September is a great month for festivals in Ottawa. PayByPhone, Ottawa’s exclusive parking payment provider, gives you its top five to visit in September.
1. The annual CityFolk Festival (September 10 – 14) features a diverse mix of music genres and attractions for all the family. Parking near the Festival venue - Lansdowne Park - is easy with PayByPhone, thanks to on-street parking on Bank Street and Lot/Stat29 – Lansdowne. If you don’t mind a little longer walk – about 8 minutes - then head to Glebe Garage (Lot 8) at 170 Second Avenue.
2. KN¿WHERE Music Festival (September 12 – 14)held at Raven’s Knoll is Canada’s newest and most prestigious electronic music gathering[1].If you don’t fancy camping for the full three-day event, stay in Ottawa and get the event shuttle bus from Ottawa International Airport. You can park overnight in Glebe Garage (Lot 8) at 170 Second Avenue, which is a 10-minute journey to the airport, or in ByWard Market Garage (Lot 4) on 70 Clarence Street, a20-minute ride to the airport.
3. If craft beer is your thing, then head to the inaugural Kanata Craft Beer Festival (September 19 – 20), where craft beer, community spirit, and local music will be aplenty. Why not make a long weekend of it and stay in Ottawa Centretown? It is only an approximately 20-minutedrive to Kanata - just make sure you pay for your designated driver’s lunch at the festival! Parking in Centretown is easy with PayByPhone, with on-street parking in multiple locations, including along Somerset Street W, O’Connor Street, Lisgar Street, Cooper Street and McLaren Street.
4. The longest street festival in the world[2], Taste of Wellington (September 20), held on the streets on Hintonberg and Wellington Village, is one of Ottawa’s most exciting community festivals. It features live music, circus performances, pop-up shops, tasting stations, food trucks, and a dedicated Kid’s Zone. Park with PayByPhone on-street along Holland Avenue between Scott Street and Spencer Street, or in Parkdale Market (Lot 13).
5. The Ottawa International Animation Festival (September 24 – 28) has been bringing animation enthusiasts together since 1976. This year it’s hosting events suchas screenings, talks, and parties at several locations including the ByTowne Cinema, the National Arts Centre, and the Ottawa Art Gallery, over the course of the five days. Park on-street on Nicholas Street, Rideau Street, Cumberland Street and Besserer Street for easy access to all three of those venues.
If you haven’t already, download the PayByPhone app today from the App Store or Google Play Store, where registration is quick and easy – it takes about 30seconds. Using the PayByPhone app means you can extend your parking in line with the location’s terms and conditions from the app – so no need to go back to the car. You can also use the Maps feature to locate parking areas before you leave, and you can opt-in to receive an SMS before your session expires. The app is available globally in 11 languages, including French, making it inclusive not only for the bi-lingual residents, but also for the almost 10 million tourists[3]who visit the city year.
[1] https://www.ottawafestivals.ca/calendar/kn¿where-music-festival
[2] https://www.ottawafestivals.ca/calendar/taste-of-wellington
[3] https://obj.ca/ottawa-tourism-provided-3-1b-in-2023-gaining-momentum/#:~:text=The%20capital's%20tourism%20industry%20is,about%20%242.6%20billion%20each%20year.
