The year 2017 was the year a whole lot of circuses came to town.
As part of the capital's efforts to draw tourists in time for the country's sesquicentennial, Ottawa and Gatineau bid for and won the right to host big-ticket events including the Grey Cup, The Juno Awards and the Roar of the Rings, one-time spectacles including La Machine and a number of smaller, one-of-a-kind events such as the elevated restaurant SkyLounge or the picnic on the Alexandra Bridge.
So which events worked, and which didn't? Here are your picks.
The hits
MosaïCanada 150
There were more than 1.3 million visits to MosaïCanada 150, the outdoor exhibit of living plants in Gatineau, Que. (Nathalie Tremblay/Radio-Canada)
The capital's most popular event of the year was in Gatineau, not Ottawa.
The outdoor exhibit of living plants, which ran from June 30 to Oct.15, proved hugely popular, recording 1.3 million visits. The free event attracted tourists and locals alike to view the horticultural sculptures as they changed with the season.
What did you think of... MosaïCanada 150? Reply in the poll or leave a comment below.
—
@CBCOttawa
I took my mom to see this. We were both amazed by it. It was fantastic.
—
@RichSavarie
La Machine
Kumo, the mechanical spider, rests across the street from the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica on Sussex Drive on July 28, 2017. (Trevor Pritchard/CBC)
It's not every day a giant mechanical dragon and spider make their way through the city. La Machine came with big expectations, but seemed to deliver on its promise of a spectacle unlike any the city had seen before.
Though crowds swelled past capacity during one performance in front of the Supreme Court, most people went away happy. Ottawa 2017 organizers said more than 750,000 people watched the spectacle over four days.
What did you think of... La Machine? Reply in the poll or leave a comment below.
—
@CBCOttawa
Absolutely one of the high points of summer 2017 for me. And I believe that experience can never be duplicated in Ottawa.
—
@TechTot
NHL 100 Classic
Craig Anderson, left, made 26 saves as the Ottawa Senators defeated the Montreal Canadiens 3-0 in the NHL 100 Classic. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)
Like the Red Bull Crashed Ice event earlier this year, the much-anticipated outdoor NHL game this December was played on a cold, cold evening, with a wind chill that felt like –19.
But the crowds still came to Lansdowne Park, and they were treated to a 3-0 win for the Ottawa Senators over the Montreal Canadiens. Not even some ill-timed comments from team owner Eugene Melnyk could spoil the evening.
What did you think of... the NHL 100 Classic? Reply in the poll or leave a comment below.
—
@CBCOttawa
The misses
Inspiration Village
Two women pose for a photo inside the 'Ottawa' sign on York Street on Sept. 2, 2017. (Trevor Pritchard/CBC)
Repurposed shipping containers plunked down in the ByWard Market aimed to bring all of the provinces into one location, and by Ottawa 2017's own measure, it was a success.
Organizers said Inspiration Village attracted more than 340,000 visitors from the end of May to early September, and had an 88 per cent satisfaction rate.
Perhaps this was the case for tourists posing next to the Ottawa sign. But of all the events we asked you about on Twitter, it seems this was the least inspiring, with one third of voters calling it a let-down.
What did you think of... Inspiration Village? Reply in the poll or leave a comment below.
—
@CBCOttawa
The ottawa sign was too cramped and where it is now is probably where it should have been all along :)
—
@imarathon
Canada Day 150
People take shelter from the rain as they wait in line during Canada 150 celebrations in Ottawa on July 1, 2017. (Sean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Canada Day is always a party in the nation's capital, and most who go to Parliament Hill learn to expect crowds and delays.
But few visitors were ready for the extra security in place for the 150th celebrations, and the three to four hours some would wait in the rain just to step onto the Hill. It seemed like organizers weren't ready either.
What did you think of... Canada Day 150? Reply in the poll or leave a comment below.
—
@CBCOttawa
The Canada Day with the horrible lines which only moved the security risk from the hill to the people waiting in line? Actually other than that fairly large blunder it was excellent. Mosaic Canada and La Machine were amazing.
—
@asselsm
Mìwàte: Illumination of Chaudière Falls
The Mìwàte show premiered on Oct. 6, 2017 on Albert Island. (@2017Ottawa/Twitter)
Mìwàte was intended to celebrate Indigenous culture, but the sound and light show at the Chaudière Falls ended up shining a spotlight on the divides that remain in Canada.
Put together with multimedia entertainment studio Moment Factory, the exhibition drew harsh criticism from Kitigan Zibi First Nation elder Albert Dumont, who called the show "a mockery" of Indigenous spiritual beliefs.
Ottawa-based A Tribe Called Red also requested two of their songs be pulled from the show's 10-minute soundtrack, saying through their management that they preferred to not be involved in Canada's sesquicentennial.
Weather also may have kept some people away: during the event's run from Oct. 6 to Nov. 5, some 200 millimetres of rain drenched Ottawa.
What did you think of... Mìwàte: Illumination of Chaudière Falls? Reply in the poll or leave a comment below.
—
@CBCOttawa
Weather was really spottynfor the duration. That coupled with reports of massive lines lead to me opting out. It’s nice to know you’ll be able to get into something when you commit your evening .... just my take.
—
@johnny_stew_
