Things to do in Ottawa, the Outaouais, Eastern Ontario and beyond (November 4 to November 10)

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Wondering what to do in Ottawa this weekend? It is a great time for a road trip in Ottawa, Eastern Ontario, the Outaouais or northern New York state. In fact, there’s SO much going on that I keep adding new items, so please keep checking back here regularly. Happy road tripping!

Cover photo by Faye Cornish on Unsplash.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 4 TO NOVEMBER 10

Test your trivia wits in Maxville

A trivia night at the Metcalfe Centre in Maxville on Friday, November 8, will raise funds for the Maxville Manor redevelopment project and the Glengarry Pioneer Museum. Chili and snacks will be available, there’s a cash bar, and you can bid in a silent auction, too.

See a play in Ottawa, Almonte, Brockville or Kingston

Theatre buffs, you have so many choices this week! If you’re in the mood for drama, there are two plays about widows. Sexy fare more your speed? You can choose from farce (Sex Please, We’re Sixty in Constance Bay), gentle comedy (Calendar Girls in Osgoode) or dark drama (Dangerous Liaisons in Kanata). Plus, a Remembrance Day-themed play is being staged in three different cities, there’s an original musical in Almonte about moving to a small town, and families can see a live version of Alice in Wonderland at the Gladstone Theatre or a Snow White pantomime in Britannia. You’ll find details on these and many more plays in my new theatre roundup post.

See cool movies in Ottawa and Montreal

OCan24 is a three-day celebration of Canadian movies at the Bytowne Cinema at 325 Rideau Street (November 7 to 9). Sixteen movies are on the program, including short narrative films and short documentaries, some by Ottawa directors. On Saturday night, the featured film is Stealing Vows, a heist movie set against the backdrop of Toronto’s South Asian wedding industry (see video above).

A francophone film festival called Cinemania is running at multiple theatres in Montreal from November 6 to 17. The movies come from a range of francophone countries, including France, Belgium, Morocco and Tunisia—and Canada, of course. There’s something for just about every taste, whether you like coming-of-age stories, documentaries, comedies, sports movies or animation. And if you’re not bilingual, don’t worry—most of the movies are subtitled in English.

Enjoy standup by big-name comedians in Nepean and Perth

If you’re a CBC fan, you’ve almost certainly heard of both Shaun Majumder and Derek Seguin. Shaun Majumber was a mainstay of CBC-TV’s This Hour Has 22 Minutes, and he’ll be doing standup at the Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe in Nepean on Tuesday, November 5. Montreal standup Derek Seguin has made more than 40 appearances on the CBC Radio show The Debaters and often pops up on other shows. You can catch his standup show at Studio Theatre Perth on Saturday, November 9.

Learn about birds in Navan

Have you ever wanted to learn more about our feathered friends? Then a free talk this weekend might be of interest. On Saturday, November 9, birder Rebecca Boyar is presenting Birding 101: Not Just for the Birds at the Robert Serres Greenhouses in Navan. You’ll find out how to identify birds and what sorts of seeds will draw your favourites to your backyard feeder. Admission to the talk is free, but space is limited, so the organizers are asking you to register online.

Help launch a new arts centre in Wakefield

The 100 Mile Arts Network, which connects artists across the Outaouais, is celebrating the opening of its new gallery and boutique in Wakefield with a launch on Thursday, November 7. Meet the artists, shop for artworks and learn about the network’s programs. The gallery/boutique is located on the second floor above the Nikosi Bistro Pub.

Head to a francophone music fest in Montreal

Looking to discover some cutting-edge francophone music? Then check out Coup de coeur francophone (November 7 to 17), which features emerging and avant-garde musicians working in French, from across Canada and around the world. Shows are scheduled in cities across Canada, but the main hub is Montreal.

Go to a farmers’ market in Navan

At the Original Navan Market (Sunday, November 10), you can browse for foods, crafts and more from a huge range of local vendors. It’s happening at the Navan Fairgrounds (1279 Colonial Road) from 10am to 3pm. This is the last market of the regular season.

Speaking of markets…

This weekend offers a whole new selection of Christmas craft fairs to visit, including events in Chelsea, Kinburn, Stittsville, Kemptville, Arnprior, Cornwall and more.

How about a concert?

It’s a big week for live music in Ottawa, with Bruce Springsteen playing the Canadian Tire Centre. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to concerts this week. You can also see Chantal Kreviazuk at the NAC, Soul Asylum at the Bronson Centre, tributes to Tony Bennett in Brockville and Led Zeppelin in Pembroke, and the Orchestre symphonique de Gatineau playing Rachmaninoff. Plus, Connie Kaldor is performing in both Chelsea and Old Ottawa South. See my concert roundup for details. (P.S.: Note that Sarah McLaughlan’s concert at the Canadian Tire Centre this week has been postponed.)

Eat well for less in the Outaouais and Montreal

Two separate restaurant promotions will give you the chance to enjoy multi-course menus at all sorts of restaurants for a special price in November. In Montreal, MTLàTABLE (October 31 to November 17) offers deals at more than 100 restaurants throughout the greater Montreal area. The newer Outaouais au menu event (October 31 to November 16) is modelled on the Montreal promotion and features 24 restaurants in various Outaouais communities, including Gatineau, Chelsea and Montebello. (P.S.: I was hosted at Le Cellier in Hull last weekend and I can report that their Outaouais au menu table d’hôte is delicious–try the beef cheeks! See my photo above.)

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.