A Taste of Wales Comes to Ottawa: Festival of Culture, Music, and Heritage

From August 27 to 31, Ottawa will play host to something truly special: the 2025 North American Festival of Wales. For nearly a century, this annual celebration has rotated across North America, bringing with it the sounds, flavours, and traditions of Wales. This year, the nation’s capital will get a chance to immerse itself in Welsh culture through a rich lineup of music, food, history, and community events.

Why does a Welsh festival matter to Ottawans? For one, almost half a million Canadians claim Welsh ancestry, with family ties stretching back to the earliest waves of British settlement. Wales, though small in size, has an outsized cultural footprint—known for its haunting choirs, lyrical folk music, rugged landscapes, and a language that is among Europe’s oldest and most unique. For many Canadians, including those in Ottawa, the festival is not just a chance to learn about Wales but to reconnect with a part of their own heritage.

The festival officially kicks off with A Taste of Wales at the Delta Hotel on August 27. This opening evening offers a preview of what’s to come—traditional Welsh food and drink paired with performances that showcase the breadth of Welsh artistry. From there, the program expands across the city, with events that range from formal concerts to family-friendly activities.

One of the highlights will be WelshFest on Sparks Street on August 28. Free and open to everyone, this outdoor street festival captures the heart of the celebration. Visitors will hear performances from Welsh of the West End, a musical theatre group who reached the semi-finals on Britain’s Got Talent, as well as the acclaimed female folk group Pedair. Add in clog dancing by award-winning youth performers, genealogy booths, face painting, and food trucks serving up Welsh-inspired bites, and Sparks Street is set to transform into a vibrant hub of Celtic culture.

Comedy fans will have their turn later that evening when Welsh comedian and TV presenter Tudur Owen takes the stage, offering his trademark blend of Welsh humour and sharp observations about the famously consonant-heavy Welsh language.

Music remains at the heart of the festival. On Saturday night, the vaulted halls of Christ Church Cathedral will be filled with the soaring harmonies of Côr y Penrhyn, a renowned Welsh male voice choir, joined by soprano Meinir Wyn Roberts. The weekend closes on Sunday with a community hymn sing, inviting all to lend their voices in one of Wales’s most cherished traditions.

Beyond the performances, the festival offers something more enduring: a chance to explore the depth and beauty of Welsh culture. From the lilting cadence of the Welsh language—spoken by nearly a million people today—to stories of resilience, artistry, and identity, the festival gives Canadians a window into a nation that has always punched above its weight culturally and historically.

The 2025 Festival of Wales is not only a cultural exchange but also a reminder of the global threads woven into the fabric of Canada. Whether you have Welsh roots, are looking for a new vacation destination, or simply want to experience something unique, Ottawa in late August will be the place to do it.

As Megan Williams, Executive Secretary of the Welsh North American Association, often notes: “Wales is a small country with a big heart. Canadians will find that sense of warmth, music, and community reflected in every part of this festival.”

This August, Ottawa becomes Wales’s home away from home—and everyone is invited to join in.

Visit festivalofwales.org for the complete list of events and performances.