Things to do in Ottawa, the Outaouais, Eastern Ontario and beyond (May 26 to June 15, 2025)

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

TABLE OF CONTENTS

WEEK OF MAY 26 TO JUNE 1

Visit an Asian night market in Ottawa

If you like to browse for unique products, nosh on Asian street food and enjoy live entertainment 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 30 to June 1! Downtown on Somerset Street West, you can check out the Ottawa Chinatown Night Market (see video above). In the west end, the Ottawa Asian Fest Night Market is at the Tanger Outlets.

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 (May 31 and June 1) 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.

Do Zumba on Parliament Hill

One of the many things I love about Ottawa is that we’re chill enough about our major historic sites to dance in front of them. See exhibit A: the free Zumba classes that take place on the lawn of Parliament Hill every Sunday afternoon, from May through September. You can check one out on Sunday, June 1, from 4pm to 5pm.

Head to Smiths Falls or Prescott for free music

In seven locations, Smiths Falls is hosting Smiths Falls Porchfest—a free day of live music by nine different acts, performed on people’s porches—on Saturday, May 31. Saturday is also the day for the inaugural Prescott Porchfest, which will see 16 acts performing in 16 locations between 1pm and 5pm.

Celebrate Latino culture in Aylmer

HOLA Festival Latino (May 31 and June 1) is one of the region’s largest Latin American festivals. You can take a salsa or bachata dancing class, hear lots of live music, see cultural presentations and more—and it’s all free. It’s taking place at Parc des Cèdres in Aylmer.

Thrill to RCMP Musical Ride in Metcalfe

The RCMP Musical Ride will be performing at the Metcalfe Fairgrounds (2821 8th Line Road, Metcalfe) on Saturday, May 31. Up to 32 riders and horses will be performing formations and cavalry drills set to music. The opening acts start at 3pm and the Musical Ride show starts at 4pm; there will also be entertainment, activities, displays and food throughout the late afternoon and evening. Admission is by donation, with money raised going to support the Metcalfe Agricultural Society.

Discover vegan vendors at the Parkdale Market

On Friday, May 30, the Vegans Who Snack Food and Art Festival will feature more than 60 vegan-friendly restaurants, food businesses, makers and artists at the Parkdale Market. A packed lineup of DJs will spin tunes to amuse visitors to the event, which will run from 5pm to 9pm.

Watch sheep being shorn in Morrisburg

On May 30 and 31, Upper Canada Village is hosting its Fantastic Fibres and Terrific Textiles event. Staff will be divesting sheep of their warm woolly coats in the Loucks 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. And in the Robertson House yard, there will be a display of Mohawk handiwork. The activities are included with museum admission. Advance ticket purchase recommended.

Visit artists’ studios in Ottawa’s rural west

The Red Trillium Studio Tour in West Carleton (May 31 and June 1) will showcase 12 artists’ studios and 30 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 jewellery and furniture. 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.

Chow down on barbecue in Ottawa or poutine in Gatineau

Hankering for barbecue? Head to Sparks Street for Ottawa Ribfest (May 28 to June 1). Are cheesy, gravy-doused fries more your style? Then le Grand PoutineFest Gatineau (May 29 to June 1) may be more your style. It’s taking place in the parking lot of the Galeries de Hull. Both events will have live music, and the poutine fest will also have bouncy castles.

Go to a festival in Ste-Anne-de-Prescott

It’s Antique Days Festival weekend in Ste-Anne-de-Prescott (May 31 and June 1), with a packed slate of events. Highlights include live music, food truck fare, remote control car races, lawn tractor pulls, bouncy castles, antique machinery demonstrations, and a church bazaar and supper. Ste-Anne-de-Prescott is about an hour and 15 minutes east of Ottawa, close to the Quebec border.

Do yoga at Lansdowne Park

City of Om is a weekend-long health and wellness festival (May 30 to June 1) at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa. Choose from more than 75 yoga and fitness classes and workshops, as well as writing workshops, a 5K fun run and more.

Enjoy musical theatre all over

If you like musicals, wow, is this your week! You can choose from Beetlejuice at the National Arts Centre, Hair at the Gladstone Theatre, The Music Man at Centrepointe and a teen version of Rock of Ages in Brockville. Several non-musical plays are opening across the region, too. See my theatre post for links and details.

Browse for bargains in three Ottawa neighbourhoods or Arnprior

At least three community-wide garage sales are happening in Ottawa on Saturday, May 31, in South Keys–Greenboro, Riverside South and Queenswood Heights. See my garage sales post for links and info.

Also on May 31, the Arnprior and District Humane Society is holding a huge fundraising yard sale. It’s taking place at the society’s shelter at 490 Didak Drive in Arprior.

Admire wooden boats in Merrickville

At the Merrickville Wooden Boat Show (Saturday, May 31), you can check out more than 50 antique wooden boats and find out what boats Siren Boatworks—the marine restoration company hosting the show—has for sale. There will be food and music, too.

Watch dogs jump in Westmeath

I dunno—there’s just something about the whole idea of dock jumping that makes me smile every time news of it crosses my desk. The concept is simple: set up a long pool of water with a dock at one end, entice dogs to jump off the dock (it probably doesn’t take much, actually) and then give prizes to the dogs that leap the farthest. There’s a whole circuit of these events across Eastern Ontario every summer; the 2025 dock jumping season kicks off with a new event just east of Pembroke, Get Wet in Westmeath, on May 31 and June 1. The video above gives you some idea of what to expect.

Enjoy 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, Argentina and Burkina Faso.

See the stars near Kaladar

Near the night of the new moon each month, weather permitting, the Lennox and Addington County Dark Sky Viewing Area offers a free Laser-Guided Stargazing Tour on Friday and Saturday nights. Each tour starts about an hour after dusk and lasts approximately 90 minutes. You’ll get a laser-guided tour of the night sky and perhaps peek through a telescope. The next tour nights are May 30 and 31. Even though the tour is free, you should go online to reserve a spot if you’re interested. The viewing area is in Erinsville, just south of where Highway 7 intersects with Highway 41 in Kaladar, Ontario.

Go to a family-friendly festival in Stittsville

In Stittsville, Art in the Park is a one-day celebration of art, crafts, music and food in Village Square Park (6000 Abbott Street East) from 9am to 3pm on Sunday, June 1. The fun includes food trucks, aerial artists, a kids’ talent show and more. Admission is free.

Bike ’til you drop in Montreal

The Go Bike Montreal Festival (May 25 to June 1) gives you the chance to take several bike tours of the island of Montreal on car-free streets. The Tour de l’Ile (June 1) regularly attracts thousands of keen cyclists.

Go to a fair in Val-des-Monts

Most fairs take place in the late summer and fall, but Val-des-Monts gets the jump on the season with the Poltimore Fair (May 30 to June 1). Amusements and attractions include live music, horse pulls, helicopter rides, truck and ATV mud runs, a pro rodeo, local craft and food vendors, and a family and kids’ fun zone.

WEEK OF JUNE 2 TO JUNE 8

I’m still adding to this week’s list of events, so keep checking back!

Enjoy candlelit yoga in Navan

Ah, this sounds relaxing: a 90-minute candlelit yoga class at Domaine Perreault, a winery in Navan. The flow yoga session includes a glass of wine and starts at 7pm.

Celebrate world cultures in Gatineau

Le Festival Joie de Vivre is a one-day celebration of the foods, music and traditions of the world’s cultures. It’s taking place from 10am to 5pm on Saturday, June 7, at Place de la Cité in Gatineau.

Browse for art in Chesterville

A festival celebrating all things artistic unrolls this weekend in Chesterville: Art on the Waterfront (Saturday, June 7). 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.

Take the kids to a festival in Blackburn Hamlet or Manotick

True to its name, the Blackburn Hamlet Funfair (June 6 to 8) offers fun for the whole family—everything from fireworks, a parade and a used book sale to fun runs, bouncy castles, a climbing wall, 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, a scavenger hunt, fireworks and much more.

Rev your motor in Ottawa

On Saturday, June 7, the Ottawa Ride for Dad is a big motorcycle event that raises funds for prostate cancer research. Register online or in person (at multiple locations) by June 6 to save $10 on your registration fee. And if you raise at least $100 in pledges, registration is free.

Check out a family-friendly festival in Chelsea

The Chelsea Days festival (June 7 and 8) will be offering some 30 free activities in the Gatineau Hills community. Basketball, skateboarding, pop-up sales, garden and walking tours, yoga, cycling, craft workshops, live music, Zumba … you name it, they probably have it. You can even build a bat dormitory. Note that, unlike previous Chelsea Days festivals, this year’s events are concentrated on the soccer field in front of Chelsea Elementary School, although there will be a few events in satellite locations, too.

Browse for bargains in Kitchissippi, Cumberland or Kemptville

The Hey Day! Giant Indoor Garage Sale, a fundraiser for the Kemptville District Hospital Auxiliary, is taking place at the North Grenville Municipal Centre at 285 County Road 44 in Kemptville on June 6 and 7. It’s one of the biggest indoor garage sales in Eastern Ontario.

And at least two community-wide garage sales are happening in Ottawa on Saturday, June 7, in Kitchissippi Ward and Cumberland. See my garage sales post for links and info.

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 7 and 8). The free event—one of the largest Doors Open events in North America—features a wide range of buildings. (Curious about the building above? It’s the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat at 199 Sussex Drive.)

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, Argentina and Burkina Faso.

WEEK OF JUNE 9 TO JUNE 15

This is just the start of the list for this week. I’m adding to it daily, so keep checking back!

Admire flowers and go shopping in Alexandria

Ranunculus is a plant with big, multi-petaled flowers. (I had to look it up! Check out the photo above if I haven’t painted quite enough of a picture with words.) And Sunwheel Farm just north of Alexandria is hosting a Spring Flower Fest on Saturday, June 14, to celebrate the pretty blooms. From 10am to 3pm, you can tiptoe among more than 4,000 ranunculus plants.

While you’re in the area, you could drop into the ❤️ to Shop Local Market, taking place the same day from 10am to 4pm in Alexandria. Some 20 artisans and vendors will be featured at the market, which is also a fundraiser for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Also on June 14, Alexandria is hosting a community-wide garage sale from 8am to 5pm.

Do yoga by moonlight at Lansdowne Park

It’s a full moon on Wednesday, June 11. If you’d like to mark the occasion with a few downward dogs, you can take a moonlit yoga class on the Great Lawn at Lansdowne Park, starting at 9pm. Admission is free but donations of food (not cash) for the Ottawa Food Bank are appreciated.

Go to a pow wow in Smiths Falls

The Spirit of the Drum Pow Wow returns to Smiths Falls on June 14 and 15, with two days of Indigenous dancing, drumming and singing. Each day begins with a grand entry. It’s all happening at Duck Island (40 Abbott Street North). Note that onsite parking is open to elders, pow wow staff, dancers and drummers only.

Drive a racetrack in Calabogie

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 14, when you can book half-hour blocks 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 starts at $235. Trucks, vans, SUVs and motorcycles are not allowed.

Celebrate Cuban culture at Lansdowne Park

Grab your dancing shoes and bring your appetite: Fiesta Cubana Fest at Lansdowne Park (June 13 and 14) promises lots of dance workshops, festive food and drink, and live music. Tickets are $15 in advance (online) and $20 at the door.

Looking for more tips on things to see and do in and around Ottawa? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or order a copy of my book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your 100-km 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.