.
- See Animal Moms: Visit Valleyview Little Animal Farm with your toddler. Meet the cute farm animals including pigs, goats and rabbits, enjoy a puppet show and a train ride and learn at the old country museum!
Get Tickets to a Show
Take Mom to a theatre show.
- The Legends Show at Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe presents top tribute performers of Roy Orbison, Connie Francis, Motown, and Elvis Presley on May 13, 2023. Tickets are $59.
- Kellylee Evans – The Rebirth of Nina: Ottawa-based jazz musician Kellylee Evans will perform her 2010 album Nina, a tribute to Nina Simone, in a one-night-only event. The performance will feature an all-star band, including two members from the original recording. The show will be held at Babs Asper Theatre on May 14, 2023, and tickets can be purchased online, by phone, or in-person at the venue box office. Prices range from $34 to $60, plus fees.
- Quartet: A comedic and touching play about retired opera singers celebrating Verdi’s birthday. When Jean, Reggie’s ex-wife, arrives and disrupts their equilibrium, they must find a way to work together for the show. Playing at Kanata Theatre from May 9-20, 2023. Tickets cost $18-$25.
- Twelve Angry Jurors: The play portrays a jury’s decision-making process, as one juror opposes the guilty verdict of a teenager accused of killing his father. This intense drama, which is as relevant today as when it was first written, is performed by the Ottawa Little Theatre from May 3 to May 20, 2023.
- Heaven: A new play set in the 1920s explores the story of Black pioneers who settled in Canada to escape the racism of the southern United States. In the play, a schoolteacher named Charlotte arrives in Amber Valley, Alberta, to start a new life, but her past threatens her future and her relationship with farmer Ezra.
Mother’s Day Cruise
Experience Ottawa from the water on Mother’s Day with Paul’s Boat Line or Rideau Canal Cruise Line. The 1.5-hour Ottawa River cruise departs daily from Hull Marina in Jacques Cartier Park and Ottawa Dock and offers a spectacular view of the National Capital Region with Tulips lining the river banks. The cruise offers live commentary and uninterrupted views of top attractions, including the Canadian Museum of Nature and Château Laurier. Enjoy snacks, drinks, and alcoholic beverages from the boat’s canteen while marvelling at the mix of natural beauty and modern urban development.
Mother’s Day Weekend Sightseeing and Brunch Cruises in Ontario