Festivities center on Parliament Hill, where a stage is set up to provide free entertainment all day long. Grandstands are set up for spectators - but most people have to sit on the grass. The show is broadcast live on television all over the country.
To get a seat near the stage - or even a spot on the grass - one has to come early. Those of us who don't get there hours in advance have to watch the stage from across the street... if we can get a glimpse of the large-screen TV...
I usually just wander through the crowd with those who are there to catch the spirit of the day.
There is an airshow...
(I'm not sure if I managed to photograph the planes zooming by - or if I simply caught a bunch of balloons in the air!)
The streets around the Parliament Buildings are blocked off.
Musicians and street entertainers draw spectators in different locations.
One tradition that has grown is dressing in red and white, the colors of the Canadian flag.
Some simply drape themselves in a flag!
Sidewalk cafes do a booming business.
On a warm, sunny Canada Day, hundreds of thousands of people mill around downtown, near the center of government.
Those who want more tranquility can find it a block away, at the Rideau Canal.
Downtown Ottawa is a hive of activity from morning till night - when many local residents come downtown to watch the fireworks that begin at dusk.
This year, an added attraction: Will and Kate, the young British royal couple, are here... It's sure to be an extra-busy place!
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