Every August, the Grands Feux fireworks make a colourful appearance on the Ottawa and Gatineau skyline. The official event is held at the Museum of History in Gatineau, featuring a captivating firework show synchronized with music. There are food trucks, drinks, buskers, and more to enjoy alongside the official show: a fantastical firework show that is coordinated with music. With six shows scheduled—including a Grand Opening, four international displays, and a Grand Finale—this event is a must-see. The fireworks are set off on Wednesdays and Saturdays at approximately 9:20 pm. While tripods are not allowed at the Museum of History unless you have media passes, there are numerous other fantastic locations around the city to enjoy the show for free. Read on for your list of where to watch and tips for taking photos of the fireworks!
This year, the show is on from July 31 to August 17, 2024.
Table of Contents
Where to watch the fireworks show
Museum of History
The best location to watch the show is the official venue: the Museum of History in Gatineau. Not only are the fireworks meant to be seen from the museum, the venue plays the music that accompanies the light show. It makes for a spectacular evening out!
Tickets are available online only, and prices range from $16.50 to $37.50 for adults. The entertainment starts at the museum at 6 pm, and it’s definitely worth it to get there early. Note that tripods are prohibited without a media pass.
Mackenzie King Bridge or Corktown Footbridge
My second favourite location to see the Grands Feux Fireworks is from one of the bridges along the Rideau Canal. The Mackenzie King Bridge, located near Rideau Mall, offers a prime view of the fireworks with Parliament Hill and the Fairmont Chateau Laurier in the backdrop. The Corktown Footbridge is a little further south, but still with an amazing view. The two photos below were taken during the finale from the Corktown Footbridge. I recommend getting to the bridge around 8 pm to grab a spot and set up your tripod.
Macdonald Cartier Bridge
For a less crowded but equally stunning view, head to the Macdonald-Cartier Bridge. From here, you can see the fireworks with boats on the Ottawa River and the Alexandra Bridge in the foreground. For the best view of Parliament Hill, position yourself closer to the Gatineau side of the bridge. This location is ideal for a relaxed evening with a camping chair.
Richmond Landing and Portage Bridge
To the west, you’ll find Richmond Landing and the Portage Bridge. Richmond Landing and Portage Bridge offer excellent views of the fireworks over the Ottawa River. Richmond Landing is particularly good for capturing the crowd with fireworks in the background.
Major’s Hill Park
There is a plethora of vantage points in Major’s Hill Park to both watch and take photos of the fireworks from. Whether you stand by the railing or sit back in the park, you can capture stunning images with either the water or park scenery in the foreground.
Kìwekì Point (formerly Nepean Point) (currently closed)
Although currently closed for construction, Kìwekì Point (Nepean Point) is a fantastic location when open. With a wide-angle lens, you can capture close-up shots of the fireworks and the surrounding area.
La Terrasse
The Fairmont Chateau Laurier has an outdoor patio called La Terrasse, and it looks out over the Rideau Locks and the Museum of History. If you can get there early and grab a table by the edge you can get some great shots! I personally love this little stop motion video I made last year. Set up your camera/phone and take a few shots from the same spot. Each photo is about 0.2 second in the video and makes it look like stop motion!
National Gallery of Canada and Maman Statue
Another favourite of mine, and typically less busy than other locations, is the Maman Statue outside the National Gallery of Canada. If you stand in front of the Notre Dame Cathedral, you can get a view of the Maman Statue and National Gallery lit from behind by the fireworks. Bring a zoom lens to light up the rotunda and see the fireworks through the glass.
Tips for taking fireworks photos
To take photos of fireworks, you’re going to want to take long exposure photos. Long exposure photography is a technique that involves capturing a single image over an extended period of time. I.e. the shutter is open for longer. To do this, you need a camera and a tripod. A remote shutter is also very useful, to avoid small movements when taking the photo.
When you set up your tripod, don’t pull the centre column up all the way – make sure there is a little hanging below. This increases the stability for your camera and helps your photos stay crisp.
Grands Feux Fireworks Photos Checklist
- Use a sturdy tripod, and avoid extending the center column fully for stability.
- Use a remote shutter (if you have one). A cable release is even better to help with Bulb mode (see No. 7).
- You can use Noise Reduction, but that does take time between shots so be mindful of the timing.
- Shoot in RAW, if you can.
- Use a low ISO (100 or 200 should be good).
- A good aperture is about f/11, but feel free to play around with it.
- Most blogs recommend setting the camera to Bulb (B) (instead of choosing a shutter speed). This does help you to expose for the entire fireworks burst, but I personally have difficulty with my remote shutter for this. You’ll want to at least use a longer shutter speed for most of the show, and a very short shutter speed for the finale. You’ll risk blowing out your photo otherwise.
- Manually focus your lens at infinity, preferrably when there’s still light out. Auto focus will have to refocus every time and it will likely blur your photo.
Creative Photo Ideas
Don’t just take photos of the fireworks: add some additional interest to your photo! Try a cocktail glass at Le Terrasse in the foreground and bokeh fireworks in the background. Or, focus on the fireworks with a blurred person (or crowd!) in the foreground. Play around with Photoshop and superimpose a photo of the fireworks on your phone. Try various vantage points around the city for variety! Try a stop motion video to create some interest. Please credit the creators you find inspiration from. If one of the photos, or videos, in this post inspires you, please tag me on social media!
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