This week, it feels as though every community and organizer is rushing to squeeze in one last event before summer ends. The variety is staggering, honestly. You can go to a concert at a cave, check out a big book sale, do a 5K foam race, curl up with a book in a garden, take a tango lesson, celebrate Pride, go to a Greek or Indian festival, commemorate the Tragically Hip, or tackle a triathlon. You can even watch a Guinness World Records attempt! Wherever your travels take you, have fun.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Revel in summer in Bells Corners
- See the Sunset Ceremony at Fort Henry
- Sip beers at the Vanier Museopark
- Catch a concert
- Celebrate Capital Pride in Ottawa
- Go to a night market in Arnprior or Brockville
- Admire cool cars for a good cause in Ottawa
- Run 5K through foam at Wesley Clover Parks
- See a play
- Witness a Guinness record attempt in St. Albert
- Be Greek for a day in Ottawa
- Sing along at a picnic at Bonnechere Caves
- Dig into Indian food in Barrhaven
- Try a triathlon in Cornwall or Ripon
- Nosh on corn in Stittsville
- Take a free tango dance lesson at Zibi
- Celebrate tomatoes in Westboro
- Buy used books in Nepean or Kemptville
- Ease into wellness in Ripon
- Get a taste of the valley in Douglas
- Take your kids outdoors in Pakenham
- Channel your inner Scot in Almonte
- Enjoy food truck fare in Montreal
- Celebrate local history in Petawawa
- Catch a music festival in Ottawa, Carleton Place, Perth or Long Sault
- Read a book in Carleton Place
- Get artsy in Dunvegan, Alexandria, Westport or Haliburton Highlands
- Check out fairs in Ottawa and Chesterville
- Visit a farm near Napanee
- Cheer for Ottawa Rapid FC at TD Place
- Check out the latest fashions in Montreal
- Celebrate The Tragically Hip in Kingston
- See a movie under the stars
- Enjoy a free faerie picnic in Sandy Hill
- SAVE THE DATE
- Need a place to stay?
Revel in summer in Bells Corners
The Bells Corners Summer Bash on Saturday, August 22, is a free, day-long event for the whole family. You can enjoy live music, kids’ activities, animal fun with Little Ray’s Reptiles, games, a food and vendor market, and more. It’s all happening in the Canadian Tire parking lot (2135 Robertson Road) in Ottawa’s west end.
See the Sunset Ceremony at Fort Henry
On Wednesday nights in August—including Wednesday, August 19—you can see the Fort Henry Guard go through its paces during the Sunset Ceremony at Fort Henry National Historic Site in Kingston. The event includes precision military drills, stirring drum music and a rousing finale of fireworks and it’s quite popular, so advance ticket purchase is recommended.
Sip beers at the Vanier Museopark
The Vanier Museopark is hosting its final Beers and Bites event of the summer on Thursday, August 20. Each month, it has been pairing beers from a local craft brewery with nibbles by a local chef—in this case, drinks from Orléans Brewing Company with appetizers by Chef Ric, who runs a culinary training program for the Ottawa Mission. Tickets are $35 plus taxes, and the event runs from 6pm to 8pm.
Catch a concert
In the mood for live music? Your choices this week include Backtracks at the Grotto in Alexandria (August 19), Powerhouse TreeOh! at the Cove Inn in Westport (August 20), Garnet Rogers at Motel Chelsea (August 21), Ian Tamblyn at Little Red Wagon Winery in Shawville (August 22), an all-blues day at StoneCropAcres Winery + Vineyard in Morrisburg (August 22), Bach on the Beverley at the Old Town Hall in Delta (August 22), and Raphael Weinroth-Browne at the Ottawa Tennis Club (August 23).
Celebrate Capital Pride in Ottawa
This year’s Capital Pride celebration in Ottawa (August 22 to 30) is packed with a huge range of activities for members and allies of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, including a family picnic, a pageant, a community breakfast, a human rights panel discussion, a parade, a clothing swap….really, the diversity is endless!
Go to a night market in Arnprior or Brockville
On Tuesday, August 18, you can browse for unique products at the Twilight Tuesday Makers Market in Brockville. Taking place at the south entrance of the Brockville Railway Tunnel, the monthly event showcases artisans, bakers, crafters and other creative types. Food and beverage vendors will be on hand, and there will be live music, too.
On Saturday, August 22, the Cultural Night Market will showcase cultures from around the world in downtown Arnprior. From 4pm to 9pm, you can enjoy live performances and browse through dozens of vendor stalls (including food and drink vendors).
Admire cool cars for a good cause in Ottawa
Meat and Grease Ottawa (Sunday, August 23) is a huge car show that raises funds for the Ottawa Heart Institute. As well as goggling at cars of all kinds, you can chow down on barbecue, try your luck in the silent auction and the 50/50 draw, and enjoy live music. It’s all happening at Derand Motorsport (1231 Newmarket Street) from noon to 4pm.
Run 5K through foam at Wesley Clover Parks
If you’ve ever run a 5K and thought, “Gee, this course would be much better if it had a waterslide, a log roll and giant clouds of foam,” do I have the race for you. The 5K Foam Fest at Wesley Clover Parks in Nepean is a bonkers-looking race that also includes a cargo net climb, hurdles and lots of other obstacles. It’s happening on Saturday, August 22.
See a play
This week is your last chance to see the farce Whose Wives Are They Anyway? at the Upper Canada Playhouse in Morrisburg or the family musical No Strings Attached at the Smiths Falls Station Theatre. Other plays in the region include the romance The Last Five Years at the Thousand Islands Playhouse in Gananoque and, further afield, Fiddler on the Roof at Bancroft Village Theatre. For details on these and lots of upcoming plays, see my theatre post.
Witness a Guinness record attempt in St. Albert
On Saturday, August 22, you can see three to four plow operators attempt to set a Guinness World Record in St. Albert. They have their sights set on the record for most plow blades pulled simultaneously (they’re aiming for 80 furrows), and a Guinness adjudicator will be on hand to assess the attempt. Other fun planned for the day includes dancing tractor shows, food trucks, a puzzle competition and live music by Les Rats d’Swompe.
Be Greek for a day in Ottawa
Watch Greek dancers and enjoy live Greek music. Nibble on souvlaki, moussaka and more. Family-friendly Ottawa Greek Fest (August 20 to 23) is about as close as you can get to the Parthenon or Santorini without jumping on a plane! The video above is from a few years ago, but it will give you a taste of what to expect. The festival takes place at the Hellenic Event Centre at 1315 Prince of Wales Drive, between Baseline Road and Meadowlands Drive; check the website for details on shuttles and offsite parking. Free admission.
Sing along at a picnic at Bonnechere Caves
Bonnechere Caves near Eganville is hosting a rock and roll picnic on Thursday, August 20. Bring a picnic and lawn chairs! The $10 ticket fee goes to the musicians leading the fun.
Dig into Indian food in Barrhaven
The Indian Food Festival of Ottawa is coming to Clarke Fields Park (93 Houlahan Street) in Barrhaven from August 21 to 23. As well as sampling foods from a huge array of vendors—including dishes not easy to find in Ottawa—you can enjoy more than 35 live performances, a kids’ zone, DJ tunes, a vendors’ market and more.
Try a triathlon in Cornwall or Ripon
The Cornwall Triathlon is a multi-part event. Saturday, August 22, is for kids, with a duathlon and a triathlon for competitors aged 7 to 14, and a duathlon for little athletes aged 6 and under. (Kids’ events are non-timed.) On Sunday, August 23, adult events include a 5K run, a duathlon and a triathlon.
The Triathlon de la Petite-Monnaie is taking place on Sunday, August 23, in Ripon. Participants will swim 800m, cycle 20km and then run a 5K.
Nosh on corn in Stittsville
The fifth annual Stittsville Sweet Corn Festival (Saturday, August 22) will celebrate corn in all its forms: corn on the cob, popcorn and lots of other variations. Door prizes, yoga, cornhole demonstrations and live music will round out the festivities. It’s all happening in Village Square Park (6154 Abbott Street) from 10am to 2:30pm.
Take a free tango dance lesson at Zibi
Dance at Zibi is a free series of beginner-friendly lessons running once a month at Zibi in Ottawa from May through August. During this month’s class on Thursday, August 20, you can join Siempre Tango Ottawa for an Argentine dance lesson. The class runs from 7pm to 8pm outdoors at Head Street Square (310 Miwate Private). The rain location is The Warehouse on Albert Island (28 Booth Street, north of the Canadian War Museum). The organizers encourage participants to get there by foot, bike or public transit, but some parking is available for $5.
Celebrate tomatoes in Westboro
The Real Canadian Superstore in Westboro (190 Richmond Road) is hosting Tomato Fest on Saturday, August 22. From 9am to 1pm, drop by for family fun, including a photo booth, ice cream treats, live music and (of course) tomatoes!
Buy used books in Nepean or Kemptville
The Kemptville Youth Centre’s annual book sale is running from August 21 to 23 at the Ferguson Forest Centre (275 County Road 44, Kemptville). In past years, the total number of books for sale has topped 50,000, so expect a wide selection.
The Friends of the Ottawa Public Library Association (FOPLA) is holding its monthly mammoth book sale at the James Bartleman Archives and Library Materials Centre in Nepean on Saturday, August 22. Thousands of gently used books, CDs and DVDs will be available at good prices. The focus this month is on mass-market paperbacks, which will be available for $2 each (or you can fill one of FOPLA’s bags for $10).
Ease into wellness in Ripon
In Ripon, Quebec, the Festival Santé et Bien-être en Outaouais (August 21 to 23) will be offering workshops and activities covering interests such as yoga, drumming, forest bathing, qigong and Pilates.
Get a taste of the valley in Douglas
The second of five Taste of the Valley events in 2026 is coming to the Douglas Recreation Centre in Douglas on Saturday, August 22. These very popular events showcase food producers and artisans from across Renfrew County in the Ottawa Valley. Shop for fresh meats, vegetables and baked treats, handmade crafts, local honey and maple syrup, and more.
Take your kids outdoors in Pakenham
Worried that your tots are spending too much time in front of a screen? The Festival of the Wild Child at High Lonesome Nature Reserve (867 Carbine Road, Pakenham) may be just the solution. At various points along the festival’s wooded trails and beside ponds, kids will have the chance to learn more about pond life, pollinators, trees and more. The day will feature a research tent, bark and leaf rubbing, a fairy-themed scavenger hunt, and lots of other fun. Food and beverages will be available (for cash only) on site. It’s all taking place on Saturday, August 22 (rain date: Sunday, August 23). Advance reservations encouraged but not required.
Channel your inner Scot in Almonte
With pipe bands, athletes galore, kids’ events and lots of dancers, the North Lanark Highland Games (Saturday, August 22) will bring a little bit of Scotland to Almonte. In between competitions and entertainment, you can visit food vendors and cool off at the beer/cider tent. The event runs from 8am to 6pm at the North Lanark Agricultural Society property (195 Water Street, Almonte). There’s free offsite parking at the Almonte Arena, with a shuttle.
Enjoy food truck fare in Montreal
On August 21 and 22, dozens of food trucks will gather at Montreal’s Parc Olympique for First Fridays, a celebration of food truck fare. Confusingly, it no longer runs just on the first Friday of the month! This event is usually really popular, so I’d take transit to the site, if I were you. It’s a five-minute walk from the Viau metro station.
Celebrate local history in Petawawa
Petawawa Heritage Village is hosting the Petawawa Heritage Festival this weekend. It starts with live music, a marshmallow roast and heritage re-enactors on Friday, August 21, and it ends with a church service and self-guided tours of the village on Sunday, August 23. The bulk of the activities are on Saturday, August 22, including a kids’ photo scavenger hunt, Indigenous drumming, music, a potluck and trivia. Admission to the festival is included with museum admission.
Catch a music festival in Ottawa, Carleton Place, Perth or Long Sault
The name of the Nostalgia Music Festival (August 19 to 23) couldn’t be more accurate: The five-day festival of tribute bands celebrates the music of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Acts will be recreating the music of everyone from Billy Joel and ABBA to Led Zeppelin and AC/DC. The festival’s happening at LeBreton Flats. Note that sales of full-festival passes end at 11:59pm on Tuesday, August 18; after that date, you’ll only be able to buy single-day tickets.
The second annual Carleton Place Porchfest will see concerts taking place on porches throughout the Lanark County town from 1pm to 4pm on Saturday, August 22. The event is free, but donations to the Lanark County Food Bank are encouraged.
In Perth, Top Shelf Distillers is hosting the Ontario Moonshine Festival on Saturday, August 22. Live music (bluegrass, rockabilly, country, folk), food trucks, craft vendors, cocktails and moonshine will all be featured. Tickets are $17 in advance and $20 at the door (plus taxes and fees).
And in Long Sault, the Lost and Sound Festival (August 22 and 23) will see more than a dozen acts—including the Glengarry Bhoys and the Chesterfields—take to the stage at the Long Sault Brewery. You can catch six concerts on Friday and six more on Saturday, as well as music in the beer tent between shows.
Read a book in Carleton Place
Here’s the perfect event for introverts: Lo-Fi & Lit (& Lemonade). The afternoon gathering at the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum on Sunday, August 23, invites guests to read, paint or otherwise unwind in the museum’s garden as a DJ spins lo-fi beats. You can buy lemonade, too. It’s a fundraiser for the museum and will run only if the weather cooperates.
Get artsy in Dunvegan, Alexandria, Westport or Haliburton Highlands
Sunwheel Farm in Alexandria is hosting Brushes and Bouquets on Saturday, August 22, from 1pm to 5pm. Floral paintings by artist Paularo (Paulette Larocque Rozon), a member of the farm’s bouquet subscription program, will be displayed in the fields. The day will also showcase pottery by Beast Pottery, and you can enjoy live saxophone music, too. Paintings, pottery and flowers will all be available for purchase.
The Glengarry Artists’ Collective Art Show wraps up on Sunday, August 23, at the Glengarry Pioneer Museum in Dunvegan, about an hour southeast of Ottawa.
The Rideau Lakes Artists’ Association annual Paint the Summer art show and sale returns this year to the Westport Arena (37 Spring Street, Westport). As in past years, the show offers the chance to buy artworks by dozens of local creators. It’s happening on August 22 and 23, from 10am to 4pm both days, and parking and admission are free.
If you’re looking for a weekend-long road trip, check out the Highlands East Art Tour, a studio tour on August 22 and 23 in the Haliburton Highlands, between Bancroft and Haliburton. The self-driving tour runs from 10am to 5pm on both days.
P.S.: If studio tours are your thing, don’t miss my big list of local studio tours.
Check out fairs in Ottawa and Chesterville
You’ll find the Capital Fair (August 14 to 24) at 4899 Albion Road, just south of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. This year’s attractions include a big midway, arm wrestling, a demolition derby, an extreme dog show (colour me curious), flying pig races (ditto), live music and all sorts of other amusements.
The amusements at the Chesterville Fair (August 21 to 23) include a baby show, truck and tractor pulls, a midway, a demolition derby, magic shows, a petting zoo and livestock competitions. Live music will be provided by Eastbound of Bytown on Friday night and Great Scott on Saturday. The fairgrounds are at the corner of County Road 43 and Queen Street in Chesterville, next to the Chesterville Arena.
Looking for more ideas? Check out my roundup of 30+ fabulous fairs.
Visit a farm near Napanee
It’s going to be a busy weekend at Wynn Farms near Napanee. They’re hosting two big events, both running on August 22 and 23 from 10am to 8pm: a Teddy Bear Picnic for little ones and an event called Floral Frenzy for the whole family. With a Floral Frenzy ticket, you can visit the sunflower fields and pick your own bouquets.
Cheer for Ottawa Rapid FC at TD Place
The pro women’s soccer club Ottawa Rapid FC are taking on Vancouver Rise FC at TD Place on Saturday, August 22. The match starts at 7pm.
Check out the latest fashions in Montreal
Fashionistas, rejoice: the M.A.D. Festival (the abbreviation stands for Mode, Arts, Divertissement, or Fashion, Arts, Entertainment) is taking over Montreal’s Quartier des spectacles for four days (August 20 to 23) of cool fun featuring local and international artists. Check out fashion shows of all sorts, music and dance performances, and more.
Celebrate The Tragically Hip in Kingston
Wow—it’s been 10 years since the final concerts of Kingston’s most famous band, The Tragically Hip. The city is marking the anniversary with Forever Hip, a series of events celebrating the band and its legacy. This week features three big events in Springer Market Square: a singalong concert with Choir! Choir! Choir! on Thursday, August 20, which will also feature tributes from Miss Emily, The Abrams and members of Kasador; a free screening of the 2017 Hip documentary Long Time Running on Friday, August 21; and a viewing party for CBC’s rebroadcast of the final concert on Saturday, August 22. The Saturday event will also serve as a release party for the band’s new live album, Live July 22–August 20, 2016.
See a movie under the stars
Free family movies under the stars in Ottawa this week include The Fantastic Mr. Fox at TD Place at Lansdowne Park (Thursday, August 20) and Turner and Hooch at the Churchill Seniors’ Recreation Centre in Westboro (Friday, August 21). In Centennial Park in Smiths Falls, you can see The Super Mario Galaxy Movie on Thursday, August 20.
Enjoy a free faerie picnic in Sandy Hill
Ottawa circus collective Cirquonscient has been presenting evening Faerie Pop-Up picnics in Strathcona Park in Sandy Hill throughout the summer. They promise that “graceful faeries and whimsical creatures [will] enchant and delight with all manner of circus arts including aerial acrobatics.” The final picnic of the season is on Tuesday, August 18, and the one-hour show starts at 6:30pm. Bring your own blanket and picnic goodies. Admission is free, but donations to support the collective are gratefully accepted.
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.)
- August 28 to 30: Upper Gatineau Whitewater Festival, Maniwaki
- August 30: Tour de Bonnechere, Eganville
- September 2 to 6: Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival
- September 3 to November 1: Gardens of Light, Montreal
- September 5: Latin Sparks Festival, Ottawa
- September 10 to 12: Big River Country Festival, Mallorytown
- September 10 to 13: St. Lawrence Writers Festival
- September 10 to 20: Toronto International Film Festival
- September 11 and 12: Kanata Craft Beer Festival
- September 11 to 13: Orléans Ribfest
- September 12 and 13: Fibrefest, Almonte
- September 12: RoadTrip Music Festival, Kingston
- September 13: Beechfest, Ottawa
- September 16 to 20: CityFolk, Ottawa
- September 19: Taste of Wellington, Ottawa
- September 23 to 27: Ottawa International Animation Festival
- September 23 to 27: POP Montreal International Music Festival
- October 1 to 4: Kingston Writersfest
- October 2 to December 5: Ontario Festival of Small Halls, multiple locations
- October 3 and 4, and 10 and 11: Annual Biology Butterfly Show, Carleton University, Ottawa
- October 22 to 25: Ottawa International Writers Festival
- October 22 to 25: Gatineau Hills Fiddle Festival, Chelsea
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!
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.
