This morning (May 27), the Ontario Festival of Small Halls announced its extensive fall 2025 lineup of concerts in small venues. But that’s not the only news for music lovers in this week’s Heads Up post, as you’ll also learn about a wide range of other songfests you can attend this summer and fall. You’ll also find out where you can park your camper van in the Pontiac, when Orpheus Musical Theatre’s season tickets go on sale and where you can take writing workshops in Lanark County. Enjoy!
Cover photo by Myriam Baril-Tessier courtesy of Tourisme Outaouais.
Tickets for various concerts and festivals are now available
The Ontario Festival of Small Halls has just announced its fall schedule of concerts in (mainly) little venues across Eastern Ontario, and tickets are available now. These shows regularly sell out, so if you want to catch one or more of them, I’d strongly advise buying your tickets ASAP—particularly if you want to see big-name acts such as Ashley MacIsaac, Chantal Kreviazuk, the Arrogant Worms, the Devin Cuddy Duo or Corb Lund. Concert sites include Manotick, Almonte, Russell, Carleton Place, Morrisburg, Prescott, Moose Creek and many more.
Tickets are also available now for several other music festivals, including these:
- Ottawa Jazz Festival (June 20 to 29)
- Ottawa Valley Stomp and Lumberjack Festival, Petawawa (June 27 to 29)
- Almonte Celtfest (July 4 to 6)
- Music and Beyond, Ottawa (July 4 to 17)
- Ottawa Bluesfest (July 10 to 20)
- Ottawa Chamberfest (July 18 to 27)
- Osheaga, Montreal (August 1 to 3)
- South Grenville Bluegrass Festival (August 7 to 10)
- Nostalgia Music Festival, Ottawa (August 20 to 24)
- Prince Edward County Chamber Music Festival (September 12 to 21)
Also of interest to music fans: the Bronson Music Theatre in Ottawa has added a second show on November 18 for Matthew Good and I Mother Earth, after the November 17 show sold out. Speaking of popular shows at the Bronson: balcony seats for the August 28 concert by Chilliwack are still available, but floor seats are—you guessed it—gone, gone, gone. (Did I include this concert just so I could make that joke? Maybe.)
Orpheus Musical Theatre subscriptions go on sale on May 30
Perhaps musical theatre is more your style? Then mark your calendar for 10am on Friday, May 30, when 2025–26 season subscriptions for Ottawa’s Orpheus Musical Theatre go on sale. The company will be presenting three classics next season: Annie, Jesus Christ Superstar and Singin’ in the Rain.
You can explore the Pontiac by camper van
The Pontiac region of the Outaouais, hugging the Ottawa River to the west of the capital, is pitching itself to “vanlife” travellers who want to explore new places by camper van. If that’s you, this brand-new Tourisme Outaouais post provides links to maps, videos, campsites, activities and attractions along Quebec Route 148—everything from waterfalls and Quebec’s longest covered bridge to whitewater rafting, wineries and restaurants.
Billings Estate offers summer digs for kids
If you have a young Indiana Jones in the family, you might want to sign her or him up for Can You Dig It?, a series of 90-minute excavations taking place at the Billings Estate National Historic Site in Ottawa this summer. During the workshops, kids aged 8 to 11 will focus on different topics. They could dig up fossils during a paleontology workshop, for instance, or learn about the Billings family from their artefacts during an archeology workshop. The sessions are affordably priced at $7.56 per child, and advance registration is required.
New book chronicles life on Golden Lake
If you know the Killaloe area or if you just like cottage tales, you might be interested in a new, self-published book by Ernie Bies, Sleepy Hollow Chronicles and Other Stories from Golden Lake.
You can take writing workshops in Lanark County
The Lanark Lit Festival of Writing continues in June with three one-day workshops: Laura Piggott on writing picture books (June 7, Perth), Merilyn Simonds on writing beyond “what you know” (June 8, Almonte) and Wayne Grady on writing memoir (June 8, Almonte). Rob Riendeau will also be running a four-class course on playwrighting; it takes place on Tuesday nights in Almonte (June 3, 10, 17 and 24).
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.
