35+ events in and around Ottawa, July 14 to 20, 2025: Shakespeare, paddling and Latin dancing

7.1K

The jam-packed summer events schedule shows no signs of letting up this week. Grab your sunscreen and water bottles—there’s so much to do! You can watch movies under the stars in Ottawa or Smiths Falls, join a multicultural potluck in Almonte, paddle a kayak or a canoe with a crowd at Hartwells Locks, take in a new-and-expanded beer and music festival in Gatineau, see Shakespeare outdoors in Ottawa or Prescott, cheer for dragon boaters and basketball players, or nosh on falafel at a Lebanese festival. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Read on for details.

P.S.: I’ve also included a short list of events coming up in the next few weeks, which I’ll write about in more detail in upcoming posts.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

WEEK OF JULY 14 TO JULY 20

Dig into a multicultural potluck in Almonte

I love this idea! Almonte is holding a multicultural potluck on Lower Mill Street on Friday, July 18. From 5pm to 9pm, everyone’s invited to bring a favourite dish (international or otherwise) to contribute to the feast. It’s free to participate, but you need to register your dish online in advance.

Chat with authors in Eganville

The Bonnechere Authors Festival of weekly author readings continues at The Eagle’s Nest at the Egnaville Arena (178 Jane Street, Eganville). You can hear Amy Tector (July 14), Elizabeth Hay (July 21) and Marilyn Carr (July 28). And there will be dessert, too! It’s a fundraiser for the Bonnechere Union Public Library.

Rock on at LeBreton Flats

The huge Ottawa Bluesfest on LeBreton Flats runs from July 10 to 20 with a packed lineup of acts, including Green Day, Shania Twain, Sean Paul, Lainey Wilson, Def Leppard, Papa Roach, Kaytranada, Hozier and Turnstile.

Catch a movie outdoors in Ottawa or Smiths Falls

At TD Place at Lansdowne Park, you can enjoy a free outdoor screening of The Greatest Showman on Thursday, July 24. That same night, Smiths Falls’ free series of family movies in Centennial Park (under the water tower) continues with the first Toy Story movie.

Sample craft beers and more in Manor Park

Pints in the Park (Saturday, July 19) is a neighbourhood celebration at the Manor Park Community Centre in Ottawa. You can nosh on food and beverages from local brewers and restaurants, shop from local vendors, and enjoy live music from 2pm to 7pm.

Get a little bit country in Shawville

Naturally enough, country tunes are the star attraction at the Shawville Lions Country Jamboree (July 17 to 20) in West Quebec’s Pontiac region. Performers will include Unwound, Gail Gavan, Phil Denault, Gord Barnes, the Plager Boys and Debbie Bechamp.

Head to a fair in Avonmore or Lansdowne

From July 17 to 20, the Lansdowne Fair (in the Eastern Ontario town, not the Ottawa park) will be offering a demolition derby and a midway, along with activities as diverse as sheep shearing, hay bale throwing, chainsaw carving, and a Garth Brooks/Shania Twain tribute show.

This weekend, you can also check out the Avonmore Fair (July 19 and 20), where the amusements include livestock shows, live music, a petting zoo, magic shows, a rock climbing wall and bouncy castles; there’s also a dance featuring the County Lads on July 18, before the fair’s opening day. (If you like summer and fall fairs, don’t forget to check out my recently updated fairs list.)

See a play in Ottawa, Prescott, Morrisburg or Gananoque

Two plays are opening in the region this week: the comedy Always a Bridesmaid at Ottawa Little Theatre (July 16 to August 2) and the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival’s Much Ado About Nothing at the Kinsmen Amphitheatre in Prescott (July 19 to August 9). Continuing this week: the comedy The Sweet Delilah Swim Club at the Upper Canada Playhouse in Morrisburg (until July 27); A Company of Fools’ production of Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors, in parks around Ottawa (until August 16); and a musical about everyone’s favourite magical nanny, Mary Poppins, at the Thousand Islands Playhouse in Gananoque (until August 16). For details on these and many other plays on stages around the region, see my theatre post.

Enjoy Thai food and more at Lansdowne Park

Thai Festival Ottawa (Saturday, July 19) used to be called the Thai Street Food Festival, but that was a bit of a misnomer—there’s lots more to this festival than food! You can also enjoy Thai classical dance performances, martial arts and massage demonstrations, and trivia games. It’s all happening in the Horticulture Building at Lansdowne Park from 11am to 6pm, and admission is free.

Go to a car show in Westport

Attention, fans of classic autos: At the Westport Car Show on Saturday, July 19, you can see beautifully restored cars lovingly showcased by their proud owners. You can also check out fire trucks, and antique tractors and carriage, or test drive an electric vehicle. The video above, from last year’s event, gives you a taste of what you can expect.

Catch a music festival in Clayton or on Howe Island

The small Mississippi Mills community of Clayton, just west of Ottawa, is hosting Claytonfest on Saturday, July 19. As well as live music all day long, the festival features a market where you can buy food, drinks and unique items from local makers. The fun goes from noon until 7:30pm.

Also on Saturday, July 19, the Howe Island Rockin the Rock festival brings six acts to Howe Island, which is about 20 kilometres east of Kingston. The music starts at 3:30pm. (You can reach the island via a ferry ride that usually takes less than five minutes.)

Try felting in Dunvegan

Feeling crafty? You can sign up to try your hand at needle felting at the Glengarry Pioneer Museum in Dunvegan on Saturday, July 19. You’ll come home from the workshop with a felted ornament.

Go to a market in Orleans, Bourget or Spencerville

The Bourget Community Market on Saturday, July 19, will see vendors setting up their tables beside the Prescott-Russell Recreational Trail from 10am to 3pm.

Also on Saturday, July 19, you can drop into the Fetch Local Market at the Shenkman Arts Centre in Orleans. It’s a dog-friendly market featuring 30+ local vendors that raises money for rescue pups, and it runs from 10am to 3pm.

On Sunday, July 20, the Spencerville Summer Market will be offering produce and artisanal products by local makers at 22 Sloan Street in Spencerville from 9am to 3pm.

Enjoy a game at TD Place

You can catch two pro sports games at TD Place this week. On Thursday, July 17, the Ottawa BlackJacks basketball team is playing the Edmonton Stingers, with a start time of 7pm. The following night (Friday, July 18), Atlético Ottawa is taking on Halifax Wanderers FC in a soccer match at TD Place, starting at 7pm.

See a military tattoo in Kingston

In Kingston, the Fort Henry Annual Tattoo (Saturday, July 19) usually attracts a large and enthusiastic audience. You need tickets for this one, and the organizers advise buying them in advance to avoid disappointment (balcony tickets are already sold out). This event also features massed military bands (fife, brass, pipes and drums) and adds a fireworks show to the mix.

Celebrate diversity in Cornwall

Diversity Cornwall Pride Week (July 12 to 24) actually lasts almost two weeks and features all sorts of fun, including a Queers and Beers night and a Sunday brunch. One of the biggest events will be a parade at 11am on Saturday, July 19, immediately followed by an afternoon festival in Lamoureux Park (100 Water Street).

Enjoy a new summer party in Gatineau

Festibière Gatineau has morphed and expanded to become the new Festival Parasol (July 16 to 19, and July 24 to 26). Don’t worry; there’s still lots of craft beer and food. But you can also propel a pedal boat around “the largest mobile pool in North America” (think of it as a really, really big kiddie pool), check out a speakeasy, take dance lessons, and enjoy endless tunes spun by DJs and played live.

Join a big Lebanese celebration in Ottawa

Ottawa’s Lebanese community is celebrating its heritage during the Ottawa Lebanese Festival (July 16 to 20) at the St. Elias Cathedral near Mooney’s Bay. Visitors can enjoy a midway; eat falafel, shawarma and other treats; and see dancers, musicians, cultural displays and more. There’s a free shuttle service from the Canada Post headquarters parking lot daily after 4pm. Admission to the festival is free if you arrive at the cathedral before 5pm on any day, and it’s also free for CAA members all day on Wednesday, July 16.

Cheer for triathletes in Kingston

Feeling fit? I mean, really fit? Then you might want to try the K-Town Triathlon in Kingston on Sunday, July 20. The “short” course includes a 750m swim in Lake Ontario, a 30km bike ride and a 7.5km run. The well-named “long” course features a 2km swim, a 55km bike ride and a 15km run. Wow, I got tired just typing that. If you haven’t been training for months, well, it’s too late to start now—but you could always cheer on the competitors at the finish line!

See vintage wedding dresses in Middleville

The Middleville and District Museum is hosting Decades of Dresses on Sunday, July 20, from noon to 4pm. The event will showcase the museum’s new exhibit of wedding gowns from the 1880s through the 1990s, and light refreshments will be served.

Bring your canoe or kayak to Hartwells Locks

For the last few years, hundreds of paddlers have been jamming into the Peterborough Liftlock for a fun photo op called Lock & Paddle. In 2024, the event expanded beyond Peterborough to two other locations: Hartwells Locks on the Rideau Canal near Carleton University, and the Lachine Canal in downtown Montreal. Here are all the details you’ll need to join the free fun at Hartwells Locks on Saturday, July 19.

See a cool genre movie in Montreal

The Fantasia International Film Festival (July 16 to August 3) is a wide-ranging Montreal event that screens genre films from around the world, including science fiction, fantasy, thriller, comedy and horror movies. You might discover an indie gem you’d never find at your local multiplex.

Visit an Ontario park for free

Friday, July 18, is Healthy Parks Healthy People Day, and admission to all Ontario provincial parks is free that day! (You’ll still need to pay if you want to stay overnight.) It’s a great opportunity to discover a new-to-you park.

Kick back at a free concert in Perth or Alexandria

Speaking of free: The popular—and free—Stewart Park Festival returns to its namesake park (41 Mill Street, Perth) from July 18 to 20. Along with folk, blues and other concerts by the likes of Great Lake Swimmers, Jessica Pearson and Joel Plaskett, the Perth festival features a kids’ fun area, a vendors’ market, a beer patio, a duck race and other amusements. A shuttle bus will ferry people from the outskirts of Perth to the festival site. While the festival is free, you can donate at the gate if you like. There’s also a paid concert by Ottawa folk group School House at the Perth Library on Saturday, July 19.

On Wednesday nights throughout the summer, the Concerts at the Grotto series presents free outdoor musical performances at the Grotto in Alexandria (92 Centre Street). This week, on July 16, it showcases two acts: the Quigley Pipe Band and the Ceilidh Drovers. Bring a lawn chair. (Concerts usually start at 7pm, but this one starts at 6:30pm because it features two groups.) Donations to the upkeep of the Grotto are welcome.

Catch a multicultural festival in Pembroke

Delve into world cultures at Pembroke’s Multicultural Festival, taking place on Friday, July 18 (3pm to 8pm), and Saturday, July 19 (12pm to 8pm) at Pembroke Waterfront Park. The activities and entertainment will include workshops, a vendors’ market, and live music and other performances (there will be face painting, bouncy castles and other fun for little ones, too).

Browse for art all over

The Bloomfest Garden Art Show and Sale is coming to Whitehouse Nursery and Display Gardens outside Almonte from July 18 to 27. Works by 21 artists will be on display throughout the nursery’s display gardens, which include beds of daylilies in full bloom.

Art in the Park is taking place every Saturday afternoon (noon to 4pm) in July and August in Parc Roquebrune (Turntable Park) in Wakefield. You’ll find it along the scenic pathway between the Wakefield General Store and the End of the Line Boutique. Visitors can take part in free artist-led workshops and demonstrations, enjoy live music, and meet artists in their mobile studios (and buy their works).

Fantasy in the Forest (July 19 and 20) is a mixed-media art show and sale. It takes place in a forest in South Frontenac, about 150 kilometres southwest of Ottawa, and has a distinctly fairy-tale/elfin vibe. Admission is free, and it will take place rain or shine. The location is about halfway between Westport and Kingston; the exact address is 1860 Draper Lake Road, South Frontenac, Ontario. A second edition of the show will take place on August 30 and 31.

The Madawaska Valley Studio Tour (July 19 and 20) features about two dozen artists and artisans scattered across a wide swath of the Madawaska Valley in Eastern Ontario, roughly between Eganville and Barry’s Bay.

The Thousand Islands Fine Art Association’s annual show and sale is on at the Rockport Recreation Centre in Rockport on July 19 and 20.

Take a free Latin dance class in Ottawa

Until August 27, you can take free Latin dance classes on Wednesday nights at Ottawa City Hall (111 Laurier Avenue West), starting at 6:30pm. The first 45 minutes of each class is devoted to an “alternate” (i.e., not salsa) dance style, such as bachata, kizomba, hustle, son cubano or zouk. The next 45 minutes is a salsa lesson. Then everyone can enjoy two hours of social dancing, starting at 8pm. The classes are outdoors unless the weather is nasty, in which case they’ll take place inside City Hall (note the new security measures for people entering the building).

Cheer for dragon boat racers in Arnprior or Trenton

Want to cheer on dragon boat racers in a national qualifier race? Head to Robert Simpson Park in Arnprior on Saturday, July 19, for the Arnprior Dragon Boat Festival.

Downtown Trenton’s Festival on the Bay (July 17 to 19) features a dragon boat festival, along with a sidewalk sale, fireworks (weather and fire bans permitting), live music and more.

Celebrate community in Hallville

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 16, in Hallville. Local vendors and food producers will be on hand, and there will be live music. Hallville is about a 15-minute drive east of Kemptville.

Discover a historic site

Some 400 historic sites across Canada are participating in Historic Places Days (July 11 to 20). 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. The Vanier Museopark, 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.

Enjoy classical music in Ottawa and Prince Edward County

You can catch the tail end of Ottawa’s Music and Beyond festival this week; it wraps up with a gala concert on Wednesday, July 16. And as that festival closes, another classical music festival will open: Ottawa Chamberfest runs from July 18 to 27. Scattered across 11 locations in Ottawa and one in Almonte, the festival offers everything from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons to sea shanties, torch songs, yoga, and concerts for children.

Classical music fans can also check out Music at Port Milford (July 19 to August 2). This combined festival and youth summer school presents chamber music concerts on Saturday nights at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Picton.

SAVE THE DATE

Here are a few upcoming events you might want to add to your calendar, if you’re planning ahead. (Look for details on these events and many others in upcoming posts.)

• July 24 to 26: Thousand Island Open, Kingston (fishing derby)
• July 24 to 27: Delta Fair
• July 24 to 27: Palmer Rapids Twin Music Festival
• July 26: Bridge Street Summerfest, Carleton Place
• July 31 to August 3: Les FestivILES, Gananoque
• August 1 and 2: Glengarry Highland Games, Maxville
• August 2 to 9: Smiths Falls Old Home Week
• August 8 to 10: Ottawa International Busker Fest
• August 8 to 10: Twist Fibre Festival, Saint-André-Avellin
• August 8 to 10: 1000 Islands Kingston Poker Run
• August 8 to 17: Water and Dirt Festival, Renfrew County
• August 9 and 10: Trainfest, Smiths Falls
• August 14 to 17: Ottawa Greek Festival
• August 16 to 24: Capital Pride, Ottawa
• August 22 and 23: Ottawa Valley Buskerfest, Pembroke
• August 22 to 24: Upper Gatineau Whitewater Festival, Maniwaki
• August 24: Tour de Bonnechere, Eganville
• August 27 to 31: Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival

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.