Culture

Indian Food Festival Ottawa 2026: Dates, Free Admission & Highlights

Culture desk
NRI HeraldAugust 21, 2026
3 min read
Navatara's Indian Food Festival Ottawa 2026: culture, food, and celebration

The three-day festival, now in its sixth year, is organized by the Indo-Canadian Community Association and expects over 30,000 visitors. Attendees can sample regional specialties from Punjab, Kerala, and Bengal, including street food staples like chaat and dosa, plus sweets such as jalebi and gulab jamun.

Live entertainment spans classical and Bollywood dance, folk music, and a fashion show, with nightly DJ sets closing the event. The marketplace will feature 40 vendors selling clothing, jewelry, and handicrafts, while the kids' zone has been expanded to include face painting, henna art, and cultural workshops.

Organizers have arranged free shuttle buses from nearby parking lots and the Tunney's Pasture transit station. Attendees are encouraged to bring reusable water bottles, and water refill stations will be available on site.

The festival opens at 11 a.m. each day and runs until 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 7 p.m. on Sunday. No tickets are required, and all activities are free of charge.

Culture desk · August 21, 2026
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