🇱🇹 Ottawa Italian Festival
📅 June 19–21, 2026
📍 Preston Street, Ottawa
🅾 Free Admission
👦 Kids & Family Friendly
Ottawa Italian Festival 2026
Every June, something wonderful happens to Preston Street. The cars stop, the patios overflow, and Ottawa’s Little Italy becomes, briefly and gloriously, a little piece of Italy itself. The Ottawa Italian Festival — the Grand Finale Weekend of Italian Week Ottawa — runs June 19–21, 2026, and it is exactly the kind of thing a June weekend was made for.
Ferraris lined up along Corso Italia. Over 100 Italian cars parading past the crowd. Latin dancing on Friday night. Stilt walkers, face painters, and inflatables for the kids. And the best Italian restaurants in the city throwing open their patio doors to welcome the 200,000-plus visitors who descend on the neighbourhood every year. It’s loud, it’s festive, and it’s completely free to attend.
🎙 Italian Car Parade
🚘 Ferrari Festival & Demo Zone
🍔 Street Food & Patios
🎶 Live Performances
👩 Latin Dancing
🏝 Kids Zone
🏍 Vespa & Lambretta Village
💡 The street festival is free for everyone. Some Italian Week Ottawa events (masterclasses, ticketed dinners, the Discoteca dance party) require advance tickets — check italianweekottawa.ca for details.
☰ Jump to Section
✨ Why This Festival Is Worth Your June Weekend
Ottawa’s Little Italy has been celebrating Italian culture since 1974, when Preston Street first closed its doors to cars (of the regular variety) and opened them to something far more interesting. Half a century on, the formula is simple: take one of the most vibrant neighbourhoods in the capital, add Ferraris, great food, live music, and 200,000 enthusiastic visitors, and let the whole thing run for a weekend.
What sets this festival apart from your average street party is the density of things actually happening at the same time. On Saturday afternoon alone you can watch 100+ Italian cars parade down Corso Italia, then walk two blocks to catch Ferraris screaming through the Demo Zone on Carling Avenue, then settle onto a patio with a glass of Prosecco while stilt walkers thread through the crowd. It’s a genuine sensory experience, not just a backdrop for drinking beer on a street.
And because it runs as the Grand Finale of Italian Week Ottawa — an 11-day cultural program that starts June 11 — there’s an entire week of events to dig into if you want more than just the weekend street party. Cooking masterclasses, heritage dinners, a 90s Italian disco night, cycling races, a pizza crawl through Little Italy. The festival rewards those who show up early as much as those who just want to catch the main event.
📅 Italian Week Ottawa 2026 — June 11–21
The street festival is the Grand Finale, but Italian Week Ottawa starts ten days earlier with 15+ events celebrating Italian art, food, music, and heritage across the city. Here’s what’s on the calendar before the big weekend:
Thu · June 11 · Free
🏴 Flag Raising Ceremony — City Hall — 11:00 AM
The official kickoff of Italian Week 2026 with Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and a formal proclamation, followed by the raising of the Italian Week Ottawa flag. Free and open to the public — a small but meaningful start to 11 days of celebration.
Thu · June 11 · Free
🎨 Italian Art at the National Gallery of Canada — 5:30–7:30 PM
Guided 30-minute tours of exceptional Italian artworks in the National Gallery’s collection, offered in Italian (5:30 PM), English (6:15 PM), and French (7:00 PM). A lovely low-key way to start the week.
Fri · June 12 · Ticketed
🍸 Masterclass: Italian Cocktails — 7:00–8:30 PM
A hands-on Italian cocktail-making session with mixologists Erica and Hailey Martin of Bevi Bar Co., creating three summer-inspired Italian cocktails and mocktails. Tickets required; sells out quickly.
Sat · June 13 · Ticketed
🕺 Discoteca: 90s Italian Dance Party — 7:00 PM–11:00 PM
Drinks, dancing, and the best 90s Italian disco vibes. Dust off your Nonna’s closet or dress the part and dance until late. One of the more unique event ideas you’ll find at any festival.
Sun · June 14
🚲 Preston Street Criterium Bicycle Races — 9:00 AM–6:30 PM
Preston Street transforms into a cycling circuit for a full day of racing, from youth events to elite riders. An exciting, fast-paced and free-to-watch day out on the street.
☕ Feast of St. Anthony Mass & Procession — 10:30 AM (Free)
An outdoor Mass on the steps of St. Anthony’s Church followed by a traditional procession through the neighbourhood. A heartfelt piece of the neighbourhood’s Italian-Catholic heritage.
🍕 Little Italy Pizza Crawl — 3:00–5:00 PM (Ticketed)
A guided tasting crawl through four of Little Italy’s best pizza spots, complete with neighbourhood history and hidden gems along the way.
Mon · June 15 · Ticketed
🍽 Masterclass: Gourmet Italian Dinner with Chef Cristian Lepore — 7:00–9:00 PM
An intimate four-course Italian dinner crafted around high-quality Italian and locally sourced ingredients, with the chef walking guests through the culinary journey. A genuinely special evening.
Tue · June 16 · Ticketed
🍴 Masterclass: Gnocchi Cooking Class with Chef Cristian Lepore — 7:00–8:30 PM
Make gnocchi from scratch with one of Ottawa’s top Italian chefs. Light, pillowy, and nonna-approved. Suitable for all skill levels.
Wed · June 17
📙 Books & Biscotti — 5:00–6:00 PM · Queer Italian Voices — 7:00–8:30 PM
An evening of Italian-Canadian literature: rapid-fire poetry and prose readings in English, French, Italian, and dialect (5 PM), followed by an evening with award-winning writer and poet Liana Cusmano celebrating LGBTQ+ Italian-Canadian voices (7 PM).
Thu · June 18 · Ticketed
🍷 Heritage Event: Spotlight on Emilia-Romagna — 7:00–9:00 PM
A walk-about wine and food tasting journey through the tastes of Emilia-Romagna, one of Italy’s most celebrated culinary regions. Think Parmigiano, prosciutto, lambrusco, and the sounds of the region. A lovely evening before the big weekend.
🏴 Grand Finale Weekend — June 19–21, 2026
This is what everyone comes for. Preston Street closes, the neighbourhood takes over, and three days of pure Italian-flavoured chaos unfolds on Corso Italia. Here’s what to expect each day.
Friday · June 19
🏛 Preston Street Opens — All Day
The street closes to traffic and opens to the public. Vendors, patios, and performers take over Corso Italia from Carling to Somerset. At 301 Preston, the Italian Week Kids Zone, the Lambretta & Vespa Community Activation Village, and vendors set up for the weekend.
👩 Latin Dancing with Arthur Murray Ottawa Dance Studio — Evening
Friday night brings live Latin dancing led by the Arthur Murray Ottawa Dance Studio. The energy on the street after dark on Friday is electric — a great night to wander, eat, and watch people move.
Saturday · June 20
🎙 Italian Car Parade — 1:00 PM (Preston Street)
Over 100 Italian cars — Ferraris, Alfa Romeos, Maseratis, Lamborghinis, Vespas, Ducatis, and everything in between — parade along Corso Italia hosted by the Italian Car Club of Ottawa. Probably the single best free spectacle of the entire weekend. Get a good spot along the street early.
🚘 Ferraris & Friends Demo Zone — 2:30–4:30 PM (Carling Ave)
Immediately after the parade, Ferraris hit an enclosed section of Carling Avenue for two laps of noise and speed in front of thousands of fans. This is the Ferrari Festival’s signature public moment and it is genuinely spectacular to watch from the barriers.
🏡 Stilt Walkers, Magicians, Face Painting & Inflatables — 1:00–6:00 PM
Saturday afternoon is peak family time. Stilt walkers roam along Preston Street 1–8 PM; face painters and balloon artists set up near Roberto’s Pizza 1–6 PM; magicians work the crowd throughout. The inflatables area is a favourite for the younger kids.
Sunday · June 21
👩 Family Programming Continues — All Day
Sunday keeps the family-friendly programming going with stilt walkers, magicians, face painting, and inflatables returning for the final day. A slightly more relaxed pace than Saturday but still plenty going on all the way until the festival wraps at 6:00 PM.
🏆 Ferrari Festival Farewell — Morning
The Charity Dream Ride takes place Sunday morning (see the Ferrari Festival for details) and the festival draws to a close in the afternoon. A good day to take it slower, browse the vendor stalls, and enjoy one last long lunch on a patio before Corso Italia returns to being a regular street again.
🏆 Not-to-Miss Highlights
🎙
Italian Car Parade
100+ Italian vehicles of every kind rolling down Corso Italia on Saturday at 1 PM. Organized by the Italian Car Club of Ottawa. Completely free to watch from the street.
🚘
Ferrari Demo Zone
Festival Ferraris run two laps through an enclosed section of Carling Avenue, Saturday 2:30–4:30 PM. The sound alone is worth the trip. Free for spectators along the barriers.
🏍
Vespa & Lambretta Village
A dedicated Community Activation Village celebrating Italian two-wheelers at 301 Preston St. throughout the Grand Finale Weekend. Charming and very photogenic.
👩
Latin Dancing — Friday Night
Live Latin dancing on Friday evening led by the Arthur Murray Ottawa Dance Studio. The street comes alive after dark on Friday in a way that’s hard to describe without just telling you to go.
🏝
Kids Zone
Stilt walkers, magicians, face painters, balloon artists, and inflatables throughout Saturday and Sunday. Centred at 301 Preston St., but roaming entertainers are all over the street.
🍔
Street Artists
Live artists paint along Preston Street throughout the weekend — look for François Pelletier and Gina Mazzolin among others. A lovely detail that gives the festival an extra layer of cultural richness.
🍔 Food, Drink & the Preston Street Patios
Let’s be honest: Little Italy on a summer evening is already one of the better places to eat in Ottawa. Add a street festival, a parade of Ferraris, and 200,000 people in a good mood and you have something special. The restaurants along Preston Street throw open their patios for the entire festival weekend, and the vibe — especially on Friday and Saturday evenings — is unlike almost anything else the city has to offer.
Vendor stalls and food trucks set up throughout the street, so there’s plenty of casual eating available without a reservation. But if you want to sit down at one of the neighbourhood’s proper Italian restaurants during the festival, book in advance. They fill up fast — especially on Saturday evening when the Ferrari street display is in full swing and the whole street is buzzing.
💡 Pro tip: If you’re coming specifically for the food and the atmosphere, Friday evening is the sweet spot. The crowds are slightly smaller than Saturday, the street display of Ferraris is running, and the Latin dancing adds a great energy. Make a reservation at one of the patio restaurants and you’re set for an excellent night.
📍 The Essentials
Festival Dates
June 19–21, 2026
Grand Finale of Italian Week Ottawa (June 11–21)
Grand Finale of Italian Week Ottawa (June 11–21)
Location
Preston Street (Corso Italia), Ottawa
Kids Zone & Vendors: 301 Preston St.
Kids Zone & Vendors: 301 Preston St.
Admission
Free for the street festival
Some Italian Week events require tickets
Some Italian Week events require tickets
Parking
410 Rochester St. (Preston Square)
75 Beech St. (Pay & Display)
Transit or cycling strongly recommended
75 Beech St. (Pay & Display)
Transit or cycling strongly recommended
Best For
Car fans · Families · Foodies · Culture lovers · Anyone who just likes a great summer street festival
💡 Tips for Making the Most of It
🎙 For the Italian Car Parade, find your spot early. It rolls at 1:00 PM on Saturday. The good viewing spots along Preston Street fill up before it starts. Get there by 12:30 at the latest and pick your vantage point.
🚘 Don’t miss the Demo Zone. It runs 2:30–4:30 PM Saturday on Carling Avenue. Most visitors don’t realize they can walk to Carling from Preston in about five minutes and watch Ferraris actually moving at speed. Absolutely worth it.
🍕 Book your restaurant in advance. The Preston Street patios are spectacular during festival weekend but they’re also extremely popular. Friday and Saturday evenings especially — reserve a table before you come.
🚻 Don’t try to park on Preston. The street is fully closed. Use 410 Rochester St. (Preston Square) or 75 Beech St. nearby, or better yet, take the bus or ride a bike. Preston Street is very accessible by transit and you won’t spend 20 minutes circling looking for a spot.
🏝 Bring the kids on Saturday or Sunday afternoon. The stilt walkers, face painters, magicians, and inflatables are running both days from 1 PM. Saturday afternoon — with the car parade and Demo Zone also happening — is an especially full afternoon for kids who like cars and spectacle.
🍽 Come for Italian Week, not just the Grand Finale. The masterclasses and heritage events the week before sell out. If you want the gnocchi cooking class or the Emilia-Romagna tasting dinner, book through italianweekottawa.ca as soon as registration opens.
💋 Follow for updates: @fcaottawa for Ferrari Festival news and @ItalianWeekOttawa for the full Italian Week calendar.
❓ Common Questions
Festival details may change — always confirm the latest at ottawaitalianfestival.com and italianweekottawa.ca before heading out.
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