Vanier Sugar Festival 2026 | 41 Years of Tradition and Sharing
After a resounding success last year, the Vanier Sugar Festival, presented by Desjardins Ontario Credit Union, took place at Richelieu Park and once again brought the community together in a warm and festive atmosphere.
As a flagship event in the Vanier Muséoparc programming, the Festival celebrated its 41st edition honoring the traditions of the maple syrup season. Visitors had the opportunity to discover artisanal maple syrup production at the only urban sugar shack in the country, while enjoying a wide range of activities: traditional meals, maple taffy on snow, performances by local artists, lumberjack competitions, games and activities for children, meeting sled dogs, as well as discovering the spirit horses from Madahòkì Farm,
19th edition of Soup(e) Splash
On Monday, March 9 at 5:30 p.m., the 19th edition of Soup(e) Splash took place, a gastronomic fundraising event organized in support of the Vanier Sugar Festival.
For the occasion, six restaurants from Vanier, Ottawa, and Gatineau: Anina’s Cafe | Beechwood Diner | Chef Phil Cameron | Le St-Estèphe Fin Traiteur | Dante Restaurant | Sussex & Co. Steakhouse Steakhouse competed in creativity by offering original maple syrup–inspired soups.
Participants had the opportunity to sample the different creations and vote for their favorite soup, while a jury made up of local personalities also presented its awards.
The Jury’s Favourite Award was presented to Le St-Estèphe Fin Traiteur, while the People’s Choice Award was awarded to Chef Phil Cameron
Family and Community Days
“Funding provided by the Ontario Trillium Foundation.”
Video credit: City Park Production
17th Annual Soup(e) Splash
- LOCATION: Kiwanis Hall, Richelieu-Vanier Community Centre (300 des Pères-Blancs Ave.)
- Tickets ($40) are on sale now:
Raffle prizes
School Days
Schools in the greater Ottawa region are invited to take part in several fun activities, where children will discover the various traditions of the sugar season through six different stations, in addition to attending a unique and original musical performance.
All the places available have been filled.
Dinner and dance evening to the sound of old-time traditions
Following the astounding success of last year’s “Soirée canadienne”, Louis Racine and Les Pourquoi Pas return to the Centre Pauline-Charron for a dance party featuring traditional music.
Celebrate the sweet season with this “Soirée canadienne”!
- LOCATION : Centre Pauline-Charron (164 Jeanne-Mance St.)
- Cost: $15 per person. All proceeds will go to the Centre Pauline-Charron.
- Dinner:
chicken (with a maple sauce), vegetables, mashed potatoes and turnip, pouding chômeur - Get your tickets at the Centre Pauline-Charron online box office: https://bit.ly/SoireeCanadienne2024
Family Days!
- Richelieu Park and Vanier Sugar Shack (300 and 320 des Pères-Blancs Ave.)
- Maple taffy tasting at the Vanier Sugar Shack ($);
- Free musical performances by local, emerging and up-and-coming artists throughout the day;
- Sugar season meals served under a large tent ($). Tickets can only be purchased onsite, under various small tents. Cash, credit cards and mobile payment will be accepted.
- Inflatable games, activities and indoor parcours for toddlers presented by ON y va! and HIPPY;
- Mini-farm and pony rides with Countryside Petting Farm ($);
- Axe throwing with LumberJaxe ($);
- Book sale at the Vanier branch of the Ottawa Public Library;
- Lumberjack Skills Competition (Sunday, March 24, 1 p.m.).
- In collaboration with DeSerres, and visual artist Max Black, collective artworks will be created throughout the Festival. Archival pictures of the Museopark will be transformed into large-format paint by numbers canvas. Festival-goers will be invited to leave a mark of their visit to the 2024 Sugar Festival!
- A biergarten will be set up, and festival-goers will be able to enjoy a variety of beers from the Festival’s official brewery, Orléans Brewing Co.,including their famous maple beer ($);
- A variety of coffees and hot chocolates from Starbucks ($).
- 5 km race open to all. Stéphanie Plante, City Councillor for Vanier-Rideau, is taking advantage of Festival activities to invite people to run or walk through the streets of Vanier and Beechwood Cemetery. Profits will be donated to the Vanier Museopark.
Help us keep the Sugar Festival free for everyone!
The Sugar Festival is a free family and community event. To do so, the Vanier Museopark relies on many sources of funding, including fundraisers. This year, the Museopark is offering festival-goers to show their support to the Festival in a stylish manner: beanies featuring the Sugar Festival logo are now on sale on the Museopark’s website.
- Two models are available, with or without pom-poms, for $40 (taxes included).
- Profits will be used to finance the many activities of the Festival.
Get your beanie now, but hurry up, quantities are limited!
Buy your beanie just HERE
Become a Volunteer
Merci à nos partenaires
Le Muséoparc Vanier tient à souligner que l’organisation du Festival des sucres 2024 se fait grâce à la généreuse contribution financière de ses partenaires et souhaite les remercier sincèrement :
Thanks to our partners
The Vanier Muséoparc would like to acknowledge that the 2026 Sugar Festival presented by Desjardins Credit union is made possible thanks to the generous financial contributions of its partners, and would like to express its sincere gratitude to them:
