Events in Ottawa, the Outaouais, Eastern Ontario and beyond (May 13 to June 2)

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Hooray for May and June, when the streets and parks of Ottawa, Eastern Ontario, the Outaouais and Montreal are alive with the sound of…people ecstatic to be outside! The spring calendar is packed with music festivals, bike rides, plant sales, writers’ festivals, art shows, plays and so much more. In fact, there’s SO much going on that I keep adding new items, so please keep checking back here regularly. Happy road tripping!

P.S.: In addition to the ideas below, don’t forget to check out my guide to poutine festivals, my big list of farmers’ markets and my suggested road trips for gardeners.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

WEEK OF MAY 13 TO 19

Dance the night away in Montreal

Put on your dancing shoes and get ready to move! The 19th annual Montreal Salsa Convention (May 16 to 20) will draw competitors from around the world. Cheer on your favourite dancers or take a workshop to polish your own moves. (And you don’t have to be a “So You Think You Can Dance”-level dancer; beginners are welcome.)

Shop for plants (and more) in Vankleek Hill, Lansdowne, Portland or Lyndhurst

You can choose from four different plant sales on Saturday, May 18.

• The Vankleek Hill & District Horticultural Society will be holding its annual plant sale fundraiser from 9am to noon at 38 Main Street in Vankleek Hill, across from the post office. The organizers promise there will be LOTS of indoor and outdoor plants, at very reasonable prices.  
• There will be a plant sale at the fairgrounds in Lansdowne (that’s in the village of Lansdowne, between Brockville and Gananoque, not Lansdowne Park in Ottawa).
• The Rideau Lakes Horticultural Society is holding its annual plant sale in a new location: Emmanuel Heritage Centre in Portland.
• And a plant sale is just one of the events on the agenda of the community-wide Sidewalk, Yard and Plant Sale in Lyndhurst.

Enjoy electronic music in Montreal

Electronic music fans, it’s your big weekend: Piknic Électronik kicks off another season of cutting-edge shows in Montreal’s Parc Jean-Drapeau. Shows take place on Sundays, beginning May 19 and running until October 6.

Celebrate Queen Victoria’s birthday in Morrisburg or Jones Falls

At Upper Canada Village in Morrisburg on Sunday, May 19, enjoy Queen Victoria’s birthday just as her subjects might have celebrated it in her own time. Rousing speeches! Redcoats! 1860s-style games! And cake!

And, OK, I know this is technically happening next week, but the Victoria Day Royal Picnic at the Jones Falls Lockstation on Monday, May 20, very much fits with the whole long-weekend vibe. Dance to live music and watch boats going through the locks.

Marvel at buskers in Kemptville

The free Kemptville Buskerfest (Saturday, May 18) will see much of the town’s downtown taken over by jugglers, stilt walkers, illusionists, clowns and musicians of all kinds. Note that much of downtown will be closed to traffic, but you can park at the North Grenville Municipal Centre (285 County Road 44) and catch a shuttle bus to the event.

See burlesque in Fort Coulonge

Now here’s something you don’t see every day: a burlesque night in Fort Coulonge. It’s happening at the Centre de loisirs des Draveurs on Saturday, May 18, beginning at 8pm. Guests must be 18 or older.

Catch an arts festival in Vankleek Hill

The May Show arts festival is returning to Main Street in Vankleek Hill on Sunday, May 19, to celebrate its 40th anniversary. As well as checking out artists’ and artisans’ booths, you can enjoy live music and dance performances.

See small planes and check out a market in Westport

The Westport/Rideau Lakes Spring Fly-In takes place from 9am until noon on Saturday, May 18 (rain date May 19), at the Rideau Lakes Flying Club near Westport. Watch planes take off and land, visit the hangars, and enjoy breakfast (from 10am until noon) in exchange for a donation to the club.

Also in Westport on Saturday, May 18, the Westport Market opens for the season. It features local artists, makers and farmers, and it’s open every Saturday from 9am to 2pm until Labour Day weekend inclusive.

See a play in Kanata, Cornwall or Perth

Kanata Theatre is staging Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery from Tuesdays through Saturdays from May 15 to May 25 (there’s also an afternoon matinée on Sunday, May 19). In this version, Holmes and Watson are women, but they’re still trying to figure out who is killing off the male heirs of the Baskerville family.

In Perth, the Studio Theatre is presenting The Diary of Anne Frank on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from May 16 to May 26. It’s the tragic story of Anne Frank, who recorded her family’s experience in Amsterdam in the Second World War and was killed in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. Shows are at 7:30pm on Thursdays and Fridays, and 2pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

In Cornwall, the Seaway Valley Theatre Company is presenting Arsenic and Old Lace, the classic black comedy about a man who discovers his two sweet old aunts have a terrible secret. It’s on at the Seaway Valley Theatre on various dates between May 10 and May 26. Evening shows are at 7:30pm, Sunday afternoon matinees are at 2pm and there’s a dinner theatre performance on May 11 (for that one, doors open at 5:30).

Eat ribs in Barrhaven

Barrhaven Ribfest and Poutine (May 17 to 20) will be cooking up a storm at Clarke Fields Park (300 Tartan Drive). (If you like ribfests, check out my big list of local rib festivals.)

WEEK OF MAY 20 TO MAY 26

Sip potent potables in Montreal or Utica

The Mondial de la Bière (May 24 to 26) is a massive indoor beer festival in Montreal that features more than 100 breweries, distilleries and cideries. About 400 types of beverages will be available to sample, and there will be lots of music and tastings.

This year, there will be 10 Beer and Wine Trains on the Adirondack Scenic Railroad route between Utica and Remsen, New York. The first one leaves Utica (about 310 kilometres south of Ottawa) on Friday, May 24, and the season runs until October 25. Along the 32-kilometre route (64 kilometres for the whole round trip), passengers can sip beer and wine, and enjoy light snacks, while listening to live music.

Love those lilacs in Franktown and Prince Edward County

I have two ways for you to celebrate the sweet scent of spring this weekend. Not far from Ottawa, the Franktown Lilac Festival in Lanark County (Saturday, May 25) features a breakfast, live music, children’s activities, a craft market, a silent auction and wagon rides, among other fun. A bit further afield, the Rotary Lilac Ride (Sunday, May 26) lets you choose a 25K, 50K or 100K bike route through lilac-laden Prince Edward County.

See a play in Russell, Kemptville and elsewhere

The Russell Association for the Performing Arts (RAPA) is staging the popular musical Nunsense from May 24 to June 1 at Russell High School. It follows the funny tribulations of a group of hapless nuns trying to run a fundraiser.

The North Grenville Community Theatre is presenting Bloody Murder at the North Grenville Municipal Centre in Kemptville from May 23 to 25, plus a brunch performance on May 26. It’s a spoof of British-style murder mysteries.

Continuing this week:

• Kanata Theatre’s production of Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery (until May 25)
• the Studio Theatre’s production in Perth of The Diary of Anne Frank (until May 26)
• the Seaway Valley Theatre Company’s production in Cornwall of Arsenic and Old Lace (until May 26)

Paddle for prizes in Spencerville

The Spencerville Mill Canoe Poker Run will see canoeists and kayakers take to the South Nation River at 9am on Saturday, May 25, and paddle to Spencerville. Prizes are up for grabs, paddlers get lunch at the end of the race, and the money raised goes to the Spencerville Mill and Museum.

See cutting-edge dance and theatre in Montreal

The Festival TransAmériques (May 22 to June 5) is North America’s largest contemporary dance and theatre festival. This year, it’s offering 20 shows across multiple venues. Expect lots of cutting-edge choreography and thought-provoking performances by artists from places around the world, including Canada, Lebanon and Australia.

Browse for bargains in Ottawa, Carleton Place or Oxford Mills

Deal hunters, start your engines! The enormous Great Glebe Garage Sale will draw shoppers from across the city to the downtown neighbourhood on Saturday, May 25, from 8am to 2pm.

On the same day, just west of Ottawa, you can browse for treasures at the eighth annual Community-Wide Garage Sale in Carleton Place. The fun starts at 8am.

Also on Saturday, the village of Oxford Mills (south of Kemptville) is holding its Community-Wide Garage Sale, from 8am to 4pm.

Enjoy an Indigenous market in Rockland

Maison Tucker House (1731 Tucker Road, Rockland) is hosting an Indigenous Artisan Market on Sunday, May 26, from 10am to 3pm. As well as shopping for traditional Indigenous art by local artists, you can enjoy performances by Denis Robert and the Beside the Water Women’s Drum Circle—Rockland, and nosh on Three Sisters soup.

Discover artists and artisans in Brockville, Williamstown or Val-des-Monts

The season’s first Twilight Tuesdays Makers Market is taking place on the Brockville Railway Tunnel plaza on Tuesday, May 21, from 4pm to 7pm. More than 35 crafters and creators will be selling their wares. The market takes place on the third Tuesday of every month until Tuesday, September 17.

The Glengarry Artists’ Collective is holding its second annual juried art show at the Glengarry Nor’Wester and Loyalist Museum in Williamstown from May 24 to June 30. The show launches with a free wine and cheese vernissage on Friday, May 24, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm.Visitors will be encouraged to vote for their faves for the People’s Choice Award.

On May 25 and 26, Arts-aux-Parcs is a two-day arts fair at Ecole du Sommet in Val-des-Monts, Quebec. The free event will feature 58 artists.

Get growing in Manotick, Lyndhurst or Montreal

The Manotick Horticultural Society is holding its annual plant sale at Watson’s Mill on Saturday, May 25. Flowering plants, shrubs, seedlings and house plants will be available. The sale runs from 9am to noon (come early for the best selection).

Furnace Falls Farm in Lyndhurst is hosting a Country Flavour Fest on May 25 and 26, from 11am to 3pm. The greenhouse will be open, owner Wendy will be giving gardening advice and children will receive a free seedling (while supplies last). There will also be food, entertainment, a scavenger hunt and more. Free admission.

The Great Gardening Weekend at the Montreal Botanic Garden (May 24 to 26) offers all sorts of fun for green thumbs, including workshops on gardening topics, and the chance to shop for flowers and vegetable plants.

Shop and have fun in Brockville

The Downtown Brockville Beach Bash, taking place on Saturday, May 25, is a day-long street festival set to feature live music, shopping promotions and more. More details to come!

Bike ’til you drop in Montreal

The Go Bike Montreal Festival (May 26 to June 2) gives you the chance to take several bike tours of the island of Montreal on car-free streets. The Tour de l’Ile regularly attracts thousands of keen cyclists. The video above is aimed at recruiting volunteers, but it gives you a sense of what the festival is all about.

See LGBTQ movies in Toronto

There’s much, much more to the world of movie relationships than boy meets girl—and you can see lots of those movies all in one city. Inside Out: Toronto LGBT Film Festival (May 24 to June 1)—a celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender movies—is the largest such event in Canada and one of the five top LGBT film fests in the world.

Go for a run in Ottawa or St-Jérôme

Feeling fit? Then why not register for one of the races in the enormous Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend (May 25 and 26)—one of Canada’s biggest running events? Choose from 2K, 5K and 10K races, a half-marathon or a full marathon, or a kids’ race. (If you’re not participating, keep the race’s road closures in mind while driving around town this weekend.)

Much smaller but with the promise of wooded trails, the Course nature de la Rivière-du-Nord in St-Jérôme on Sunday, May 26, features 3K, 5K and 10K races, as well as a 1K route for kids.

Dig into some ribs in Kanata

This weekend’s Kanata RibFest and Poutine (May 24 to 26) offers live entertainment, craft beer and, of course, lots of gooey ribs. And free parking! It’s all happening at the Community Hub at 400 March Road. (If you like ribfests, check out my big list of local rib festivals.)

Ride your motorcycle on a dice run in Casselman

Never heard of a dice run? It’s like a poker run, but it’s for motorcycles and there are dice rolls at each stop. On Sunday, May 26, you can join the 2804 Casselman Cadets Dice Run, a major fundraiser for the cadet group.

Head to Smiths Falls for a funfair and free music

The Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital Foundation is running a Family Fun Day at the Settlers Ridge Centre in Smiths Falls on Saturday, May 25. The free fun will include live music, a bouncy castle, an obstacle course, a giant slide, a petting zoo and face painting. Donations will go toward the foundation’s campaign to raise money for an MRI machine.

In various locations, Smiths Falls is also hosting a Porchfest—a free day of live music, performed on people’s porches—on Saturday, May 25.

Enjoy a festival in upstate New York

Do you like live music? Would you like to learn how artists make glass items? Do you enjoy shopping for art glass? If you answered yes to any of those questions, you might just be interested in GlassFest in Corning, New York (May 24 to 26). You can see concerts and fireworks, browse an artisans’ market, and more. Corning is about a five-hour drive south of Ottawa, in the Finger Lakes area.

In Stirling, New York (on the southern edge of Lake Ontario, west of Syracuse), the Stirling Stage Folkfest (May 23 to 26) features a wide range of folk, roots and jamband acts. You can also camp onsite. If this sounds like your bowl of granola, act quickly; tickets are limited.

Shop for vintage finds in Kingston

In downtown Kingston, you can explore an outdoor vintage market on Montreal Street (between Princess and Queen) on Sunday, May 26, from 10am to 5pm.

See movies in Montreal

The South Asian Film Festival of Montreal (May 24 to June 2) is screening dozens of eye-opening dramas, comedies and documentaries that many Ottawans would find difficult to see elsewhere.

WEEK OF MAY 27 TO JUNE 2

Delight in a garden party in Vankleek Hill

On Sunday, June 2, Garden Path Homemade Soap in Vankleek Hill is holding its free annual Garden Party, from 1pm to 5pm. As well as soap from Garden Path, you can browse for items from other local artisans. Tour the soap-making facility, learn about the garden plants that owner Tara MacWhirter uses to make soap, and enjoy refreshments and live music, too. Note that onsite parking is limited, so carpool if you can.

Admire modern quilts in Ottawa

The Ottawa Modern Quilt Guild is marking its 10th anniversary with two events. First will be a grand Opening Gala—appetizers, snacks, desserts, live music and a cash bar—on Saturday, June 1. That will be followed by the juried Ottawa Modern Quilt Gallery on Sunday, June 2, where quilters will compete in a variety of categories. Both events are taking place at the Bayview Yards.

Enjoy traditional drumming and dancing in Maniwaki

Take in a weekend filled with First Nations drumming and dancing at the Kitigan Zibi Traditional Pow Wow (June 1 and 2) on the grounds of the Kitigan Zibi School in Maniwaki. The event starts each day with a grand entry ceremony at noon. As well as taking in the traditional performances, visitors can stop by the marketplace to browse for Indigenous art pieces and crafts. Food vendors will be cooking up treats, too.

Go birdwatching in the Adirondacks

The Great Adirondack Birding Celebration is on at the Paul Smith’s College Visitor Information Centre (VIC) in Paul Smiths, New York, from May 31 to June 2, with a variety of guided walks and paddles through various types of terrain.

See a play in Gananoque

The Thousand Islands Playhouse in Gananoque is launching its 2024 summer/fall season at its Springer Theatre with the wonderfully titled comedy Liars at a Funeral (May 31 to June 22). The matriarch of a wildly dysfunctional family stages her own demise, only to find out she’s not the only one of the family with secrets.

Watch sheep being shorn in Morrisburg

From June 2 to 4, Upper Canada Village is hosting its Fantastic Fibres and Terrific Textiles event. Staff will be divesting sheep of their warm woolly coats in the Main Barn. Meanwhile, over at the Woollen Factory and the McDiarmid Home, you can see how people in Eastern Ontario washed, carded, spun and wove wool in the 1860s. The activities are included with museum admission. Advance ticket purchase recommended.

Celebrate the Wizard of Oz in Nepean or near Syracuse

Orpheus Musical Theatre is presenting the classic family musical The Wizard of Oz at the Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe in Nepean from May 31 to June 9. Follow Dorothy Gale, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion and lots of other beloved characters along the Yellow Brick Road for their momentous meeting with the Great and Powerful Oz.

Looking for a longer road trip? L. Frank Baum, who wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and its many sequels, spent part of his childhood in the town of Chittenango, New York, east of Syracuse. These days, the town is home to the All Things Oz Museum which stages an annual festival of, well, all things Oz. This year, Oz-Stravaganza runs from May 31 to June 2. The fun includes silent auctions, rides, games, vendor stalls, kids’ activities, talks by Oz experts and more.

Browse for art in Ottawa or Chesterville

A two-day festival celebrating all things artistic unrolls this weekend in Chesterville: Art on the Waterfront (June 1 and 2). With all sorts of artists and vendors on hand, you’ll find lots to see and do (and buy!). As well as artists’ stalls, there will be kids’ activities, live music, martial arts demonstrations and all sorts of other fun.

In Stittsville, Arts in the Park is a one-day celebration of art, crafts, music and food in Village Square Park (6000 Abbott Street East) from 10am to 1:30pm on Sunday, June 2. Admission is free.

The Red Trillium Studio Tour in West Carleton (June 1 and 2) will showcase 13 artists’ studios and 32 artists on Ottawa’s western fringe (in and around Kinburn, Carp and Dunrobin). On this self-driving tour, shop for everything from pottery and photography to wearable art and driftwood chandeliers. The tour’s website has lots of information on other things you can do in the area. You can also check my guide to day tripping to Carp.

Rev your motor in Ottawa or Calabogie

On Saturday, June 1, the TELUS Motorcycle Ride for Dad is a big fundraising event for prostate cancer research. Register online or in person by May 31 to save $10 on your registration fee. You can also register onsite at the General Campus of the Ottawa Hospital. And if you raise at least $100 in pledges, registration is free.

Ever wonder what it would be like to take your car for a circuit on a real racetrack? You’ll have a chance to find out during the Novice Track Day experience at Calabogie Motorsports Park on Saturday, June 1. The package includes instruction and half an hour of track time. You can use your own car for $125; if you’d like to rent one of the track’s race cars, the package costs $235. Fully electric cars are not allowed.

Take the kids to a festival in Blackburn Hamlet or Manotick

True to its name, the Blackburn Hamlet Funfair (May 31 to June 2) offers fun for the whole family—everything from fireworks, a parade and a used book sale to fun runs, a beer garden and a silent auction.

On the same dates, Manotick will be hosting Dickinson Days. Activities there will include a pancake breakfast, a kids’ fishing derby, a craft fair, horse-drawn wagon rides, fireworks and much more.

Cycle in Montreal

The Go Bike Montreal Festival (continuing until June 2) gives you the chance to take several bike tours of the island of Montreal on car-free streets. The Tour de l’Ile regularly attracts thousands of keen cyclists.

Check out a garage sale in Kitchissippi or Vankleek Hill

On Saturday, June 1, there are two big garage sales to check out. Vankleek Hill is hosting its community-wide Trash and Treasure village-wide garage sale, billed as one of the largest garage sales in Eastern Ontario. The bargain-hunting action runs from 9am to 4pm. And in Ottawa’s Kitchissippi Ward, which stretches west from the O-Train line to Carlingwood, LOTS of residents are participating in the Kitchissippi garage sale. It starts at 8am.

Peek behind closed doors in Ottawa

Ever wanted a glimpse inside an embassy, a temple or your local fire station? This weekend is your chance to see inside dozens of the capital’s buildings during Doors Open Ottawa (June 1 and 2). The free event—one of the largest Doors Open events in North America—usually features a wide range of buildings. The full list will be released on May 22.

Do yoga at Lansdowne Park

Grab your mat and prepare to get flexible: City of Om is an all-day yoga festival on Saturday, June 1 (with three classes on Friday evening) at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa. Choose from more than 40 yoga classes and workshops, as well as rock climbing, cooking and writing workshops, a 5K fun run and more.

Enjoy free tunes in Arnprior

Tunes of all sorts will be wafting out over Robert Simpson Park in Arnprior during Priorpalooza, a free, one-day music festival on Saturday, June 1. Family fun will include a games zone, bouncy castles, food trucks and face painting, along with the park’s beach and splash pad.

Mess about in boats in Clayton, New York

The Antique Boat Museum in Clayton, New York, is presenting 1000 Islands Family Free Day on Saturday, June 1. Admission is free all day, and kid-friendly activities will be offered from 10am to 5pm. Enjoy boat rides (US$5), crafts, games, exhibits and more.

Chow down on barbecue in Ottawa

Hankering for barbecue? Head to Sparks Street for Ottawa Ribfest (May 30 to June 2).

Celebrate Pride in Lanark County and Pembroke

Three 2SLGBTQ+ Pride celebrations are happening in Eastern Ontario this weekend.

• The Pembroke Pride festival won’t be happening this year, but there will be a Pembroke Pride Party at the Pembroke Legion on Friday, May 31.
• The Perth Pride Parade on Saturday, June 1, starts at 3:30pm and will be followed by a Community Fair at Last Duel Park.
• And on Sunday, June 2, the North Grenville Pride Parade will wend its way through Kemptville.

Also, June is Pride Month in Toronto, with events too numerous to list!

Visit an Asian night market in Ottawa

If you like to browse for unique products and nosh on Asian street food in the cooler hours of the evening, you’re in luck: there are TWO Asian night markets happening this week in Ottawa, both from May 31 to June 2! Downtown on Somerset Street West, you can check out the Chinatown Night Market. In the west end, the Ottawa Asian Night Market is at the Tanger Outlets.

Celebrate Cuban culture at Lansdowne Park

Grab your dancing shoes and bring your appetite: Fiesta Cubana Fest at Lansdowne Park on Sunday, June 2, will be a full day of dance workshops, author events, festive food and drink, and live music.

Looking for more tips on things to see and do in Eastern Ontario, the Outaouais, northern New York state and beyond? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or order a copy of my book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your Weekend Getaway Guide.

As the owner of Ottawa Road Trips, I acknowledge that I live on, work in and travel through the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be present on this land. Ottawa Road Trips supports Water First, a non-profit organization that helps address water challenges in Indigenous communities in Canada through education, training and meaningful collaboration.