Canada Day in Ottawa usually ends with people looking up.

This year, they were looking for shelter.

The nation's capital welcomed thousands of visitors on July 1 for Canada's 159th birthday. Families spread out picnic blankets, tourists filled Parliament Hill and Wellington Street, and many newcomers prepared to experience one of Canada's biggest celebrations for the first time.

Late in the afternoon, everything changed.

After days of heat warnings, Environment Canada issued a severe thunderstorm watch as dark clouds rolled over the city. Within minutes, electronic signs around Parliament Hill and LeBreton Flats displayed two words that instantly changed the mood: Seek shelter.

The celebration changed almost instantly.

Picnic blankets were folded as quickly as they had been laid out. Parents gathered their children, visitors rushed for cover and crowds squeezed beneath office entrances, restaurants, transit stations and anywhere else they could escape the rain. Many hoped the storm would pass in time for the evening show.

It never did.

As conditions worsened, organizers cancelled the National Canada Day evening show, the fireworks and all remaining outdoor activities. The Canadian Forces Snowbirds also cancelled what was expected to be their final Canada Day flypast over Ottawa, disappointing thousands who had travelled to see the iconic performance.

By evening, Ottawa International Airport had recorded 118.4 millimetres of rain, making it the wettest Canada Day ever recorded in the city. Nearly twice as much rain fell as the previous July 1 record, set in 1959. What began as puddles quickly became flooded intersections, overflowing storm drains and streets that looked more like rivers than roads.

One of the day's most widely shared images on social media showed people paddling canoes through flooded residential streets where cars would normally drive — a surreal reminder of just how quickly parts of Ottawa had filled with water.

The flooding quickly spread beyond downtown.

Sections of Highways 416 and 417 disappeared beneath floodwater, leaving drivers stranded for hours while emergency crews closed roads and tow trucks worked to reach partially submerged vehicles. Flights were cancelled, OC Transpo rerouted buses around flooded streets and police urged people to avoid unnecessary travel as dangerous conditions spread across the city.

The storm also knocked out power across Ottawa. At its peak, nearly 50,000 Hydro Ottawa and Hydro One customers were without electricity as crews worked through dangerous conditions to restore service where it was safe to do so.

Residents were warned not to enter flooded basements if water had reached electrical outlets or electrical panels.

For thousands of residents, Canada Day ended in the dark.

For many people, Canada Day didn't end with fireworks.

It ended with buckets, mops and cleanup.

By Thursday morning, more than 1,400 homeowners had reported flooded basements. Soaked carpets, damaged furniture and waterlogged belongings lined driveways as neighbours checked on one another and city crews cleared fallen trees, reopened flooded roads and assessed the damage after one of Ottawa's most significant summer storms.

For many newcomers, their first Canada Day in Ottawa won't be remembered for fireworks or concerts. It will be remembered as the day Parliament Hill told thousands of people to seek shelter and an entire city adapted together.

Canada Day lasted one day.

Ottawa is still waiting to be explored.

The fireworks may have been cancelled, but the museums, galleries, parks and historic sites that tell Canada's story are still here. Summer festivals continue, neighbourhoods have reopened and there are still countless ways to experience the capital beyond July 1.

Through Canoo, eligible permanent residents and new citizens can enjoy free or discounted admission to more than 2,000 experiences across Canada, including many of Ottawa's museums, galleries, historic sites and cultural attractions.

Sometimes the best travel stories aren't the ones that go according to plan. They're the ones you'll still be talking about long after the skies have cleared.