Home Featured Events in Ottawa, the Outaouais, Eastern Ontario and beyond (Mar. 25 to Apr. 21)

Events in Ottawa, the Outaouais, Eastern Ontario and beyond (Mar. 25 to Apr. 21)

by Laura Byrne Paquet
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Spring is here, and the calendar is filling up with all sorts of fun events, including canoe races, an Indian dance festival, fashion and book sales, gardening events, a travel show, and plays and concerts of all descriptions.

Don’t forget to read to the end, as some events a few weeks in the future require advance registration, so you don’t want to miss out.

In addition to the ideas below, don’t forget to check out my guide to local maple sugarbushes—because the sap has started running. Happy travels!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

WEEK OF MARCH 25 TO MARCH 31

Enjoy student improv at the NAC

The semi-finals and finals of the Canadian Improv Games are coming to the National Arts Centre from March 27 to 30. This could be your chance to see the Second City and Saturday Night Live stars of tomorrow!

Have some Easter family fun

brown rabbit looking startled outside with blurred background
Photo by Gary Bendig on Unsplash.

Lots of places are planning special family events for Easter Saturday (March 30). Check the websites in advance to see whether advance ticket purchase is required.

In Ottawa, kids can decorate eggs, play giant Jenga and enjoy a visual scavenger hunt during Easter at the Bunker at the Diefenbunker in Carp; visit baby animals, do crafts and get treats at the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum’s Hop Into Spring event; or enjoy an Easter egg hunt at Stanley’s Olde Maple Lane Farm in Edwards. Note that advance registration is required for many events.

In Kingston, the Murney Tower Museum and the Museum of Health Care are hosting Egg-Stream Easter Fun at the Museum, with an Easter egg hunt and Easter-themed crafts.

Looking for more ideas? Check my big list of local Easter events.

Have some laughs in Peterborough, Belleville, Ottawa or Cornwall

The Snowed In Comedy Tour is Canada’s biggest coast-to-coast comedy show. This year, its Eastern Ontario shows feature comics Erica Sigurdson, Dan Quinn, Paul Myrehaug and Pete Zedlacher. You can catch them in Peterborough (March 26), Belleville (March 27), Ottawa (March 28) or Cornwall (March 29). Note that, like the shows, the promo video above does include some content and language that isn’t suitable for kids!

Try your luck on a travelling version of The Price Is Right

Here’s something you don’t see in Ottawa every day: an opportunity to “come on down!” and try to win a prize on a travelling version of The Price Is Right. The event at the Arena at TD Place on Wednesday, March 27, won’t be televised, but about US$25,000 worth of prizes will be up for grabs. Tickets are available now but, interestingly, you don’t need to buy one to be eligible to compete. (The rules are actually quite complex; see the show link above for all the details.)

Celebrate anime at the EY Centre

female anime figure against a red background
Photo by Ryan Yao on Unsplash.

Fans of Japanese animation, this brand-new event is for you. At Anime Ottawa at the EY Centre (March 29 to 31), you can meet voice actors and Vtubers, shop for anime merch of all sorts, cheer on amateur K-Pop singers and dancers, see anime videos, get autographs from anime celebs, take in a costume competition and much more.

See Canada’s Drag Race stars at the NAC

The Official Canada Drag Race Tour 2024 is set to roll into the National Arts Centre on Saturday, March 30, in a blizzard of feathers, sequins and fun. The all-finalist cast features drag queens from seasons 3 and 4 of Canada’s Drag Race, including Ottawa’s own Kimmy Couture.

Catch a concert in Ottawa, Carleton Place, Cornwall or Montreal

Festival de la Voix is a Montreal celebration of vocal music. From March 20 to April 13, it will offer concerts—everything from choral music to R&B—and master workshops on Montreal’s West Island. There will also be a free, post-festival concert by Connie Kaldor on Friday, April 19.

two men with acoustic guitars and a woman with an electric car standing on a gravel country road in fall
Steel Rail, one of the groups performing at Festival de la Voix this year.

If you didn’t see Juno-winning bluesy rockers The Sheepdogs last week in Kingston, they will be at the Aultsville Theatre in Cornwall on Wednesday, March 27.

The Carleton Place Gallery is presenting a concert by fiddler Rosalyn Dennett and multi-instrumentalist Rob McLaren on Thursday, March 28. Food by The Good Food Company will be available for purchase before the 7pm concert.

The Thirteen Strings ensemble is presenting a Good Friday concert, Reflection, on Friday, March 29, at the Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre in Centretown. Conductor Kevin Mallon will be leading a program featuring his own composition Holi as well as works by J.S. Bach and others.

Double Vision, a tribute to big-haired ’80s band Foreigner, is coming to the Port Theatre in Cornwall on Saturday, March 30.

See Indian dancers in Montreal

The 8th Montreal Natyanjali, a festival of Indian classical dance, is taking place at Montreal’s Collège Ahuntsic on Saturday, March 30. Admission is free, but donations are gratefully appreciated.. This year’s festival promises to showcase the evolution of Indian dance while preserving its cultural essence.

Join a car rally in Chesterville

On Saturday, March 30, the Chesterville and District Lions Club is holding its 33rd annual Car Rally. Registration starts at the Legion at 11am and the event starts at noon.

Indulge in some retail therapy in Gatineau

clothing on a store rack. photo by lauren roberts on unsplash.
Photo by Lauren Roberts on Unsplash.

The Gatineau version of the Big Fashion Sale by Quebec Designers is happening from March 28 to 30 at the Hilton Lac Leamy. It is just what the name implies: a huge event with dozens of fashion and accessories designers gathered all in one place. (If you can’t catch it there, it will be in Montreal from April 11 to 14, and in Quebec City from April 18 to 20.)

See a play in Kanata

Kanata Theatre’s latest show is Brighton Beach Memoirs (March 27 to April 6), the classic Neil Simon coming-of-age comedy about a Jewish teenager growing up in Brooklyn during the Great Depression.

Shop for vintage books in Montreal

The Westmount Antiquarian Book Fair in Westmount—a separate municipality in the heart of Montreal—proudly proclaims itself Canada’s Smallest Book Fair. It features about a dozen booksellers selling a wide selection of books, pamphlets, maps, prints and ephemera. The fair will be held on Saturday, March 30, from 10am to 5pm, at the Centre Greene.

WEEK OF APRIL 1 TO APRIL 7

Take a studio tour in and around Pakenham

painting of a lamb against a geometric background
Artwork by Pakenham Maple Run Tour participant Laurel Cook. Used with permission.

Warmer weather must be on its way, because the first local studio tour of 2024 is here! You can enjoy art, crafts, food and heritage locations on the Pakenham Maple Run Tour (April 6 and 7). As well as meeting the artists and shopping for paintings, art glass, pottery, textile art, mosaics, photography, jewellery, clothing, soaps and more, you can taste locally produced cider, baking and craft beer. The Maple Run Tour website provides details on all the tour participants (there are 28 artisans) and the eight tour venues, which include a church, a one-room schoolhouse, a coffee shop and a library. You’ll need a car—or a bike and lots of stamina—for this self-driving tour, as the whole route is about 40 kilometres long.

Compete in a paddling race in Richmond

Despite its name, the Jock River Canoe Race (Saturday, April 6) is open to paddle craft of all kinds, including canoes, kayaks and SUPs. The 12.5-kilometre friendly race starts just south of Munster and ends in Richmond. You must register online in advance; no onsite registrations will be available.

Get travel ideas in Ottawa

blue beach with thatched umbrellas in background
Photo by Josh Hammond on Unsplash.

Planning your summer vacation? All kinds of exhibitors—representing Canadian and international destinations—will be on hand with ideas at the Travel and Vacation Show at the Shaw Centre in downtown Ottawa (April 6 and 7).

See a play in Perth, Brockville or Cobden

From April 4 to 14, Studio Theatre Perth is staging Black Coffee, an Agatha Christie mystery about Sir Claud Amory and his efforts to develop an atom bomb—over a decade before J. Robert Oppenheimer. Sir Claud has enemies, and it falls to Hercule Poirot to unravel the mystery.

The St. Lawrence College Music Theatre—Performance Program is presenting The SpongeBob Musical (that’s the live version, not the animated TV show) at the Brockville Arts Centre (April 5 to 7).

Beatrice, Eaddy, Imogene and Maude are sick of life at Magnolia Place Assisted Living and decide to take a “sassy seniors” cruise—but they also have to solve a mystery, negotiate a beauty pageant and deal with an Elvis impersonator along the way. That’s the premise of Four Old Broads, a comedy that the Cobden Community Players are staging at the Cobden Agricultural Hall from April 5 to 7.

Enjoy maple fun across Ontario and in Aylmer

maple syrup candy (taffy) on a stick.
Flickr/Creative Commons photo by snowpea&bokchoi.

Sugar bushes across the province will be offering special events during the Ontario Maple Syrup Producers’ Association’s Maple Weekend (April 6 and 7). Participating farms in Eastern Ontario include spots in Foresters Falls, Westport, Sharbot Lake, Dunvegan, Fournier, Wendover, Fermoy, Almonte, Pakenham, Athens, Morewood, Lanark, Kemptville, Moose Creek, Pembroke, Portland, North Elmsley, Mallorytown, Clayton, McDonald’s Corners and Lancaster.

Rue Principale in downtown Aylmer is the scene for Le Vieux-Aylmer se Sucre le Bec (April 6 and 7), a weekend-long celebration of all things maple. Enjoy live entertainment as you shop for syrup and more.

Check out a family expo in Nepean

The Ottawa Parent & Child Expo at the Nepean Sportsplex (April 6 and 7) promises fun for the whole family, with everything from costumed characters from PAW Patrol to an inflatable bouncy slide, video games, animal presentations, a reading area and more. Plus, there will be free goody bags for the first 1,000 visitors each day.

Eat your way around Prince Edward County

Food lovers, start your engines! It’s another edition of Countylicious (April 4 to 28), a chance to get a good deal on good food in Prince Edward County. The 21 participating restaurants are offering multi-course prix fixe menus (starting at $20 per person for lunch and $45 per person for dinner, excluding gratuities).

Get gardening inspiration in Ladysmith

closeup of hands planting seedlings in a tray
Photo by Zoe Schaeffer on Unsplash.

Pontiac Seedy Saturday (April 6) is a free event in Ladysmith that promises lots of fun and inspiration for gardeners. Swap seeds, shop for local produce and garden items, ask experts for advice, or enter a fundraising raffle. There will be door prizes, a canteen and children’s activities, too.

Browse for unique artisans’ products at the EY Centre

At the EY Centre in Ottawa, the Originals Spring Craft Sale (April 4 to 7) is an immensely popular annual sale of handmade goods created by 140 artisans from across Canada. Items will include textiles, jewellery, skin care products, candles, ceramics, wall art, garden decor and gourmet foods.

Cheer racers at a snowmobile race in Calabogie

Snowmobilers, here’s one for you: The Calabogie 500 hill drag race roars into the Calabogie Peaks Resort on Saturday, April 6. (Given our strangely warm spring, however, PLEASE check the website before venturing out, as this event is weather dependent.)

WEEK OF APRIL 8 TO APRIL 14

Get summer inspiration in Ottawa

two muskoka chairs on a cottage dock at sunset
Photo by April Barber on Unsplash.

Dreaming of afternoons sitting in the sunshine in a Muskoka chair, sipping something cold? Aren’t we all? If so, you could check out the Ottawa Cottage Life & Backyard Show at the EY Centre (April 12 to 14). Vendors will be on hand selling everything from water toys to barbecues.

Shop for unique items in Stittsville and Merrickville

In Stittsville, the Shopapalooza Craft Fair at Sacred Heart High School will feature some 60 vendors on Saturday, April 13.

The Merrickville Spring Makers’ Market (April 13 and 14) will feature a different roster of 30 local artisans on each of the two days. Shop for jewellery, art and many other unique pieces at the Merrickville Community Centre. Admission is free.

Enjoy Irish movies in Ottawa

The Irish Film Festival Ottawa (April 12 to 14) at the Arts Court Theatre in downtown Ottawa celebrates independent Irish movies. It’s a great chance to catch Joyride, a comedy featuring Olivia Coleman (see video above) and a slate of other Irish films.

See a family-friendly musical in Kemptville

The Kemptville Youth Musical Theatre Company is presenting The Little Mermaid, based on the Disney version of the classic fairy tale, from April 13 to 28. Featuring a cast and crew of youth from Grade 7 to age 19, the musical runs at the North Grenville Municipal Centre in Kemptville.

Browse for bargains in the Glebe and Alta Vista

a row of chrome step chairs with psychedelic upholstery in front of a table of 1970s kitchenware
Photo courtesy of 613flea.

613Flea is holding its huge bi-weekly flea market in the Aberdeen Pavilion at Lansdowne Park on Saturday, April 13. You’ll find 150 vendors, selling handmade and vintage items. And don’t hesitate to bike, as Lansdowne Park has some 600 bike-parking spaces.

On Sunday, April 14, the Canterbury Community Association is holding its Gigantic Garage Sale at the Canterbury Community Centre in Alta Vista, from 10am to 1pm.

Enjoy a concert in Ottawa, Almonte or Cornwall

man holding a clarinet, woman in a black dress and woman holding a violin standing in front of old carved wooden doors and a stone building
Photo of the Zodiac Trio by Marta Krakowka.

Rockers Queens of the Stone Age are bringing their The End Is Nero tour to the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Friday, April 12.

On Saturday, April 13, you can enjoy a concert by the Campbell, Fagan and Park Trio in Almonte. The performance by clarinettist James Campbell, soprano Leslie Fagan and pianist Angela Park is part of the Almonte in Concert series.

Pianist Riko Higuma, clarinettist Kliment Krylovskiy and violinist Vanessa Mollard are the Zodiac Trio, a chamber music ensemble that has toured the world since its foundation at the Manhattan School of Music in 2006. The trio is bringing “Tales From the Americas“—a program of music by George Gershwin, Astor Piazzolla, Arturo Márquez, William Bolcom, and Benny Goodman—to the Aultsville Theatre in Cornwall on Sunday, April 14. The performance is part of the Cornwall Concert Series.

Sip wines in the Finger Lakes

If you’re up for a somewhat long-distance road trip, you can sample wines in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York during the Spring Wine and Cheese Weekend event on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail (April 12 to 14). On this self-driving route, you’ll try wine and food pairings at a variety of wineries. Designated driver tickets are available for a reduced price.

Catch Atlético Ottawa’s season opener at TD Place

Soccer fans, take note: Atlético Ottawa takes on York United in the opening game of the season on Saturday, April 13, at TD Place.

Paddle the Raisin River near St. Andrews

The arrival of spring means many canoeists are keen to get their paddles in the water. One of the first opportunities of the season is the Raisin River Canoe Race, happening in St. Andrews West (just north of Cornwall) on Saturday, April 13. You can register online in advance. You may also be able to register in person on the day of the race, if space is still available. The event includes a pre-race breakfast in St. Andrews Parish Hall and a post-race dinner at the Char-Lan Rec Centre.

WEEK OF APRIL 15 TO APRIL 21

Plan your outdoor adventures at an Ottawa show

prow of a blue kayak on the tay canal
Kayaking on the Tay Canal between Smiths Falls and Perth.

The Ottawa Outdoor and Adventure Travel Show at the Nepean Sportsplex (April 20 and 21) will offer inspiration galore for outdoorsy types. Shop for camping gear, kayaks, e-bikes, SUPs, ATVs and more from a wide range of vendors, and learn about outdoor travel destinations and family fun ideas at free presentations. Admission and parking are free, too!

Shop for art in Manotick and Alexandria

paintbrushes in jars on a white shelf beside a skylight window
Photo by Sema Martin on Unsplash.

In Alexandria, the Glengarry Artists’ Collective is holding The Big Show on April 19 and 20. This two-day celebration of local art and writing runs from 6pm to 9pm on Friday, and from 10am to 2pm on Saturday. It takes place at Community Living, 332 MacDonald Boulevard.

Members of the Manotick Art Association will be showing and selling their works at the Inspirations art show and sale from April 19 to 21, at the Manotick Curling Centre. There will be live music on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon, too. Admission is free, but the organizers will be collecting cash donations for the Manotick Outreach and Food Cupboard at the door.

Enjoy maple treats in Delta

stack of pancakes with maple syrup on a white plate
Photo by Luke Pennystan on Unsplash.

The Delta Maple Syrup Festival (April 20 and 21) is one of the highlights of the year in the village of Delta, about an hour and a half southwest of Ottawa. The fun this year will include wagon rides, a magic show, a book sale, a ball hockey tournament, a dance, a craft sale and, of course, all-you-can-eat pancakes.

Take the kids to a free puppet show in Carleton Place

Pluggin Into Nature is a family-friendly show by the Paddling Puppeteers coming to the All Nations Church in Carleton Place on Saturday, April 20. It tells the story of Edward, a boy who stops playing video games long enough to meet a butterfly, a chickadee and a frog, who help him discover the wonderful world of nature. The free show starts at 10:30am.

Discover new-to-you wines in Kingston

three glasses of white wine being clinked. photo by matthieu joannon on unsplash.
Photo by Matthieu Joannon on Unsplash.

Cheers Ontario is a new wine-tasting event at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa on Thursday, April 18. Run by Savvy Company, it will give you the chance to taste and buy more than 100 VQA wines from across Ontario.

Get your live music fix in Shawville or Kingston

In Shawville, Canadian genre-bending folk artists The Fretless are sharing the stage with acclaimed vocalist Madeleine Roger at the Little Red Wagon Winery on Saturday, April 20. You can buy a dinner/show package, or buy tickets for the show only. Advance reservations required.

On Sunday, April 21, the Grammy-nominated ARC Ensemble—comprising faculty members from the Royal Conseratory’s Glenn Gould School—are giving an afternoon concert at the Isabel Centre for the Performing Arts in Kingston. Fascinatingly, the group focuses on finding and performing works that repressive regies suppressed and marginalized in the 20th century.

Hit a comic convention in Cornwall

The Cornwall and Area Pop Event—better known as CAPE—comes to the Benson Centre in Cornwall on April 20 and 21. Focusing on comics, SF and fantasy, the event will feature guests such as Kaniehtiio Horn (Alice Darling, Reservation Dogs, Letterkenny), Matthew G. Taylor (Resident Evil: Apocalypse) and Crystal Marie Reed (Teen Wolf, Gotham).

Paddle a river in upstate New York

The Little River Ramble (Sunday, April 21) is one of the first kayak and canoe races of the season in Canton, New York. The first racers will take to the water at 1pm. The hub of activity is the Park Street Bridge in Canton, which is about 90 minutes southeast of Ottawa. The event includes two-mile (3.6 kilometre) recreational races and six-mile (9.6 kilometre) marathon-class races. Online pre-registration is encouraged but not mandatory.

Compare electric vehicles in Montreal

Thinking about buying an electric vehicle but overwhelmed by choices? You can compare lots of EVs all in one place at the Electric and Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle Show at Olympic Stadium in Montreal (April 19 to 21).

Enjoy a carnival in Smiths Falls

The Smiths Falls Heritage House Museum is hosting a Spring Carnival on Saturday, April 20, from 11am to 2pm. The fun will including axe throwing, live music and more.

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.

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5 comments

Leslie Firth November 17, 2023 - 9:06 am

Hi Laura. I am heading up publicity for an arts group in Ottawa, called Art Lending of Ottawa. We are thirty local artists and we have four shows a year at the R.A. Centre. Is there a way that I can have our event mentioned in your list. Our Holiday Art Show is on Dec. 16th. Let me know and I could send you description of the event. Thanks

Reply
Laura Byrne Paquet November 17, 2023 - 2:02 pm

Hi Leslie!Thanks for getting in touch. I know Art Lending–we have one of your paintings in our living room! I looked up your Dec. 16th show online and I’ll add a link to it in my art/craft sale post right now. Good luck with the event! Cheers, Laura

Reply
Laura Byrne Paquet November 17, 2023 - 2:06 pm

Aha, sometimes I’m further ahead of the game than I think! The show was already in my Christmas sales post at https://ottawaroadtrips.com/2022/11/01/ottawa-christmas-craft-fairs-holiday-sales-artisans/.

Reply
Steve March 27, 2024 - 9:00 am

Hi. The Delta festival link takes one to the 2023 calendar of events.

Reply
Laura Byrne Paquet March 27, 2024 - 9:39 am

Oops, thanks for letting me know! Sorry about that. I’ll fix it.

Reply

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