Events in Ottawa, the Outaouais, Eastern Ontario and beyond (Apr. 29 to May 26)

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Ah, spring, when the streets and parks of Ottawa, Eastern Ontario, the Outaouais and Montreal are alive with the sound of…people ecstatic to be outside! And the calendar is packed with festivals, bike rides, plant sales, art shows, plays and so much more.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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. Happy travels!

WEEK OF APRIL 29 TO MAY 5

Learn about sustainability in Ottawa and Kemptville

The fifth Coffee House on Sustainability will focus on strategies for reducing your waste footprint, including buying less, joining sharing networks and learning repair skills. It’s taking place at the Glebe Community Centre on Sunday, May 5. Admission is free but you need to register via the link above. There will be cookies and coffee (but you’ll need to bring your own renewable mug for the latter!). The series will continue once a month until June.

The North Grenville Sustainability Fair and EV Show comes to the North Grenville Municipal Centre in Kemptville on Sunday, May 5. Learn about electric vehicles, ways to green your home, organic foods, and other local eco-friendly products and services. Admission is free.

Shop for pottery in Kingston

The Kingston Potters’ Guild is holding its annual spring show and sale at the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning from May 2 to 5.

Bike for a good cause in Ottawa

The CN Cycle for CHEO fundraiser takes to Ottawa’s streets on Sunday, May 5, with 15K, 35K and 70K cycling routes, as well as 2K and 5K walks. They all start at LeBreton Flats Park and go along the Ottawa River; the longer routes also take riders along the Rideau Canal and through the Experimental Farm. Proceeds will support the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario.

Shop locally in Winchester

At the Local Business Expo at the Joel Steele Community Centre in Winchester on Saturday, May 4, you can check out products and services offered by more than 50 local vendors.

Find fab fabrics in Wellington West

Attention needleworkers: Dozens of vendors will be selling fabrics galore and other sewing-related materials at the Hintonburg Fabric Flea Market on Saturday, May 4. Admission is $3, the doors open at 9:30am and it takes place at the Fisher Park Community Centre (on Holland Avenue, just north of Highway 417).

Check out a new tap room in Smiths Falls

4 Degrees Brewing and Distilling in Smiths Falls is holding a grand opening for its new tap room on Saturday, May 4, starting at 5pm. There will be new brews on tap, live music by Backroad Blues and the chance to meet race car driver Xavier Perrin.

Have some family-friendly fun in Westboro

Every Thursday evening in May, Shop the Village will feature fun activities in Ottawa’s Westboro neighbourhood from 5pm to 8pm. On May 2, the diversions will include a beats-and-bubbles dance party, a photo-op station, balloon animals, cake and popcorn.

Learn about urban design and history on a Jane’s Walk

Jane’s Walks are named after urbanist Jane Jacobs, who wrote numerous books about the way cities work. This year, from May 3 to 5, numerous cities are hosting free walks with local experts who will explain facets of each city’s history, development and design. You can join a walk in Ottawa-Gatineau, Kingston or Montreal, among many other places. Normally, you can check the Jane’s Walk website for walks in other communities across Canada, but the volunteers who run the site are in the midst of updating it, post-pandemic, so your favourite city’s info might not be there this year.

Check out local talent in Kingston

The Homegrown Live Music Festival is a packed day of more than 130 live performances by local acts on 16 stages across Kingston on Saturday, May 4. Each venue will be showcasing multiple bands in a particular style, including blues, psychedelic, country, hip-hop and jazz.

Everyone involved in Kingston’s Juvenis Festival of the arts (May 2 to 12) is aged 30 or younger, but shows are open to all ages. Events this year include two musical theatre productions, a battle of the bands, a youth film night, and a storefront art gallery.

Paddle your canoe in Canton

The 62nd annual Canton Canoe Weekend is happening in Canton, New York, from May 3 through 5. Racers can choose from a wide range of courses, including 1, 4, 8, 12 and 14-mile routes; there’s also a 2-mile relay race for recreational paddlers. Bring the kids—there’s a children’s playground, a Saturday night chicken barbecue and free camping.

Catch a concert in Ottawa

Country superstar Tim McGraw’s Standing Room Only tour rolls into the Canadian Tire Centre on Friday, May 3. The following night (Saturday, May 4), you can see OG rapper Ice Cube on his Straight Into Canada tour at the Arena at TD Place.

Sample wine in Prince Edward County

Terroir (Saturday, May 4) is a one-day tasting festival at the Eddie Hotel and Farm in Bloomfield. It celebrates Prince Edward County wines, ciders and food. Attendees will get five beverage samples and two food samples, along with a souvenir glass.

Shop for unique items in Ottawa, Cantley, Almonte or Belleville

The Ottawa Guild of Potters will be holding its Spring Pottery Sale as part of the Ottawa Clay Festival in the Horticulture Building at Lansdowne Park from May 3 to 5. As well as shopping for pottery, you can see demonstrations and let the little ones loose in a kids’ clay area. Free admission.

To shop for unique works in fibre and mixed media, head to the Out of the Box Fibre Fling show and sale at Kitchissippi United Church in Ottawa on May 3 and 4.

National Capital Artisans are holding their Spring in Bloom Craft Market at Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School in Orleans on Saturday, May 4.

The arts group Art de l’Ordinaire is presenting a Cultural Fair in Cantley on May 4 and 5. Shop for jewellery, glass items, painting and much more at this sale, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

The Cheerfully Made Market at the Almonte Community Centre (Saturday, May 4) features food, clothing, jewellery, home decor and other goodies from local makers.

It’s a bit of a hike, but the Mother of All Craft Shows on Saturday, May 4, in Belleville looks like fun, with more than 70 vendors offering everything from knitted items to hot sauces. The show helps support Fixed Fur Life, an animal-rescue group.

Go for a walk or run in Ottawa, Prescott or Renfrew

Feeling achy? Want to get your kids off the couch? How about a walk or run?

On Saturday, May 4, there’s the Star Wars-themed Fort Town Night Run in Prescott. (Slogan: “May the Fort be with you.”) The 5K, 10K and 15K routes take you past many local historical sites, and Prescotters (is that a word?) will be cheering on runners along the route. There’s also a 1K fun run for kids, and the run raises money for youth organizations. The event starts at the Leo Boivin Community Centre and all racers (except those in the kids’ run) will receive a headlamp.

Also on Saturday, May 4, Ottawa’s Hike for Hospice is a 5K walk from the Ron Kolbus Lakeside Centre in Britannia Park to Andrew Haydon Park and back. It raises money for end-of-life care services.

On Sunday, May 5, Hike for Hospice Renfrew will also be raising money for palliative care facilities. The one-hour event starts at 2pm and is open to runners, walkers, and those using wheelchairs or strollers.

Head to a farmers’ market

Craving some fresh spring veggies? You’re in luck. Two farmers’ markets—in Carp and Kanata—are opening for the season on Saturday, May 4. Lots more will fling open their gates over the next few weeks and some—including markets in Vankleek Hill and Ottawa—are open year-round.

Go fish in the Bay of Quinte

Attention, anglers: The Kiwanis Walleye World Fishing Derby (May 4 and 5) is a big catch-and-release contest for walleye and pike, and a major fundraiser for youth projects in the Bay of Quinte region. The event headquarters are in Trenton but there are also weigh stations in Belleville, Picton and Brighton. Prizes this year include boats, fishing charters and cottage stays; the top prize is a cool $10,000.

Check out a writers festival in Ottawa

The spring edition of the Ottawa International Writers Festival (May 2 to 5) features a wide range of authors, including Zoe Whittall, Anuja Varghese and Rick Mofina.

Visit Upper Canada Village in Morrisburg

Grab the kids and get ready to travel back in time: Upper Canada Village in Morrisburg opens for the season on Saturday, May 4. The living history museum brings the Ontario of the 1860s back to life with costumed interpreters, old-time activities and more.

Enjoy a play in Osgoode

In Osgoode, the ITR Theatre Company is presenting The Cemetery Club (May 3 to 5, and May 10 to 12), a gentle comedy about three widows who meet for tea once a month. As well as evening shows and matinées, there will be a dinner show on Saturday, May 4, and a Mother’s Day brunch show on Sunday, May 12.

Browse for bargains in Merrickville or Wakefield

People all over Merrickville will be clearing out their attics and basements for the Community Garage Sale on Saturday, May 4.

If it’s used sports equipment and clothing you’re after, head to the Gatineau Hills for the Gear Swap at Expéditions Wakefield on Saturday, May 4, from 10am to 2pm. Cash or debit only.

Nosh on poutine in Orleans

Everyone’s favourite cheese-curd treat will be the star of this weekend’s Orleans PoutineFest and Street Food Frenzy (May 3 to 5). There will be craft beer, live music and more to amuse you, too. It’s all happening on Centrum Boulevard (just east of Place d’Orleans). (P.S.: Check out my big list of poutine festivals happening across our region this year.)

See sketch comedy in Montreal

If you love The Kids in the Hall, SCTV and Saturday Night Live, you might just be interested in Montréal Sketchfest, an annual festival of sketch comedy (May 2 to 11). It features both rising stars and established comic talents, performing in French and/or English.

WEEK OF MAY 6 TO 12

Delve into wellness in Nepean

The Ottawa Spring Holistic Healing Fair is coming to the Nepean Sportsplex on Saturday, May 11. At more than 40 booths, you can shop for crystals, get your tarot cards read, browse natural products, consult a medium or psychic, and just generally explore alternative wellness in all its forms. Free admission.

Tiptoe near the tulips in Ottawa and Vankleek Hill

The Canadian Tulip Festival rolls into town for 11 days of spring fun (May 10 to 20) at Commissioners Park on the edge of Dows Lake. Along with viewing gorgeous displays of tulips (weather cooperating), you can check out an artisans’ market, enjoy a nightly sound-and-light show with a Second World War theme, a black-lit tulip garden at night, and movies in the park.

East of Ottawa, the Vankleek Hill Tulip Fields are open to the public for two weeks only (check the website for dates). Stroll through fields blooming with 300,000 tulips and pick your own. Buy tickets in advance. The site is within walking distance of Vankleek Hill’s main street.

And don’t forget that you can pick your own tulips at Green Corners Farm in Edwards; you need to buy tickets in advance. Again, check the website for dates.

Celebrate Kashubs in Wilno

The Kashub people hail from Eastern Europe. The first Kashub immigrants to Canada arrived in Renfrew County in the late 1850s, where they founded the village of Wilno, a bit west of Barry’s Bay. The community celebrates that history with the annual Kashub Day Heritage Festival, taking place this year on Saturday, May 11, at the open-air Wilno Heritage Park. Live music, barbecued treats, a beer garden and more are on the agenda.

Shop for local art all over

In Alta Vista, you can shop for paintings, pottery, sculpture, jewellery, wooden pieces and fibre art made by some 30 creators at the Spring Art Festival, organized by Art in the Neighbourhood and the Canterbury Community Association (Saturday, May 11). There will be food trucks and live music, too! It’s happening at the Canterbury Recreation Complex (2185 Arch Street, Ottawa) from 10am to 4pm.

The Mother’s Day Craft Market will feature dozens of artisans’ booths at the Glebe Community Centre on Sunday, May 12.

While not solely an art market, you’ll find handmade items among the antiques, collectibles, vintage clothing and more at the Mother’s Day weekend edition of 613Flea at Lansdowne Park (Saturday, May 11).

Art in the Attic (May 11 and 12) at the Almonte Old Town Hall showcases local artists of all ages and ranges of experience. In the airy auditorium, you can view works in a large variety of media, styles and subjects. You will find painting, photography, leatherwork, pottery, textile art, paper art, fused glass, mosaics, jewellery and more, at a wide range of prices.

You can shop for paintings and other artworks at the Before the Summer Fine Art Show and Sale at the Firehall Theatre in Gananoque (May 10 to 12).

Buy some new plants in Ottawa

The Gloucester Horticultural Society is holding its annual fundraising plant sale at the Orleans Fruit Farm (1399 Orleans Boulevard) on Saturday, May 13, from 9am until noon (or until the plants run out). Perennials, native plants, pollinator plants, herbs, houseplants, veggies and garden-related items will be available.

In Ottawa on Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 12, rain or shine), the Friends of the Farm are holding their plant sale at the Central Experimental Farm from 8am to 1pm. Growers and nurseries from across the region will be on hand, along with master gardeners. You can nosh on goodies from the refreshment tables and shop for gardening books, too.

Bring the kids to their own festival in Ottawa

At the jam-packed Ottawa Children’s Festival (May 10 to 14), pint-sized fans can see everything from a Belgian game show with blindfolded contestants to an Australian musical about a bullied girl who loves robotics. Other shows feature dance, puppets and more. It’s happening at Lebreton Flats, the Canadian War Museum and Arts Court.

Revel in lilacs in Rochester

Rochester is a bit of a drive from Ottawa, but if you love lilacs—and you can’t wait for lilac-themed events closer to home later in May—the free Rochester Lilac Festival (May 10 to 19) may be worth the road trip. If the weather cooperates, there will be lots of blooming flowers. If it doesn’t, you can enjoy concerts, a parade, children’s activities and more.

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.

Learn about birds on World Migratory Bird Day weekend

Did you know that Saturday, May 11, is World Migratory Bird Day? Check the event’s Canadian website for details of events taking place across the country.

Down in Prince Edward County, you can train your binoculars on feathered friends of all kinds during the Spring Birding Festival at the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory (May 10 to 12).

Work up a sweat in Gatineau

Festival Bouge Bouge Outaouais (Sunday, May 12) is a one-day celebration of physical fitness. Sign up for one event or sign up for a bunch; activities include cardio kickboxing, and 1K, 2K, 3K, 5K and 10K walk/runs. You can also check out a Colombian dance performance, a magic show and children’s activities. It’s all happening at the Asticou Centre in Gatineau.

See a play in Osgoode, Merrickville or Cornwall

Theatre Night in Merrickville is presenting Looking, a romantic comedy by Norm Foster, from May 9 to 12. The play’s action begins when a personal ad inadvertently draws four middle-aged singles together. Val and Andy arrange a blind date, and then bring along their friends Nina and Matt for moral support. All performances are at 7:30pm, except for the Sunday show, which is a 2pm matinée.

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 are doing away with various gentlemen and hiding the bodies in their home. It’s on at the Seaway Valley Theatre (30 Sixth Street East) 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).

Check out a music festival in suburban Montreal

More than 50 pop and rock acts will be taking to the stage at the Festival Santa Teresa in Sainte-Thérèse from May 9 to 12.

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 near Brockville or in Portland

On the morning of Saturday, May 18, 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).

That same morning, the Rideau Lakes Horticultural Society is holding its annual plant sale in a new location: Emmanuel Heritage Centre in Portland.

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

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!

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.

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

Raise a pint in Montreal

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.

Hop aboard the Beer and Wine Train in Utica

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 or Kemptville

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.

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

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.

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.

Get growing in Manotick 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).

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.

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.