A summer kaleidoscope of cultures featuring music, song and dance from around the world at the picturesque outdoor Astrolabe Theatre. Non-stop international entertainment spotlighting unique and exotic artists from abroad. Dynamic performances by Ottawa's top folkloric dancers, singers and musicians. Sample treasures from around the world in the heart of ...

A Fringe Festival is a forum that unites artists and audiences in a fun, exploratory environment. The guiding principles of the Fringe include unrestricted artistic expression, accessibility and community development.

The Fringe encourages artists to explore and test boundaries and make bold choices in the creation of art.

The Canadian Fringe Festival model is unique in two respects: it guarantees that the artists, performers and musicians involved receive 100% of ticket revenue and it does not subject the artists’ work to jury approval or censor it in any way. Theatre companies are selected by non-judicial means and work within the technical guidelines of the Fringe Festival to produce their own art. Festival patrons enjoy physically and financially accessible arts experiences and the opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogues with artist and fellow Fringe patrons.

Founded in 1997, the Ottawa Fringe Festival has enjoyed consistent growth over the years and now includes 15 venues in the heart of the National Capital. The our licensed outdoor venue on the corner of Daly and Waller - serves as the heart of the Fringe and features nightly musical guests. It’s the best place to meet performers, catch the buzz on hot Fringe shows and see previews for other performances.

The Nortel Ottawa Dragon Boat Race Festival is part of a larger Chinese cultural tradition that goes back 2,400 years. It began on the life-sustaining riverbanks in the valleys of southern China as a fertility rite performed to ensure bountiful crops. The first participants held their celebration on the fifth day of the lunar month of the Chinese calendar. The race was held to avert misfortune and encourage the rains needed for prosperity. The object of their worship was the dragon.

Also known as Poet's Day, it commemorates the death of Qu Yuan, a poet and Minister of State during the Chou Dynasty. Qu had protested against the corrupt government and was stripped of his office as Minister of State. He wandered about the countryside, unhappy and dejected. When local fishermen realized Qu had disappeared into the river, they raced out in their boats to save him, beating drums to scare off the fish that they thought would eat his body. They also dropped rice dumplings in the water as a sacrifice to his spirit. The scene of the fishermen racing out to save Qu Yuan is reenacted every year in the form of dragon boat races.