Whether your idea of a fun outing is eating fancy appetizers, painting a mandala, two-stepping to live blues or pulling a 10-tonne fire truck, this week’s Heads Up post has something for you! I also have the scoop on Stratford’s 2026 season, Race for the Kids, the NCC’s upcoming open house event, and a shopping promotion in Lyndhurst and Seeley’s Bay.
Sign up to pull a fire truck or run for kids
Been eating your spinach lately? Then you might want to sign up (along with nine of your strongest friends) for the Ottawa Fire Truck Pull. Teams of 10 will compete to haul a 10-tonne-plus Ottawa Fire Services truck 100 feet. The fundraiser for Epilepsy Ottawa is happening at Lansdowne Park on Saturday, September 27.
Registration is also open now for Race for the Kids, a major fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario on Sunday, October 5. You can sign up for a 2K family fun run, or a 5K or 10K race. All the routes wind through Wesley Clover Parks in Nepean.
Get artsy at a paint night in Cornwall, Kemptville or Osgoode
The Dreaming Heart Art Studio, based in Chesterville, offers paint nights in locales all over Eastern Ontario. Upcoming events include a mandala painting workshop in Cornwall on Wednesday, August 27, and workshops to paint a picture of a barn owl in Kemptville (Wednesday, September 3) and Osgoode (Wednesday, September 10).
Peek behind the scenes at Open NCC
Open NCC (Saturday, September 13) is a one-day opportunity to enjoy special activities and behind-the-scenes peeks at a wide range of National Capital Commission sites, such as Major’s Hill Park, Gatineau Park and the NCC River House. You can enjoy presentations, guided tours, live music and more, and most of the activities are drop-in style. So why am I telling you now? Because some activities require advance registration, such as a 10-kilometre guided bike tour along the Ottawa River. Check the main site for full details on all the activities.
Eat well for a good cause in Ottawa
Harvest: A Feast of Fields (Wednesday, September 17) is an annual tradition for many Ottawa foodies. It’s a chance to sample dishes by some of the city’s leading chefs, along with fine beverages, at the Ottawa Art Gallery. Funds raised to to support Youturn Youth Support Services, and tickets are on sale now.
Stratford has announced its 2026 season
For you organized types who like to plan WAY in advance, I’ll point you to the Stratford Festival, which has announced its 2026 season of plays. Shakespeare fans can take in The Tempest, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Othello. The big musical offering will be Guys and Dolls, while The Hobbit will appeal to families. Among the many other plays on the festival’s program are Waiting for Godot, Death of a Salesman, Something Rotten! and The Importance of Being Earnest. Tickets are available now.
Shop to be eligible for prizes in Seeley’s Bay and Lyndhurst
You have until September 1 to participate in a shop locally event organized by the Lyndhurst, Seeley’s Bay and District Chamber of Commerce. Every time you spend at least $10 in one of the participating businesses, you’ll be entered in a weekly prize draw, as well as the grand prize draw for a basket of local goodies. It’s being promoted as a “Sunday fun drive,” but you don’t have to shop on Sunday—you can drop in any day of the week.
Kick back with BBQ and blues in Kemptville
The Kemptville Legion is hosting a BBQ and Blues Night on Saturday, September 20, with food by Battlefield Barbecue and music by Garrison Blues. Tickets are available now.
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.
