Live Nation Teams-Up with Drake to Open Ottawa Nightclub in 2026

Live Nation Canada unveiled the details for its new venue History Ottawa which is a shared investment by Canadian rap superstar Drake. The upcoming sister concert hall to the one in Toronto with the same name is set to open its doors in early 2026 in the city’s Byward Market.

Ottawa’s History is reported to follow a similar aesthetic to the Toronto location, which opened back in 2021 with a Drake-owned music business. The two-story live music venue will have a 2,000-person capacity and mark Live Nation Canada’s first expansion of the History brand after the opening of History Toronto.

“Ottawa’s always had a love affair with live music,” Erik Hoffman, the Ottawa-born president of Live Nation Canada, said in a statement. “This notion that it is some sleepy government city or some town that fun forgot isn’t just annoying to hear, it’s simply untrue.”

According to Hoffman, the city has been starved for a venue of this size.

“It’s a great bridge between the classic sort of cutting-your-teeth smaller club and the hockey arena or large theatre,” he added.

The Ottawa venue will include a convertible general admission area and reserved seating configurations for all types of events – from concerts, live entertainment and galas to community programs and events. As per the statement on the venue’s official website, the space is designed to offer an intimate, high-end experience for both fans and artists, complete with state-of-the-art sound, lighting, and exceptional hospitality, along with premium seating and services available.

Like its sister venue in Toronto, the new nightclub features a bright marquee with a vertical LED screen on the exterior and a dark aesthetic on the interior with two bars and a stage on the lower level, and an upper mezzanine level.

Live Nation aims to hold at least 200 shows a year at History Ottawa.

As for the chances of Drake showing up to check out his Ottawa investment, it’s not out of the question, according to an interview with Hoffman in the Ottawa Citizen.

“He shows up a lot to see artists in Toronto, like way more than I ever thought,” Hoffman said. “Obviously by nature of where he lives, I don’t think you would expect to see Drake quite as often but who knows? Never say never.”

Featured image taken from the official website of History Ottawa