For five days, running through the August civic holiday, you'll be in the middle of a lot of laid-back fun. The Sparks Street Mall International Busker Festival is the second-largest busker festival in Canada, second only to the event that Halifax hosts.
Local talent shines, too.
Ottawa's Junkyard Symphony has been a hit for several years, making music from old pots and pans and, yes, even the kitchen sink. Sparks Street has been part of Ottawa's history since there was an Ottawa. Photos courtesy of the Sparks Street Mall Management Board.