This week’s Heads Up post is full of plan-ahead tips, whether you want to see standup comedy in Rockland, test your trivia mettle in Cornwall or enjoy a serene Saturday in Kanata. You can also learn about a famous children’s book author born and raised in Carleton Place.
Play trivia for a good cause in Cornwall
The Cornwall Community Museum is holding a fundraising trivia night fundraiser on Wednesday, November 12, at Schnitzels Restaurant in Cornwall. The number of teams is limited, so you probably want to register your teams of four quickly if you’re keen. The cost is $100 per team and there will be prizes! The wide-ranging quiz will, of course, include a few questions about local history. Register by emailing info [at] cornwallcommunitymuseum [dot] ca.
Get a ride to a concert in Quyon
On November 18, acclaimed East Coast singer-songwriter Joel Plaskett is in concert at Gavan’s Hotel in Quyon. Don’t feel like driving there or don’t have wheels? No worries; you can book round-trip bus transportation from Ottawa when you buy your concert ticket.
Learn about Carleton Place’s Hardy Boys connection
The Historical Society of Ottawa recently posted a Facebook link to the story of Leslie McFarlane (aka Franklin W. Dixon), who grew up in Carleton Place and went on to write many of the books in the Hardy Boys series of children’s mystery books. The post directed folks who wanted to know more to local history buff Linda Seccaspina’s excellent, detailed post about McFarlane. (Fun fact: Leslie was the father of longtime hockey commentator Brian McFarlane.)
Relax and unwind in Kanata
Feeling a bit buffeted by the world these days? Second Saturday Sanctuary might be the answer. On the second Saturday of every month for the next four months, women will gather at the Kanata Old Town Hall for a morning of sound baths, breathwork or meditation, tea, and connection. The first event is taking place on Saturday, November 8. You can sign up for one event or all four.
Have some laughs in Rockland
The Comedy FUNdraiser at Optimiste Performance Hall in Rockland on Friday, November 14, is raising money for two great causes: the Prescott-Russell Recreational Trail and Eco East. Standup comics Lauren Lane, Fabio Ricci and Hart Shouldice, along with headliner Dan Allaire, will take to the stage at 7:30pm, kept in line by MC Eric Colllard. I’m posting it now in case tickets sell out!
Book your Messiah tickets now
Just about every time anyone stages a Christmastime performance of Messiah, it sells out weeks (if not months) in advance. If you want to hear it in 2025, now’s the time to start making plans. Here are some Ottawa and regional performances to consider:
- December 5: CAMMAC, Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre, Ottawa (you can also sign up to sign in this one)
- December 7: Kingston Symphony Orchestra, Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts, Kingston
- December 13: Rideau Chorale, Southminster United Church, Ottawa
- December 17 and 18: NAC Orchestra, National Arts Centre, 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.