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Welcome to Sparks Street's Winterlude Cocktail Corner! Just because we're at home away from the bar scene doesn't mean we can't enjoy a fancy cocktail - you just need a few essentials (which you can order!) Follow along with 'How To' Cocktail instructionals from our friends at The Rabbit Hole! There's even a family-friendly non-alcoholic one included. All of the Cocktail Kits are available for purchase through The Rabbit Hole. Green with Boredom What you'll need: Rum Lime Juice Dark Green Lime Juice Simple Syrup Cocktail Shaker Rocks Glass Ice Sunset & Quarantine What you'll need: Rum Charred Pineapple Juice Lime Juice Passion Fruit Juice Cocktail Shaker Rocks Glass Ice Old Fashioned Cotton Tail What you'll need: Bourbon Burnt Maple Syrup Bitters Simple Syrup Rocks Glass Kombucha Kit What you'll need: Kombucha Honey Lemon Rosehip Peppercorn Champaign Flute Again, all of these Cocktail Kits are available for purchase from The Rabbit Hole! Special thanks to bartenders and twin brothers Sheldon & Derek Jackson. For more downtown cocktails, see our friends at the Glebe’s Winterlude Cocktail Corner! Find more Sparks Winterlude fun HERE and visit the Winterlude website HERE! Don't forget to download the Winterlude App and follow this year's virtual festival! Cheers! Sláinte! Salud! Prost!

The Rabbit Hole, Valentine's Special Whether you celebrate Valentine's, Galentine's, or the day after when all the chocolate goes on sale - we are here for it! Sparks Street businesses have leveled up for the heart-filled occasion from gift guides and specials to romantic (and delicious) take out menus! Be sure to win those brownie points and get your orders in on time! Here are some ideas for how you can make this COVID V-Day Cupid Approved! Gift Ideas Sparks Street is home to several jewellers who will certainly help make your Valentine's sparkle! True Bijoux even has a gorgeous Valentine's Day Collection ♥ True Bijoux Alyea's Jewellers Dixon Jewellers Howard Fine Jewellers If you're looking for more about jewellery on Sparks Street, check out our Jewellery with a Mystery History blog post! Take Out Menus There are several Sparks Restaurants offering special Valentine's Take Out Menus to make that night-in especially romantic (and hassle free!) You can pre-order to make sure your date night goes off without a hitch ;) The Ottawa Marriott Hotel's Spin Kitchen The Rabbit Hole Diner Riviera Special Promos Some of the businesses on Sparks Street are offering special Valentine's promotions and even some GIVEAWAYS! Escape Bicycle Tours & Rentals is doing a Valentine's Giveaway! Head over to their Instagram/Facebook pages to enter for your chance to win! 1st Prize: Bike and Bites (food) Tour for 2 ($225 value) Runner Up: Tandem Bike for 2 Hours ($40 value) Ready to buy your Valentine’s gift now? Save up to 10-50% on tours and rentals! Howard Fine Jewellers is running a #ShareTheLove Giveaway! Rabbit Hole is giving away one $100 gift card to a lucky pre-order customer for their 'Valentine's for Two' special. Order before Feb. 8th for your chance to win! No matter how you prefer to celebrate Valentine's Day, we hope you have a sweet & safe one this year! ♥ A Warm Hug - Kanika Gupta, Sparks Street BIA, Winterlude 2020

As an official site and partner of this year's festivities, Sparks Street has been collaborating behind the scenes with the diligent, hard working, and creative team at Canadian Heritage. For months, they have been planning the best 2021 edition of Winterlude possible under the ever evolving landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are proud to be partnering with a team that has been so dedicated and adaptable, who are ready and willing to program and animate under the many varying circumstances. Though today's news of the festival going completely online may be disappointing, we look forward to welcoming back visitors once we are able (fingers crossed for 2022!) and are excited to follow along as Winterlude unveils this year's virtual programming. We will be sharing lots with you in the days to come as there is so much winter fun and magic to experience - even from the comfort (and warmth) of home! Stay safe, Ottawa! Sparks Street BIA, Winterlude 2020

One of Ottawa's top holiday traditions - skip the car lines, and WALK your way through the ambient open-air of the Christmas season. Meander through the downtown twinkling magic of our local landmarks --- with cocoa or coffee in hand (Check out our Cocoa Crawl YUM!). It's the perfect (FREE & safely distanced) family outing for 2020. Here's a sneak peek at some of downtown's festive magic: Christmas Lights Across Canada From November 30, 2020, to January 7, 2021 Every evening, from 5:30 pm to 1 am Be charmed by the thousands of dazzling holiday lights that brighten Confederation Boulevard, Canada's ceremonial route that circles the heart of the capital. Follow the route and admire the illuminated sites including the National War Memorial, the Garden of Provinces and Territories and the view from the Alexandra Bridge. Sparkling Sparks: Visit Re:Residence gorgeous new courtyard - tucked away for a quiet moment (or adorable family picture. Have you seen their delicious goodies for our Cosy Kit Giveaway? Check out the holiday sights, sounds & photo ops of Parliament Hill Peer into the adorably bedazzled Get Cosy sponsor's Alyea's Jewellers windows! We hope you'll make the merry trip!

In small ways, we can make big change. Our Sparks Gives initiative endeavors to support the needs of our local community by providing funding to help organizations that passionately work to improve the lives of those in the closely surrounding community of Sparks Street. To show our sincere appreciation for the work our core organizations do, and the integral services they provide residents and visitors, we are contributing a cash donation and are pleased to offer additional partnership support to them in 2021. Through our programs, festivals, and events, Sparks Gives will continue to identify and support the ever growing & ongoing needs of our neighbours. These organizations are truly the heart of our downtown core. Join us in giving a warm welcome to our 2020-2021 Partners: Shepherds of Good Hope The Ottawa Mission Food Truck Program Centretown Emergency Food Centre Dalhousie Food Cupboard Salvation Army Kettle Campaign Salvation Army Street Outreach Ottawa-Carleton Association for Persons with Developmental Disabilities YMCA/YWCA Ottawa The Good Companions Seniors’ Centre Operation Come Home Dave Smith Youth Treatment Centre Youth Services Bureau In showing our support, we will be doing Twelve Days of #SparksGives where each of the above organizations will receive their cash donation between December 7-18, 2020. The Sparks Street BIA will continue to partner with these organizations in 2021 and we look forward to assisting in the promotion of their valuable initiatives. This program has been made possible with thanks to our Sparks Street BIA Board of Directors. Follow the giving stories below! 12 Days of Sparks Gives The Ottawa Mission "As Covid19 drags on, we see ever-increasing levels of need for both shelter and nutritious food.” - Ottawa Mission CEO Peter Tilley. The food truck program began with five stops delivering about 100 meals at each stop. Now the truck has 13 locations rotating throughout Ottawa each week and delivers over 2,000 meals per week. Since the launch of the program, almost 14,000 meals have been served through the program. "The Mission will continue to do our part in collaboration with our partners and supporters to nsure that people don’t go hungry." - Tilley. SSBIA is proud to be one of these partners supporting The Ottawa Mission this holiday season and in future. In addition to #SparksGives, the SSBIA Board donated the funds for their annual general meeting (AGM) dinner this December to assist those in need. How you can help: https://ottawamission.com/make-donation/ Shepherds of Good Hope "The Shepherds of Good Hope is humbled by the support we have received over the pandemic from the community including from our friends on Sparks Street. During this unique holiday season, where feelings of distance and isolation are more prevalent than ever among those experiencing homelessness, we are hosting “Jingle For Hope” to share inspiring and heartfelt stories about our clients, volunteers, partners and frontline staff to demonstrate how people just like you have made a positive impact on so many individuals who live right here in our community. Jingle for Hope is about people and we will showcase how one person can make a positive change in the lives of women and men who are experiencing homelessness and those who turn to Shepherds for support through our essential programs. DONATE NOW: https://www.sghottawa.com/ways-to-give/ Operation Come Home Operation Come Home is an employment, education, and support centre for homeless and at-risk youth age 16 and up. Their programs focus on what works and what matters to youth, as well as encourage personal growth of everyone as an individual. Their vision is to prevent homeless youth from becoming homeless adults and they strive to create a professional, non-judgmental, caring, confidential, consistent, youth-centered environment that empowers youth, staff and volunteers to actively promote: advocacy, youth success through opportunity, adaptability, integrity and equality through a team approach while maintaining respect for human worth and dignity. More information on how you can help and donate can be found here: https://operationcomehome.ca/donate-2/ This Wednesday, December 9, Operation Come Home (OCH) teams up with Intempo Design Studio and Jamiee Horn for a one-hour yoga session, ‘Rituals for Rest’. It is a pay-what-you-like event, with a limit of 100 participants - first 10 to register have their donation paid by Intempo Design Studio. All proceeds are going to OCH. You can register here: http://www.jaimeehorn.com/giving-back YMCA-YWCA The YMCA-YWCA of the National Capital Region is at the centre of our community, helping people of all backgrounds, ages and abilities live engaging, more rewarding lives. A charity dedicated to the health of individuals, families and communities, the Y is accessible to all, serving more than 90,000 people in our region each year. Their programs and services are tailored to local community needs and they work to build healthy communities. Interested in donating? Click here. The YMCA-YWCA offers many different programs, including their Employment Access Centre which is hosting weekly webinars to assist you in your job search! For more information about the upcoming schedule, and to register for events, click here. Youth Services Bureau "Each month, the Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa (YSB) serves more than 3,000 young people and their families in the areas of youth housing and homelessness, mental health and counselling, employment and training, and youth justice. YSB operates two Emergency Youth Shelters – the only shelters specifically for youth in the city. With housing as the ultimate goal, YSB supports youth leaving their shelters with the necessities for success, including Housing Start-Up Kits. Each Housing Start-Up Kit will include a grocery gift card, cleaning supplies (plunger, dish soap, all-purpose spray, etc.), basic toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, etc.), kitchen items (utensils, oven mitts, glasses, etc.) and towels, nicely packed inside a laundry basket. These important kits will help youth establish themselves as they rebuild their lives and become independent. With support from Sparks Gives, YSB will be able to provide 2 deserving youth Housing Start-Up Kits as they transition to their own apartments." You can help too and DONATE HERE. Ottawa-Ca rleton Association for Persons with Developmental Disabilities (OCAPDD) OCAPDD provides support to hundreds of persons with developmental disabilities, in every aspect of life whether seeking work opportunities, securing living arrangements or dealing with day-to-day tasks. OCAPDD has several initiatives including Hearty Tails which are packaged pet treats made by OCAPDD clients and sold to help support the approximate 100 volunteer handlers and their dogs at the non-profit, Ottawa Therapy Dogs. They have also become known for their garlic growing on Silver Spring Farm. OCAPDD strives to ensure their clients’ EmployAbility and offers a Supported Work Program which includes orientation and training at the job site with follow up. This allows individuals to stay employed for lengthy periods of time. OCAPDD’s vision: “Individuals with a developmental disability live healthy, safe and secure lives as participating members of society, through equitable access to the broadest range of societal supports and opportunities.” Sparks Street BIA & MA is a proud partner with OCAPDD for more than a decade now. You too can support them through their various programs and initiatives or DONATE! Centretown Emergency Food Centre Each year the Centretown Emergency Food Centre raises almost half of its revenue through donations from individuals, local businesses and foundations. The rest comes from a grant from the City of Ottawa and generous contributions from its parent organization, Centretown Churches Social Action Committee and its member churches. The Food Centre has always welcomed people of all faiths and backgrounds and has treated its clients with dignity and compassion, in a non-judgemental manner. Over the years, the Food Centre has worked to expand its food offerings, to increase the amount of fresh food and toiletries offered to clients, to offer up-to-date information on other social services and complementary resources, and to provide nutritional guidance and tips on food preparation and thrifty shopping. It provides special support for as many clients, especially families, as possible, over Christmas period. The Food Centre welcomes DONATIONS to help purchase the extra food they need to serve their clients. Dalhousie Food Cupboard Dalhousie Food Cupboard has been operating for its community since 1985. Their mandate is ‘to provide emergency food and ease the financial burden of our neighbours who are unable to secure a steady supply of groceries.’ Throughout the year, they put donations they receive towards fresh foods to fill their weekly orders and provide their clients with healthy, delicious foods to help them achieve a balanced diet within a limited food budget. They source locally where possible and do their best to provide opportunities to improve food literacy and skills by offering recipes and nutritional information. You can help: DONATE! The Good Companions Centre The Good Companions provides opportunities for senior individuals to participate in social, recreational, educational and volunteer activities and benefit from social and health services. The Centre’s main priorities are social integration, affordability and accessibility. All of this is a continued effort amidst our changing health environment. The Good Companions provide meals and refreshments as well as health services including wellness and social programs/services. Special programs and volunteer assistance are also made available for frail or disabled seniors. The Centre has been growing and expanding their programs and offerings since 1955 and depends on community support to continue on - all donations of every amount helps! If you have the means to donate, you can do so HERE. To Join in any of their upcoming online events, including their Holiday Tea or Christmas Eve reading of T’was the Night Before Christmas, trivia, riddles and more, you can find registration here! Salvation Army Street Outreach Program The Street Outreach Service primary mandate will be to provide transport of homeless individuals on the street to safe shelter. This community service is seen as a major effort to reduce harm and provide further supports to the homeless. The primary mandate of the service is to provide transportation to safe shelter, thus reducing the risk of victimization, physical and emotional crisis. For those who refuse transportation to shelter, the street outreach services supplies basic survival items such as sleeping bags, blankets, footwear, seasonal clothing and hygiene products. Street Outreach Service connects all homeless individuals it works with to community resource by providing ‘warm referrals’ based on individual client need. During extreme heat alerts, the street outreach service extends its service hours and provides bottled water, sun block, cool down information, and keeps clients informed on the signs of dehydration, sun burn, and heat stroke. During cold weather alerts, the street outreach service increases to a 24 hour service and continues a 24 hour service until the extreme cold alert is over. During this time period outreach will give out more winter clothing and convince/transport street people to shelter. Outreach will also keep clients informed on frostbite and hypothermia. Get Involved Salvation Army Kettle Campaign Every year The Salvation Army’s Ottawa Booth Centre (OBC) brings hope and sustenance to thousands of families. It provided many with emergency disaster services. It provides many more with food, clothing, comfort and practical assistance. The Red Kettle Christmas Campaign is the organization’s most significant annual fundraising initiative. It is more important today than it was in 1882 when Captain Joseph McFee collected donations in a kettle pot. He used those funds to serve Christmas meals to the poor folk of San Francisco. These days, Kettle proceeds support the OBC’s Community and Family Services programs the year round. They also fully fund our Residential Life Skills Program and our children’s summer camp activity. Last year more than 40 Kettle locations were attended by hundreds of Bell Ringers across Ottawa, raising much-needed funds. Did you know? All funds raised in Ottawa remain in Ottawa. Kettle funds provide comfort and sustenance to many thousands of people in greater Ottawa. Our Christmas Kettle venues attract pedestrian interest. They also enable you to give to those in need while doing your holiday shopping. So please place a cash donation into a nearby Kettle during the fund-raising campaign. The drive runs from late November until Christmas Eve. Dave Smith Youth Treatment Centre A safe place for a fresh start. The Dave Smith Youth Treatment Centre (DSYTC) is a non-profit, residential, and community-based agency that is dedicated to helping youth (13-21) and families across Ontario overcome substance use and related issues and to achieve a healthier lifestyle. With separate evidence-based programs tailored to the specific needs of young men and women, it is the only Centre of its kind in Eastern Ontario. For over 25 years the Dave Smith Youth Treatment Centre has helped thousands of youth and their families in Ottawa and across Ontario walk a path to wellness and help bring families back together. We save young lives. We give hope to families. "We help youth define and discover a new future for themselves – one that is filled with hopes and dreams for the future. One that is paved with goals to reach for and to stay connected to. We help youth who come to us to heal from past trauma. We help youth manage the mental health issues they may often face and we help them overcome their substance abuse issues. We help rebuild families who have reached or passed the breaking point. We counsel family members on what substance dependency is and how to communicate in healthy ways to rebuild what has been shattered. We see parents who have lost hope for their child and for what they envisioned a family could be. We help parents rebuild what they think they have lost and help them come to a place where a new beginning, a brighter future is possible. We can not do this alone and that’s why our philanthropy team needs your continued support to help our youth. The DSYTC both welcomes and appreciates the involvement of community members. This engagement includes supporting DSYTC programs and clientele through financial donations. It may also include applying for available career, volunteer, or student placement opportunities. Help support powerful stories of hope and resiliency and in so doing, motivate, educate and inspire others. This year, As we mourn the loss of our visionary founder, Dave Smith, we’re also reminded of his amazing accomplishments and the larger-than-life shoes he left for us to fill. " Meals on Wheels For over 50 years, Meals on Wheels, a not-for-profit agency, has been dedicated to providing nutritious meals, daily check-ins, and comfort with a smile. Their daily hot meal program and weekly frozen meals paid services are available on both a short-term and long-term basis to eligible clients. In addition to providing nutritious meals, this volunteer-based program allows members of the community to remain in their homes as an alternative to costly retirement or nursing residences. Daily visits from Meals on Wheels volunteers provide peace of mind and support to their loved ones and themselves. Meals on Wheels provides Christmas meals to over 100 clients ever year. As many are homebound and live alone, it is a service they are proud to offer and SSBIA is proud to support. This year, because of COVID, delivering meals on Christmas Day will be even more special as many may not be around family or loved ones. This year, their goal is to reach $2000 which will help cover the cost of meals plus a special gift for each client. If you have the capacity to DONATE, please do so!

'Tis the season for family, fresh air & twinkling lights on Sparks Street! We’re giving you the best places to stop in, sip & warm up (take-out too) while enjoying your downtown Winter Wander. BONUS, we've got major instagrammable large scale interactive light décor up on Sparks Street this holiday season! Sparks Street turns holiday wonderland. Trending in Ottawa are people ho-ho-home for the holidays, looking to experience glowing lights. As a partner of Christmas Lights Across Canada, Sparks Street has decked our blocks with twinkling lights and Christmas trees. We've added several lit surprises too! We're a safe, pedestrian-friendly, FREE destination for you to stroll and take in the holiday scenery with opportunity to pop in to all our great businesses to warm up and get your gift shopping started. Ottawa is now pro at supporting local businesses - and this time of year they need and appreciate it more than ever! Check out all the great spots you can visit to satisfy those hot bevvy cravings! We've even got two NEW locations in Sparks Street's BIA with Little Victories & Ottawa Bike Café having opened up this year! Sparks Street Hot Cocoa Crawl Little Victories Coffee Roasters 44 Elgin Street Photos by Mel's Hangry Table This incredible flagship café is now open. "Start Every Day With A Little Victory" Come by to have an amazing coffee experience one of the most beautiful buildings in Ottawa. LVC's meticulous attention to detail and passion for coffee becomes more apparent with every sip. Owned and operated by two coffee professionals - one roaster and one barista. They are dedicated to elevating the coffee culture in Ottawa and contributing to the bustling Canadian coffee scene. Ottawa Bike Café 79 Sparks Street Ottawa Bike Café is a place to connect and share your passion for biking, the outdoors, and great food! Enjoy delicious house-made soups, baked goods, specialty & seasonal hot and cold drinks, and refreshing beer, wine or cider! There is always something happening at OBC! Check their social pages for the live music, cycling, movement and art workshops. Moulin De Province KD 30 Metcalfe Street Simplicity and quality are key when it comes to a delicious hot cocoa. Le Moulin de Provence KD provides a private space to share a meal and enjoy company. Large, bright windows create an open distanced space. Savour your hot chocolate with lights aglow and a little chocolate on the side. Their signature, incredible hot cocoa offerings go beyond traditional! Bridgehead 96 Sparks St Bridgehead is your neighbourhood hub, your creativity incubator, your motivation to leave the warm comfort of your bed in the morning. They work with small-scale farmers to bring you exceptional beverages. This stunning hot cocoa (available in to go cup) has incredible chocolate from Olivia Chocolatiers in Gatineau. Fair trade, organic deliciousness with whipped cream on top. Try the Peppermint too! Presse Café 181 Queen Street The biggest flakes of chocolate in your whipped cream cup of cocoa. The Presse Café team adores what they do and look forward to having you and your family. Pop in for a visit in the gorgeous airy café, lots of distanced seating & relaxing tunes. Getting your cup to go would be their pleasure as well. Welcome winter, welcome warmth in your hand. Starbucks 100 Kent St The holidays are here and festive coffees are back at Starbucks. Light whip or piled fluffy and sky high - extra cocoa on top. Whatever your mood, no doubt it's holly jolly with these festive cups in hand. Steamed milk and mocha sauce topped with sweetened whipped cream and a chocolate-flavored drizzle. A timeless classic made to sweeten your spirits as you stroll downtown. Creperie Rim 89 Sparks St Steamed, frothy, drizzled chocolatey goodness, freshly poured to order. Creperie Rim is the bright and funky home to a family-run business. Stop in for a visit and enjoy a crepe, or two or three! A delicious way to warm up and stay merry in our downtown winter wonderland. Freshii 98 Sparks St A refreshingly smooth spin on the hot cocoa - try our take! The Mocha made with real banana, Coffee, Cocoa Powder, Honey, Coconut Milk, Almond Milk with extra coconut milk on top! Power through your holiday way with the energy and delightfully chocolatey chill sips to go. Perfect for your mitts. Tim Hortons 200 Sparks St. 'Tis the Peppermint season! The season for classic Tim Hortons hot chocolate rich and creamy or a candy cane shake up; with options for you to sip and savor all season long, enjoy a Peppermint Mocha, Hot Chocolate, or White Hot Chocolate. YES! It is the most wonderful time of the year. Vie Bella Market & Deli 87 Sparks Street Bottoms up (to go)! With your hot chocolate from Vie Bella's cosy café, grab a sandwich to make an afternoon of it. Take home their handmade confections, for a little bit of chocolate fun! Keep on Cocoa Crawling to these great spots: Timothy's Café: 240 Sparks Street Palermo Express: 143 Sparks Street Deli Kat Café: 277 Sparks Street BIG Thank You to all our contributing members!! Be sure to show them some social media love!! #SupportSmallBusiness! You can also follow along with Mel's Hangry Table blog as she explores Sparks eateries, including a 'Coffee & Bakery Hop'! We look forward to seeing what YOU'VE tried! Tag us on Social while you're out on your cocoa crawl #WinterWander of #MySparksStreet.

The Sparks Street Mall Authority (SSMA) is currently accepting proposals for our Landscaping and Bollard contracts! It takes a lot of work to keep Sparks Street looking good and running smoothly. From ensuring our flower beds and hanging baskets are healthy and vibrant to winter greening. From storing and restoring our seasonal furniture to where it belongs, keeping our streets swept and tidy, and very importantly; ensuring our bollards are in place to maintain pedestrian safety. These are just a few of many maintenance items involved in the successful running of Sparks Street. If you and your company are interested in submitting a proposal to the SSMA, please review the two Bid sheets below. You may wish to apply to one or both. Important Dates: Wednesday November 18: Site Visit for Successful Applicants Monday November 23: Question Acceptance Deadline Monday November 30: Closing Date for Bid Submissions

Sparks Street is back with our next Giveaway: Scroll in to Win! You may be familiar with our past Stroll in to Win, and with today's climate, we're shifting online as many of our shops have! Here's the deal on how to enter for your chance to win: Log in to Instagram, make sure you're following @Sparks_Street, and follow the instructions on our post! Et Voila, you now have a chance to win $500 from your choice of Sparks Street's small businesses! Here are some of our businesses who have shifted online you can browse and get some ideas on where you want to spend your winnings (fingers crossed)! Contest runs from November 1 - 30, 2020 with the winner being announced Tuesday, December 1st! Just in time for Christmas shopping season if you're feeling generous ;) Here's a list of our participating small businesses: À 2 prêt-à-porter Albert Opticians Alyea’s Jewellers Ltd. Bello Uomo Canada’s Four Corners Dixon Jewellers Esthetics by Lucie Greco Fitness Howard Fine Jewellers Ivonne Sanchez Beauty La Mode Hair Salon & Day Spa Morgante Menswear Retro Rides Smiles on Sparks Society Salon & Blow Dry Bar Sparks Street Optometry The Shoe Box The Snow Goose The Watch Store / Jewellery Plus II/ Parliament Souvenirs True Bijoux Find full contest rules here.

It’s Small Business Week in Canada! This year's celebration is from October 18 - 24, 2020 and in our current landscape, it has become more important than ever to choose to spend on local and support your neighbourhood shops and restaurants. Sparks Street is home to several locally owned small businesses, some of which you probably already know and love and others you may have yet to discover! With over 60 businesses on Sparks Street, you can find a variety of restaurants, services, tours and shops. Whether you need to get your hair or nails done, a new outfit, a workout, your teeth cleaned, or a bite to eat, you can find it on Sparks. Here’s a mini spotlight of just a few of our great locally owned businesses: Esthetics By Lucie has been on the street since 1984 and will be celebrating their 36th anniversary this October! Lucie's teacher, Joan Hart, inspired her to take on the future of her business and make it her own; making her one of the first estheticians on Sparks Street. Lucie grew from an 8 x 10 room to a 3,500 square foot space in less than 4 years and has seen the shifts in markets going from her first group of clientele down to their children and grandchildren. She is honoured to be around this long to see the generations who continue to come to her. The salon is located at 167 Sparks Street. Freshii has been operating on Sparks Street since their opening date in May 2011. Franchise owner Jag Ghuman has always been an entrepreneur and had a passion for eating healthier. Upon seeing the limited choices, he felt that Freshii was the right option for what people were looking for while on the run. Jag’s greatest reward running Freshii is seeing regular customers go from customers to friends on the street; ‘It's an incredible feeling when you meet someone outside of the everyday work and you know each other's names’. Goodwin Vision Care is located at 171 Sparks Street and has been since 1964. Prior to that, they were located on Bank Street, going back to the 1800's. Goodwin Vision Care won the award as the best place in Ottawa to get glasses in City Life Magazine, and were featured in Ottawa Life last year. Their last optometrist, Dr. Goodwin, was in practice 67 years; they are now fourth generation. Rodney S. Goodwin has been working in the eye care industry since he was ten years old. He always knew he wanted to take over the business run by his father and grandfather. The biggest challenge they face in their industry today is informing the public about the risk to their eyes from environmental exposure. The greatest reward is dealing with the great variety of public who include parliamentarians, judges, journalists and the public service in general; helping Ottawa run more smoothly. Ivonne Sanchez Beauty has been in operation on Sparks Street 2 years now. Ivonne is from St. Petersburg Russia and began practicing micropigmentation after leaving behind a 10-year career in the legal industry. Beauty and fashion have always been passions of Ivonne's. While pursuing work in this field was a goal, becoming an entrepreneur was a bonus. The biggest challenge this business currently faces is spreading awareness about Permanent Makeup and Cosmetic Tattoo and the greatest reward is witnessing the excitement that a client expresses after experiencing an aesthetics or permanent makeup treatment. The pursuit of permanent makeup and aesthetics is a form of self-expression; “We love watching our clients feel renewed”. Morgante Menswear has been on Sparks Street since 1995 and in business since 1978. This is a family owned and operated business; now 2nd generation. Their reputation is built on quality product, service and expertise. Franco is a master tailor trained in Italy and was one of the first in Ottawa to sell Italian/European fashion; many brands they still carry today. Morgante Menswear is located at 141 Sparks Street. Nate's Deli was originally founded in 1959 on Rideau Street, becoming a huge staple in the Montreal smoked meat market. They were relocated to Sparks Street in 2014 becoming wildly popular with parliament officials as well as local businesses as the place to go for smoked meat, particularly during lunch time. At any given time, you may be dining with the mayor, past prime ministers, current prime ministers, other well-known political figures as well as on-air personalities from CBC and CTV. One of their greatest rewards is seeing new and returning clientele dining and enjoying their meals; leaving satisfied with a smile on their faces. Remedy Chiropractic clinic has been open for just over 3 years. However, Dr. Konkle has been practicing in this location for over 7 years. He chose to open the clinic to offer patient-centered and evidence-based care to the heart of downtown. The clinic entrance is located at 199 Queen Street. Society Salon and Blow Dry Bar has been on Sparks Street since 2016 and moved into a brand new space on the main level of 90 Sparks Street last year. Society is a full service salon plus a Blow Dry Bar and they specialize in styling. Their salon has a beautiful, clean, open look but they included a special area for clients who need modesty or privacy during their services. Because of their location, they have many parliamentarians and staffers of all political stripes as clientele, including PM Justin Trudeau for his Rolling Stone Magazine cover! Their greatest reward is making people feel beautiful. As of last year, almost 95% of businesses in Ottawa were small-sized. Sparks Street is a proud location of so many incredible small businesses and we hope you visit them soon - whether in-store or online! #SupportSmallBusiness #SmallBusinessWeek #MySparksStreet

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's FREE Wifi on Sparks Street! From now until the end of November - We're going totally ON THE GRID with complimentary Wifi from Metcalfe to O'Connor Street! Be a part of this pilot project by letting us know what you think! #SparksWifi Public access internet is an important element brought forward by your amazing participation in the Public Realm Plan. Help us get better! Please answer our quick one minute Survey. Brought to you in partnership with the Sparks Street Mall Authority and the City of Ottawa.

Ottawa musician Shawn Tavenier performs from behind a sheet of plexiglass during an outdoor performance on the Sparks Street Mall in Ottawa on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020. Sean Kilpatrick Canadian Press If you’ve been frequenting Sparks Street this summer and fall, you may have been lured by the melodies emanating from our little venue, Songs from the Shed, finding yourself enjoying live local music on your walk by. Some of you may have even stopped your busy day to take a beat and enjoy the free entertainment. Sparks' second season of Songs from the Shed looked a little different this year without our red beanbags and coloured block seating. Instead, a plexi-barrier shielding musician from audience was set up, but the vibe was present regardless. Passersby still had the opportunity to let their mind ease for a moment to take in a little soul food: music. Live music creates an atmosphere where audience members can have an intimate and shared experience all at the same time, listening to the rhythms and sounds with both the musician and others as well as having an internal response. Many studies and articles have been conducted and written on the phenomenon of music and its effects on people. According to the research article, How Live Performance Moves the Human Heart, live music resulted in “…the audience’s superior attention and temporal entrainment to live performance.” Music has also been known to de-stress, and during times like these, we could all use a little break! Sparks Street BIA Songs from the Shed 2019 We are so grateful to have a city full of local talent which made every single Tuesday and Thursday performance an enjoyable treat from noon to 2 p.m. We’ve compiled as many of our past performers as we could into an Archive located on our site for those interested in learning more about individual artists. Our music programmer, Mason Quesnel, sources as well as occasionally performs for us and is well known in the Ottawa musical community. Sparks Street BIA Songs from the Shed 2019 We hope you’ve had a chance to enjoy the tunes and can come back to Sparks Street again next season when we hope to host our third edition of Songs from the Shed! We look forward to more opportunities for experiences and interactions with local talent on your lunches or as you explore the shops and restaurants in a safe and healthy environment.

As you make your way down Sparks Street, past the magical reflective colour spectrum of #Prismatica, between O'Connor and Bank Street, you will find the newest Art on Sparks. Thanks to a partnership with Ottawa Public Health (OPH), Sparks Street has become the new temporary home of a Social-Wise mural installation! We are very excited to be hosting this fun and beautiful mural created by local talents, Kiara Whitney and Naylissah Aristide! The mural depicts 'Life in the City during COVID-19' and was one of the top 3 selected arts engaged to paint an 8X8 mural, to be displayed outdoors. OPH's call out to local artists relayed that, "The murals should reflect our current times of navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic and demonstrate creativity, vision and leadership." OPH stated, "The objective is to promote and raise awareness of our COVIDWise and Social-Wise campaigns." Covid Mural in progress... by Kiara Whitney & Naylissah Aristide Kiara and Naylissah, two young black artists, certainly delivered and describe the context of their mural being, “to congratulate essential workers for their courage of staying out there while the pandemic is in the midst, while also reminding the public to stay COVID-Wise.” The mural will compliment the OPH's stencil campaign already chalked onto Sparks Street and be unveiled Thanksgiving long weekend this October! This engaging and fresh mural will add one more bucket list must-see item to your Sparks Stroll this fall. The exhibit will be on the street for two months and doubles as an artistic addition to the street as well as a reminder to stay safe and be Social-Wise while we all continue to navigate this pandemic together. THE BIG REVEAL: OPH strives to remind and encourage the public to socialize in a safe way through online social media education, outreach (stenciling campaign) and visual artwork in high traffic areas (murals).