Ottawa to host Nuit Blanche event in fall 2026

Ottawa Nightlife Commissioner Mathieu Grondin says Nuit Blanche has been the “hottest topic” of discussion since he took the job in June 2024.

The City of Ottawa will host a nighttime contemporary artistic and cultural event next fall.

Ottawa Nightlife Commissioner Mathieu Grondin, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, Ottawa Tourism and Les Forains announced the launch of Nuit Blanche Ottawa, which will be held in the fall of 2026.

Nuit Blanche is an all-night or night-time arts festival in the city, with festivals held annually in Montreal and Toronto.

“Starting in 2026, Nuit Blanche Ottawa will offer an unforgettable night where art, technology, and culture converge throughout the city,” Les Forains, who will host Nuit Blanche, said in a statement.

“The event will showcase light installations, projections, interactive experiences, and artistic performances that celebrate Ottawa’s uniqueness and cultural diversity. Its mission is to redefine the city’s urban DNA and deliver an immersive experience that will delight both residents and visitors.”

Grondin says Nuit Blanche has been the “hottest topic” of discussion since he took the job in June 2024.

“So many people came to me and said, ‘you got to bring back Nuit Blanche,’” Grondin said. “And so we’re really happy today that we can announce that there’s a new nonprofit organization that was created, whose mandate is to bring back the Nuit Blanche in Ottawa next year.”

Grondin says the event will be a “win-win for everyone.”

“It is good for tourism. It is good to draw in visitors,” Grondin said. “It’s good for the local businesses. It’s good for the artists.”

The executive director of Nuit Blanche describes the event.

“It’s an overnight arts pathway that you follow through the city and you go from Point A to Point B to Point C, discovering arts activations that you see across the city,” José Bertrand said.

“We partner up with the arts institutions and local artists to see what Ottawa has to offer in terms of artistic vision.”

Officials say Nuit Blanche will provide a “unique platform for international artistic activations and cultural experiences,” noting there are more than 130 embassies and high commissions in Ottawa.

As a prelude to the 2026 Nuit Blanche Ottawa, Les Forains will host an event on Oct. 17 on York Street in the ByWard Market. It will feature the French company Transe Express presenting Mobile Homme – an aerial performance of drummers and acrobats suspended above the crowd.

“It’s a free show and I think that is something that people are craving here in Ottawa,” Grondin said.

Toronto’s Nuit Blanche event was held Oct. 4 from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., with 80 exhibitions spread across the Toronto and North York area. The all-night celebration of contemporary art was hosted by the City of Toronto in collaboration with the arts community.

Montreal has hosted a Nuit Blanche event for more than 20 years, featuring over a hundred exclusive cultural activities like art, poetry, dance, games and cinema. The 23rd edition of Nuit Blanche will be held in Montreal on Feb. 28, 2026.

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Leah Larocque