Summer's here — beaches open, live music waiting, circus tonight.

Good morning. It's the longest day of the year and it feels like summer's actually landed. You've got 15 hours and 41 minutes of daylight to work with today, so don't waste it sleeping in.

Weather-wise, it's mild — 15 degrees, mostly cloudy, and the UV's running high at 7.0, so if you're heading outside for any stretch, sunscreen's worth the five seconds. Won't be a scorcher, but it'll feel right for a Sunday.

The city beaches and pools just opened for summer, so if you've been itching for a swim, today's your green light. Fair warning though: Entrance Pool's diving tank is closed for the season, so keep that in mind if you were counting on it.

Food-wise, there's some solid options if you're thinking brunch or an early dinner. Le Mien Craft Noodle is doing hand-pulled bowls in the ByWard Market if you want something warm and filling. If you're leaning toward something lighter or want to sit outside with a drink, Cactus Club's running summer specials — they've got a $9 smash burger and frosé on the menu. Over on the waterfront, Château Laurier just reimagined their dining scene with Émilie's Terrace if you want to make it more of an occasion. And if you're hunting for a good beer patio, the city's got solid spots scattered from York Street all the way through parking lots that have turned into proper hangouts — the kind of thing that makes a Sunday feel like you're actually on vacation.

There's live music in the park today if that's your speed — soul music's the vibe. Paper Moon Theatre is also running *Rock of Ages* at the Hard Rock Casino Ottawa starting at noon if you want indoor entertainment with some energy. If you're feeling something weirder, Paranormal Cirque Nightmare is at St Laurent Shopping Centre tonight at both 5:30 PM and 8:30 PM — it's circus meets haunted house, which lands somewhere between hilarious and unsettling depending on your tolerance for that sort of thing.

There's a baseball game at Ottawa Stadium at 3:30 PM: the Quebec Capitales are in town to take on the Ottawa Titans. It's day baseball on a Sunday — about as summer-perfect as it gets if you want to spend an afternoon outdoors with a hot dog.

Police have also boosted patrols in the ByWard Market and downtown, so you'll see more uniform presence than usual. Nothing alarming — just worth knowing if you're heading that way.

Sunset's at 8:55 PM, so you've got a solid evening ahead even after the sun dips. Make it count.