35+ fun things to do in and near Ottawa, October 13 to 19

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As usual, there’s a lot happening in Ottawa, the Outaouais and Eastern Ontario this week, including a Taste of the Valley event in Cobden, a free aerial show in the ByWard Market, a steampunk show in Aylmer, a hike in Lanark, a market in Bourget, farm tours near Smiths Falls, French storytelling in Rockland, and plays and concerts of all kinds. Read on to learn more!

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Pick up arts and crafts supplies in Kemptville

Creative folks might want to check out the Art and Craft Supplies Sale at the North Grenville Municipal Centre in Kemptville on Saturday, October 18. Note that no finished items will be for sale; this is strictly a market for fabric, scrapbooking supplies, baking equipment, jewellery-making supplies, and similar arts and crafts gear.

Meet authors in Kanata

For fans of science fiction, fantasy and horror, I give you Can*Con: a three-day convention of Canadian authors and fans of all three genres. You can buy books, meet authors and agents, and take workshops. It’s taking place at the Brookstreet Hotel in Kanata from October 17 through 19.

Take an artists’ studio tour in West Carleton

The fall version of the Red Trillium Studio Tour (October 19 and 20) gives you the chance to visit artists in their studios and buy their works. The tour features 31 artists in nine locations across West Carleton in rural west Ottawa, including stops in Dunrobin, Woodlawn and Kinburn.

Shop Canadian in Winchester

Winchester is hosting the Great Canadian Shopping Spree on Saturday, October 18. Local merchants will be showcasing Canadian products and some special promotions are in the works.

P.S.: If you’re keen to buy Canadian-made items, don’t miss my post on where to buy local in Ottawa, Eastern Ontario and the Outaouais!

Have some laughs in Morrisburg

Senior Moments is the latest comedic outing for Maritime comedy duo Lucien and Jimmy the Janitor (AKA Marshall Button and Sandy Gillis). They promise “non sequiturs, one-liners, memory lapses and belly-laughter-provokin’ jokes … and absolutely no nudity.” It’s running at the Upper Canada Playhouse in Morrisburg from October 14 to 19.

Marvel at a free aerial show in the ByWard Market

To promote Nuit Blanche, a late-night arts event returning to Ottawa in 2026, Nuit Blanche Ottawa is presenting a free aerial performance called Mobile Homme by the French group Transe Homme on Friday, October 17. The show on York Street in the ByWard Market starts at 8:30pm, and the video above gives you a sense of what you can expect.

Eat chili and sing in Oxford Station

Green Gables Vines in Oxford Station will be celebrating World Singing Day on Saturday, October 18, with an afternoon of singing in the vineyard followed by a chili dinner.

Discover South Asian culture at the NAC

ArohaFest (October 15 to 18) is a celebration of Diwali at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Most events are free, including an afternoon of activities—henna painting, a yoga workshop and dance classes—on Saturday, October 18.

Enjoy a fall festival in Petawawa

The Petawawa Ramble (October 16 to 19) is an event featuring everything from “pumpkin people” posed in cute scenes (hello, Instagram!) to a beer-and-pastries tour aboard an 18-seat bicycle. And are you looking for a new family photo? On Saturday, October 18, two local pro photographers will be taking outdoor portraits at the Mount Molson Dairy Bar and at Petawawa Heritage Village, which is also hosting a craft market that day. And on Sunday, October 19, you can participate in a Farm to Trail “walking market,” where you’ll amble from booth to both along a three-kilometre route, receiving food and beverage samples along the way.

Check out a parenting show (and meet princesses) in Nepean

At the Ottawa Parent & Child Expo at the Nepean Sportsplex (October 18 and 19), your kids can meet princesses and superheroes, whiz down a bouncy slide, and enjoy animal presentations, and you can learn about French immersion, talk to local parenting experts and browse local vendors’ booths.

Tour renovated homes across Ottawa

On the RenoTour Parade of Homes (Sunday, October 19), you can visit seven new or gorgeously renovated homes across Ottawa, and meet the experts who did the work. Admission is a donation of money or non-perishable food to the Ottawa Food Bank.

See a play in Nepean, Smiths Falls or Perth

Studio Theatre Perth is presenting Duck Tales: A Double Bill, an evening of two one-act plays, from October 16 to 19. The Smiths Falls Community Theatre is staging the classic whodunnit Murder on the Rerun at the Station Theatre in Smiths Falls on select dates from October 17 to 26. And the family-friendly play Where Have All the Buffalo Gone?, which follows two souls through seven different periods of Métis history, will be at the Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe in Nepean on Saturday, October 18. For details on these and many other plays in the region, see my theatre post.

Test your trivia chops in Overbrook

IODE Laurentian is holding a trivia fundraiser (with prizes) at the Rideau Sports Club on the afternoon of Saturday, October 18. Questions will be geared to an “older generation,” promise the organizers. Teams of six can register for $30 and proceeds will support the Nelson House women’s shelter.

Run for a good cause in Stittsville

Online registrations are now closed for 9runrun, a fundraising race for the Ottawa First Responders Foundation taking place in Stittsville on Saturday, October 18. BUT you can still register in person at Bushtukah’s Stittsville location on October 16 and 17, and in Village Square Park in Stittsville on race day. You can choose a 5K, 10K or 15K, or a 2K family fun run.

Hear French stories in Rockland

The Eastern Ontario Storytellers Circle will be offering a free storytelling show in French at Église de la Tres-Sainte Trinité in Rockland on Friday, October 17.

Get a taste of the Ottawa Valley in Cobden

Taste of the Valley—one of the most popular events in the Ottawa Valley for food lovers—rolls into Cobden on Saturday, October 18. Shop for produce and prepared foods made in Renfrew County, while enjoying local music and more. It’s taking place at the Cobden Fairgrounds (43 Astrolabe Road) from 10am to 3pm.

See offbeat movies in Montreal

I doubt many of the films showcased at Montreal’s Festival du nouveau cinéma (October 8 to 19) will be showing up on Netflix anytime soon, so catch them while you can. From Namibia, Japan, Finland, Brazil and many other places, filmmakers have submitted everything from experimental animated films to documentaries. Over its 53-year history, the festival has presented films by all sorts of innovative directors, including Guy Maddin, Jane Campion, Atom Egoyan and Wim Wenders.

Raise a glass in Westboro

The Westboro Masonic Lodge is hosting Bytown Oktoberfest on Saturday, October 18, from noon to 6pm. Nosh on bratwurst, chicken schnitzel, soft pretzels and other German fare, and enjoy craft beer, live music and a silent auction.

Catch a concert

Don’t forget to keep checking my big list of local concerts to find out who’s playing where this week. For instance, you can see the Devin Cuddy Duo in Manotick or Westmeath, GoGo Penguin at the NAC, Mumford and Sons in Montreal, or—strangely—two different tribute shows to Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton on the same night (Friday, October 17) in Gananoque and Kingston. You could also check out Walking Through The Fire, an Indigenous musical collaboration with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis musicians and Sultans of String, taking place in Pembroke on Thursday, October 16.

Enjoy the fall colours in on a Lanark hike

On Saturday, October 18, you can take a Fall Colours Walk along a five-kilometre Blueberry Mountain trail near the village of Lanark. The walk is free, but this is a fundraising event for the Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust (MMLT), so donations to the MMLT’s conservation work are greatly appreciated. MMLT staff, directors, and volunteers will be onsite to answer questions about MMLT projects, migratory birds, geology and more. Drop in anytime between 10am and 2pm.

Check out a consumer show at the EY Centre

The EY Centre is hosting not one, but two, big consumer shows this weekend.

Can’t wait to hit the slopes? Then hit the Ottawa Ski, Snowboard and Travel Show at the EY Centre (October 18 and 19), where you can find out about resorts near and far, shop for clothing and gear, and get skiing and snowboarding tips. Free admission.

The National Women’s Show also sashays into the EY Centre on October 18 and 19. It offers two days of makeovers, food and wine samples, fashion shows, psychics, craft workshops, live entertainment, and shopping. There will also be goodie bags, a ballroom dance performance and a “Flaming Hot Firefighter Fashion Show.”

Go to a steampunk event in Aylmer

The third annual Capital Steampunk Show is coming to Galeries Aylmer on October 18 and 19. What is steampunk, you ask? It’s a genre of science fiction that blends historical (often Victorian) settings with technology (often steam powered). Fans often create fantastical outfits and accessories, such as the hat above from a Swiss steampunk event. At the Aylmer show, which has an “Enchanted Forest” theme, you can meet fellow steampunks (steampunkers?), see demonstrations, enjoy family-friendly activities and more.

Visit a farm near Smiths Falls

The Milkhouse Farm and Dairy near Smiths Falls is offering free farm tours on Saturday, October 18, and Saturday, October 25, from 10am to 3pm. Meet the sheep and llamas, and learn a bit about farming. You can also drop into a nearby pottery studio and a farm museum. No dogs allowed. Wear clear/washed shoes if you’ve been visiting another farm.

Pop into a market in Metcalfe or Bourget

Don’t miss the last regular Metcalfe Farmers’ Market of the season. It’s happening at the Metcalfe Fairgrounds (2821 8th Line Road, Metcalfe) from 9am to 1pm on Saturday, October 19.

Saturday is also the last event of the season for the Bourget Community Market. The market will be held near the Bourget Pavilion beside the Prescott-Russell Recreational Trail—where it intersects with Lévis Street in Bourget—on Saturday, October 18.

Kick up your heels in Perth

Ecotay Perth is holding a Harvest Barn Dance on Friday, October 17, with live music (country and rock) by Healy & Orr. Tickets are $25 plus tax and the event starts at 7pm. You’ll find Ecotay at 133 Menzies Munroe Sideroad in Perth.

Shop for vintage finds in Ottawa

Two shows of interest to antiques lovers are coming to Ottawa this weekend. First up is the Ottawa Retro & Antique Market, taking place at 955A Gladstone Avenue on October 18 and 19. The show’s organizers promise mid-century modern furniture, vinyl records, retro fashion, antique jewellery and other collectibles. That event is followed by the Ottawa Nostalgia and Collectible Show, happening on Sunday, October 19, at the Nepean Sportsplex. Some 50 dealers will be selling comics, postcards, radios, LPs, toys, sports cards and much more.

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.)

• October 22 to 26: Ottawa International Writers Festival
• October 23 to 26: Gatineau Hills Fiddle Festival, Chelsea
• October 23 to 26: Signatures Handmade Market, Ottawa
• October 23 to November 16: Countylicious, Prince Edward County
• October 25: Vankleek Hill Fibre Frolic
• November 7 and 8: Orleans Cork and Fork Festival
• November 14 to 29: European Union Film Festival, Ottawa

NEED A PLACE TO STAY?

If you’re planning to head to any of these events and you need accommodation, why not use the map below to find a place to stay? If you book a place (anywhere in the world!) using the map, I’ll receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting this site!

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.