Events in Ottawa, the Outaouais, Eastern Ontario and beyond (June 24 to July 14)

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June and July 2024 are packed with great reasons for a road trip in Ottawa, Eastern Ontario, the Outaouais or northern New York state. Since summer’s here, the time is right for dancing in the street—or paddling down a river, shopping for art, watching a play or riding a Ferris wheel. From rock concerts and country fairs to buskers, barbecue and bingo, there’s something here for just about everyone. In fact, there’s SO much going on that I keep adding new items, so please keep checking back here regularly.

Happy road tripping. Don’t forget the sunscreen, bug spray and snacks!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

WEEK OF JUNE 24 TO JUNE 30

Enjoy a free festival in Hawkesbury or Rockland

The Hawkesbury Multicultural Festival (June 28 to 30) will host dozens of free concerts by a wide range of artists on stages across downtown Hawkesbury.

Down the highway in Rockland, the Clarence-Rockland Festival (June 25 to July 1) offers a week of free fun in Simon Park. The program is diverse, including a DJ dance party, fireworks, pickleball and tennis clinics, pétanque, stand-up comedy, free screenings of Free Willy in English and French, bouncy castles, food trucks, and lots of live music.

Do yoga with alpacas in Brinston

Many people find both yoga and alpacas calming. So The Heart of the Willow—a farm about an hour’s drive south of Ottawa—has had the genius idea of combining the two. It has a morning yoga with alpacas class coming up on Saturday, June 29. The session costs $45 per person and includes a one-hour yoga class and a half-hour “meet and greet” with the alpacas. Other sessions may be scheduled later in the summer. The farm is at 10304 Sandy Creek Road in Brinston.

See vintage photos in Elgin

On weekends from June 29 to September 1, you can see a rare photographic exhibition at the Red Brick School in Elgin. Clifford Pinnock: Remastered features more than 100 vintage, recoloured photographs of the South Crosby area by an early 20th-century photographic pioneer.

See hydroplanes in Brockville

If you listened to radio in the ’80s, you’ll remember 54.40. The band is headlining the evening entertainment on Friday at the 1000 Islands Regatta in Brockville (June 28 to 30), but there will be all sorts of other live music throughout the weekend. During the day, the main attraction will be the high-speed hydroplane races on the St. Lawrence River, but there will also be a kids’ zone.

Enjoy wine and cheese in Mississippi Station

Back Forty Artisan Cheese in Mississippi Station (about 20 minutes north of Sharbot Lake) is hosting its annual Curds & Cooks summer festival on Saturday, June 29. Details were still being finalized as I write this, but if it’s like previous festivals, you’ll be able to snack on cheese, local grilled meats, craft beer, vodka, chocolate and more.

Celebrate community in Morewood

Throughout the summer, North Dundas is hosting a series of Meet Me on Main Street events in communities throughout the township. This week’s event is happening on Wednesday, June 26, on Moffat Street in Morewood. Local vendors and food producers will be on hand, including Lost Villages Brewery, King’s Lock Distillery and Smokie Ridge Vineyard, and there will be live music by Cory Coons. Morewood is about a 10-minute drive south of Russell.

Eat ribs in Gananoque

As well as lots of ribs and pulled pork, the 1000 Islands Family Ribfest in Gananoque (June 28 to July 1) will amuse visitors with a duck race, a cake-eating contest, bouncy castles, a pirate ship show, an arts-and-crafts fair and more.

Browse for art in Kingston and the Rideau Lakes

Artfest Kingston (June 29 to July 1) brings more than 150 artists and artisans from across Quebec and Ontario to City Park in Kingston. Enjoy live music and poetry readings, drop into the kids’ art studio, and nosh on great food in a pretty outdoor setting. And it’s free!

On the Rideau Lakes Studio Tour is also on this weekend (June 29 and 30, you can admire the creativity of artists in Portland, Elgin, Newboro, Chaffey’s Lock and Philipsville, as well as the scenery along the rivers and lakes of the Rideau Canal system.

See the RCMP Musical Ride in Ottawa

The RCMP Musical Ride will be performing its very popular Sunset Ceremonies at the RCMP Musical Ride Centre in Rockcliffe (1 Sandridge Road, Ottawa) at 7pm each night from June 27 to June 30. Bring a blanket or lawn chairs. Admission is free but come early for the best seating. If possible, come by public transit, by bike or on foot, as parking is limited.

Eat, drink and be merry in Lake George

Lake George, New York, is about 4.5 hours southeast of Ottawa, but it might be worth the drive if you’d like to sample food, wine and craft beverages—and shop for other products—from more than 100 vendors at the Adirondack Wine and Food Festival (June 29 and 30) on the shore of the lake.

See fireworks in Montreal

Montreal’s huge fireworks competition, L’International des Feux Loto-Québec, kicks off on Thursday, June 27, and runs on Thursdays select nights until August 1. Competitors include teams from Canada, Japan, Italy, Mexico and France. While you can see the fireworks from many places in the city, the grandstand at La Ronde (for which you’ll need tickets) is a good place to appreciate the way the pyrotechnics are synchronized with a musical score.

Fish for free across Ontario

Ever wanted to try fishing but balked at paying the licence fee? This is your week! From June 29 to July 7, you can fish in Ontario lakes and rivers without a licence (but you still have to follow the regulations, of course).

Catch some jazz in Ottawa or Montreal

This is your last week to see some of the great talent in town for the TD Ottawa Jazz Festival, including Kathleen Edwards, the Commotions and Norah Jones. Alternatively, you can head down Highway 417 to Montreal, where the TD Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (June 27 to July 6) will feature André 3000, Pink Martini and many, many others, including some of the artists that were at the Ottawa fest.

Enjoy a Brazilian festival in Ottawa

The Saravah Brazilian Festival will be lighting up the SAW Gallery (67 Nicholas Street) with the sights and sounds of the world’s largest Portuguese-speaking country on June 29 and 30. Enjoy dance, music, food and drink from various regions of Brazil.

WEEK OF JULY 1 TO 7

See beautiful homes and gardens in Perth

You can enjoy a day of historic architecture and charming town and country garden retreats at CFUW Perth and District’s Home and Garden Tour on Saturday, July 6. The self-guided tour of two homes and 11 gardens is CFUW Perth & District’s first major fundraiser since COVID. Proceeds from this event will contribute to funding university, college and post-secondary education for local women.

Celebrate Canada Day all over

The week starts with a bang on Canada Day (Monday, July 1). Just about every city, town and village within an easy drive of Ottawa is holding some sort of celebration of the day. While many communities have gone with the tried-and-true—bouncy castles, face painting, barbecues and fireworks—you’ll find places offering everything from fossil walks and cookie contests to dog water sports and helicopter rides. Oh, and both the SkyHawks parachute team and the Snowbirds will be performing above Parliament Hill! See my big guide to Canada Day fun across the region for details.

Catch a movie at Lansdowne Park

Starting this Thursday, July 4, the City of Ottawa will be offering free outdoor screenings of family-friendly movies at Lansdowne Park. The shows will run on select Thursdays and Fridays throughout the summer, starting at dusk, and will be moved inside the Aberdeen Pavilion if the weather is bad. The series kicks off this week with Shazam! at 9pm.

Thrill to the circus in Montreal

The Montreal Completely Circus Festival (July 4 to 14) brings acrobats, trapeze artists and all sorts of other circus performers to indoor and outdoor venues across the city for a mix of free and paid performances.

Kick up your heels in Almonte

Almonte Celtfest will have the Lanark County town tapping its toes to Irish, Scottish and other Celtic tunes (July 5 to 7). Musical acts on stage will include Rum Ragged, the Fitzgeralds, Bon Débarras and Kelly Sloan. As well as concerts, there will be workshops focusing on a range of instruments (including bodhrán, fiddle and mandolin). The opening night concert with Rum Ragged and Mariner’s Curse requires paid tickets. Admission to the festival on Saturday and Sunday is by donation.

Get artsy in the Glebe

The Glebe Art in Our Gardens and Studio Tour takes place this weekend (July 6 and 7). You can see art by 20 artists at sites scattered across the downtown Ottawa neighbourhood. Works include paintings and photographs.

Have some laughs in Gatineau

Need a laugh? If you can follow French well enough to get some rapid-fire jokes, the Festival d’Humour de Gatineau (July 4 to 6) may offer just the giggles you’re looking for. The festival site is Parc Place de la Cité (550, boulevard de la Cité). Here’s a map with transit and parking information.

Learn about bagpipes in Dunvegan

The Glengarry Pioneer Museum in Dunvegan is hosting a talk by guest speaker Alan Jones (“Jones the Pipes”) on Saturday, July 6, at 2pm. The traditional Celtic musician, bagpipe historian and collector will bring along a selection of instruments to discuss and play. Enjoy an afternoon of songs from the British Isles, Ireland and beyond, as well as light refreshments. There is no admission price but donations are appreciated.

Catch a play in Morrisburg, Gananoque or Kingston

Over in Morrisburg, the Upper Canada Playhouse (12320 County Road 2, Morrisburg) is staging a Norm Foster comedy called Bedtime Stories (July 4 to 28), which features the intertwined stories of 15 characters.

Even if you’ve never seen a stage musical in your life, you can probably hum along to “Dancing Queen” or “SOS.” Yes, Mamma Mia! is coming to the Thousand Islands Playhouse in Gananoque (July 2 to August 4). Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 15 years or so, you’ll probably know that the jukebox musical tells the tale of a young woman trying to figure out which of three men is her father, so he can give her away on her wedding day. But hey, who are we kidding? The story is just a thin excuse to enjoy a whole bunch of classic ABBA tunes.

A bit further afield, Domino Theatre in Kingston is presenting a One-Act Play Festival for two nights only—July 5 and 6—in its theatre at 62 Church Street. Each night will feature two different plays. UPDATED

Stop and smell the lavender in Prince Edward County and the Laurentians

Breathe deeply: The Prince Edward County Lavender Farm in Hillier is holding a Lavender Festival this weekend and next (July 6, 7, 13 and 14), complete with food, kids’ activities, entertainment and other fun. You can also indulge your love of lavender at Maison Lavande in Saint-Eustache, Quebec (in the lower Laurentians). There, in addition to fields of flowers, you’ll find a bistro, a shop, a children’s playground, picnic tables and more. Closer to Ottawa, you can tiptoe among the lavender at LouLou Lavender in Williamstown or Braydale Lavender in Moose Creek.

Take in a huge slate of classical music in Ottawa

The Music and Beyond Festival (July 4 to 17) presents roughly 100 classical music concerts and events in a variety of venues. This year, you can choose from two concerts of the complete Brandenburg Concertos by the Frieburg Baroque Orchestra, music at the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum and many other performances.

Check out the Beachburg Fair

The Beachburg Fair (July 4 to 7) features everything from livestock competitions and pony rides to line dancing and a knife-throwing competition. There’s lots of live music and a midway, too.

Rock on at LeBreton Flats or in Quebec City

The huge RBC Ottawa Bluesfest on LeBreton Flats runs from July 4 to 14 with a packed lineup of acts, including Nickelback, 50 Cent, Maroon 5, Carly Rae Jepsen, Corb Lund, Jelly Roll, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, and Mötley Crüe.

Further afield, the huge Festival d’été de Québec (also July 4 to 14) brings scores of top acts to Quebec City each summer. This year, along with a number of the acts also playing Bluesfest, you could see Arkells, the Jonas Brothers, Fleet Foxes, Lee Aaron and Post Malone, among many others.

Celebrate community in Marionville

Throughout the summer, North Dundas is hosting a series of Meet Me on Main Street events in communities throughout the township. This week’s event is happening on Wednesday, July 3, on Gregoire Street in Marionville. Local vendors and food producers will be on hand, including Tuque de Broue, King’s Lock Distillery and Smokie Ridge Vineyard, and there will be live music by Green Martini. Marionville is about a 20-minute drive southwest of Greely.

Play drive-in bingo in Carp

Under the B: a fun night out! Drive-in bingo is an annual tradition at the Carp Fairgrounds. This year, get your chips and daubers ready on Wednesday nights, from July 3 until July 31. The gates open at 5:30pm and the game starts at 7pm.

See buskers in Kingston

The streets of the Limestone City will host countless outdoor performances during Kingston Buskers Rendezvous (July 4 to 7). Jugglers, dancers and all sorts of other artists will be using their talents to entertain the crowds.

Check out a market in Ottawa

In the Glebe, the popular 613flea market returns to Lansdowne Park (1015 Bank Street) on Saturday, July 6, from 10am to 4pm. The market will run rain or shine. Shop for vintage finds and artisans’ pieces from some 150 vendors, including games, flowers, jewellery and more. Food trucks will be on hand, too.

Thrill to an equestrian tournament in Nepean

This weekend and next, the Wesley Clover Parks site (401 Corkstown Road, Ottawa) will play host to the Ottawa Summer Tournaments, a series of top-level show-jumping competitions (July 4 to 7, and July 8 to 11). In some cases, rich prizes are at stake.

Celebrate Indian culture in Montreal

The Festival of India (July 6 and 7) in Montreal includes a parade on St. Laurent Boulevard, as well as dance and musical performances, yoga demonstrations, children’s activities, and other amusements in Jeanne Mance Park (at the corner of Parc and Mont-Royal avenues)—and admission is free.

WEEK OF JULY 8 TO JULY 14

Catch a play in Ottawa or Prescott

A Company of Fools is launching its 2024 production of Macbeth on Monday, July 8, in Strathcona Park in Sandy Hill. The company will be performing Shakespeare’s Scottish tragedy in outdoor settings across Ottawa, Eastern Ontario and the Outaouais until August 26. This week, they’ll also be at Bel-Air Park in Nepean (Tuesday), Stonecrest Park in Barrhaven (Wednesday), Trend-Arlington Park in Nepean (Thursday), Hiawatha Park in Orleans (Friday) and Windsor Park in Old Ottawa South (Saturday). Here’s the whole summer schedule. Admission to any of the performances is pay-what-you-can ($20 suggested), all shows start at 7pm and the production runs 90 minutes.

Speaking of Shakespeare: The St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival in Prescott opens for the season this week with the first of three productions: The Tempest, Shakespeare’s tragedy of a shipwrecked father and daughter. It runs on select dates from July 13 to August 10 at 7pm, along with several 1pm matinées on Saturdays. Shows later in the summer are Oliver Goldsmith’s She Stoops to Conquer (July 17 to August 10) and Play On! A Shakespeare-Inspired Mixtape (August 13 to 17). All performances take place in the amphitheatre at the Sandra S. Lawn Harbour and Marina (191 Water Street East, Prescott), on the shore of the St. Lawrence River.

Celebrate world cultures in Belleville or Montreal

The Belleville Waterfront Multicultural Festival (West Zwick’s Island Park, 10 Bay Bridge Road, July 11 to 14) offers a rock-climbing wall, dog training, face painting, food trucks, buskers, parkour and the chance to sample cuisines from countries around the world. There’s a midway and lots of live music, too. Note that not all attractions are available on all days, so check the festival’s website for details.

Also this weekend, A Taste of the Caribbean in the Old Port of Montreal (July 11 to 14) gives you the chance to sample dishes and drinks from many tropical islands. There will also be artisans’ stalls, kids’ activities and lots of music.

Discover a historic site

Some 400 historic sites across Canada are participating in Historic Places Days (July 10 to 17). Some sites have events scheduled, while others are simply offering a special invitation to come check them out. Click on the “places” tab in the link above to find sites near you participating in the day. Watson’s Mill in Manotick, the Billings Estate in Alta Vista and Laurier House in Sandy Hill are among the participating sites in Ottawa. Further afield, they include the Spencerville Mill and Museum, Manoir Papineau in Montebello, and the L’Orignal Old Jail.

Commemorate Napoleon in Cape Vincent

The French Festival in Cape Vincent, New York (July 12 to 14) celebrates the small waterfront town’s French heritage. As well as being founded by a Frenchman, the  community almost became Napoleon’s retirement site, when locals hatched a plot to rescue France’s former leader from his exile on St. Helena. Today, Cape Vincent celebrates this story with two parades, craft vendors, buskers, music, fireworks and more. Cape Vincent is about two hours southwest of Ottawa, via the 1000 Islands Bridge. You can also get there via ferry from Kingston—take one ferry from Kingston to Wolfe Island, and the second from Wolfe Island right to Cape Vincent.

Feast on barbecue in Peterborough

Keen barbecue lovers will be heading to Millennium Park in Peterborough this weekend for the Kawartha Rotary Ribfest (July 12 to 14). Four rib vendors will be grilling racks for festival goers, who can also enjoy corn on the cob, poutine and BeaverTails.

Looking for more rib festivals? Check out my roundup of BBQ fests near and far.

Chat with authors in Eganville

The Bonnechere Authors Festival of weekly author readings kicks off on Monday, July 8, at The Eagle’s Nest at the Egnaville Arena (178 Jane Street, Eganville). Featured authors this year are Terry Fallis (July 8), Sharon Cook and Margaret Carson (July 15), Mark Bourrie (July 22) and Robert Bockstael (July 29). And there will be dessert, too! It’s a fundraiser for the Bonnechere Union Public Library.

Browse for gems, fossils and crystals in Syracuse

Do you love fossils, gemstones and jewellery? Then you may just want to head south of the border for GemWorld (July 13 and 14), a rockhound show at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse. Shop for treasures, learn about geology and gems, and let the kids loose to try panning in a sluice. If you’re of a metaphysical bent, you can learn about crystals and consult with psychics, too.

Buy from artisans in Vernon and Barry’s Bay

In Barry’s Bay, the Madawaska Valley Artisan Festival is showcasing works by local creators at the Railway Station arts centre on Saturday, July 13, from 10am to 3pm.

On Sunday, July 14, the Osgoode Township Museum (7814 Lawrence Street, Vernon) is hosting a summer pop-up market from 12pm to 4pm. As well as picking up items from local artisans, you can shop for fresh produce.

Hear music in Wendover, the Laurentians or Prince Edward County

The hills of Mont Tremblant will be alive with the sound of blues music (and soul, jazz, zydeco and more) during this year’s Festival International du Blues de Tremblant (July 10 to 14). Choose from dozens of shows, most of them free.

The Wendover Western Festival (July 10 to 14) offers four days of foot-stomping country music, and if you buy a full-festival pass, you can camp for free.

Classical music fans could check out Music at Port Milford (July 13 to August 3). This combined festival and youth summer school presents chamber music concerts by both faculty and students in several locations in Prince Edward County.

And on the western edge of the Laurentians, the Festival Country de Notre-Dame-du-Laus (July 11 to 14) features nine country acts, mainly from Quebec.

Celebrate the St. Lawrence River in Morrisburg

At It’s All About the River on Saturday, July 13, you can enjoy a kids’ fishing derby, browse exhibitor booths see local art and more. It’s happening on the Morrisburg waterfront from 10am to 2pm. (P.S.: Wondering what else you can see and do in the Morrisburg area? I have a post for that.)

Enjoy volleyball and music at Mooney’s Bay

The world’s largest one-day volleyball tournament rolls onto Mooney’s Bay Beach in Ottawa on Saturday, July 13. The H.O.P.E. Volleyball SummerFest features volleyball games galore (natch), concerts by The Trews, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, and others, and lots of other fun under the sun. Proceeds will support five charities.

Hear free music in Vankleek Hill

So, I hear you wondering: What’s a porchfest? It’s an event where local musicians perform on residential porches, for free. The first one took place in Ithaca, New York, in 2007, and the concept has since spread across North America. The Vankleek Hill Porchfest on Saturday, July 13 (11am to 5pm), will feature about two dozen acts on porches and other stages, in a town full of gingerbread-trimmed Victorian houses.

Get together on Main Street in South Mountain

This week’s Meet Me on Main Street celebration in the Township of North Dundas is taking place on Wednesday, July 10, in South Mountain. Local vendors and food producers will be on hand, including King’s Lock Craft Distillery, Windmill Brewery and Rurban Brewing, and there will be live music by The Country Lads.

Head to a fair in Lachute

This week, you could visit Quebec’s oldest fair, which is also the second-oldest fair in Canada: the Expo Lachute Fair (July 11 to 14). It features a demolition derby, live music, kids’ activities, a midway, monster trucks, agricultural competitions and more. The video above, from the 2023 fair, gives you a taste of what you can expect.

Browse for art in the Laurentians or the Eastern Townships

In the Laurentians, you can explore the Route des Arts (July 13 to 21), a studio tour throughout the southwestern Laurentians featuring lots of local artists and artisans.

The Tour des Arts studio tour focuses on the Eastern Townships and showcases 35 creators. It runs daily from July 13 to 21. (If you love art but can’t make it to these events, here’s my roundup of 25+ studio tours within easy reach of Ottawa.)

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.