From a food festival in Vankleek Hill and horses at Upper Canada Village to hot air balloons in Gatineau and step dancers in Pembroke, I have lots of ideas for making the most of your long weekend. I’ll even tell you where you can read with goats!
Table of contents
- Go to a fall fest in Williamstown
- Celebrate literacy day with goats in Luskville
- Cycle through Prince Edward County
- Rev your engine in Smiths Falls
- Raise a glass at Oktoberfest in Cloyne
- Admire Gardens of Light in Montreal
- Enjoy a farmers' market, soccer and Latino culture at Lansdowne Park
- Fly high at the Festival de montgolfières de Gatineau
- Put on your dancing shoes in Ottawa
- Tiptoe through the sunflowers in Ashton
- Savour great food in Vankleek Hill, Montreal or the Eastern Townships
- Tap your toes to fiddlers and step dancers in Pembroke
- Eat burgers everywhere
- Head to a fair in Shawville, Perth or Newington
- Watch street dancers in Montreal
- Revel at a festival in Cardinal
- Catch a concert at Tremblant
- Discover art in many places
- Have a horsey weekend in Morrisburg
- Laugh it up in Chelsea
- Get some garlic in Verona
- See a concert all over
- Sip soup in suburban Montreal
- SAVE THE DATE
- NEED A PLACE TO STAY?
Go to a fall fest in Williamstown
On Sunday, September 6, We 3 Girls & Co. is holding a Fall Fest Extravaganza at the Williamstown Fairgrounds. You can browse for unique goods from more local vendors and nosh on food truck fare from 10am to 4pm.
Celebrate literacy day with goats in Luskville
Sunday, September 6, is International Literacy Day, and Mountain View Farm is Luskville is marking the occasion by giving guests the opportunity to read with goats. Homemade treats and drinks will be available for purchase.
Cycle through Prince Edward County
Feeling energetic? You can sign up for a 50K, 100K or 150K bike ride through scenic Prince Edward County on Saturday, September 5, as part of the County Gran Fondo event.
Rev your engine in Smiths Falls
Downtown Smiths Falls Bike Night is a celebration of all things motorcycle, when Smiths Falls rolls out the red carpet to riders. The last one of the 2026 season is happening on Wednesday, September 2. Enjoy live music and other entertainment, along with food and drink. Shops in downtown Smiths Falls will be open late, too.
Raise a glass at Oktoberfest in Cloyne
So what if it’s only just turned September? That’s not stopping the folks at Myers Cave Resort in Cloyne from throwing their annual Oktoberfest bash on Saturday, September 5. Pretzels, sausages, local craft beer, live music and a vendors’ market are all on the day’s menu.
Admire Gardens of Light in Montreal
The annual Gardens of Light extravaganza opens at the Montreal Botanical Garden (4101 Sherbrooke Street East, Montreal) on Thursday, September 3, and runs nightly until Sunday, November 1. If you’ve never checked it out before—and even if you have—you are in for a treat. See displays of huge, elaborate lanterns illuminating the legend of Shan Hai Jing in the Chinese Garden; ethereal, atmospheric lighting evoking the subtle mysteries of the universe (yūgen) in the Japanese Garden; and an installation highlighting the connections among people, generations and the land in the Indigenous Peoples Garden. This event is very popular, so I’d recommend buying your tickets in advance online.
Enjoy a farmers’ market, soccer and Latino culture at Lansdowne Park
Sunday, September 6, is going to be a busy day at Lansdowne Park! You could check out the weekly farmers’ market. You could cheer for the women of Ottawa Rapid FC as they play soccer rivals Montreal Roses FC. And you could discover Latin American music, dance, food and more at the Latino Parade and Festival. (Hey, why not do all three?)
Fly high at the Festival de montgolfières de Gatineau
To me, the Labour Day weekend is a bit magical: It’s the one weekend of the year I can look up and be almost guaranteed to see something like a giant ice cream cone or a large pink elephant drifting overhead. That’s thanks to the Festival de montgolfières de Gatineau (AKA the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival) (September 2 to 6) at Parc de la Baie in Gatineau.
If you want to take a balloon ride, book ahead and be prepared to arrive at the crack of dawn. Throughout the weekend, you can also enjoy everything from fireworks and a big midway to live music (including Smashmouth, Simple Plan and DJ Fontana), a rock climbing wall, line dancing, a silent disco, wrestling, a car show and a comedy night. Tickets and passes are available at a wide range of prices, and some activities—such as the midway and balloon rides—cost extra. Children aged 10 or under are admitted free.
Put on your dancing shoes in Ottawa
The Latin Sparks Festival on Saturday, September 5, is a one-day celebration of cultures from the Rio Grande to the tip of South America. Dance to salsa, reggaeton and more courtesy of DJs and live bands, and if you’re not sure of the steps, don’t worry—there will be dance lessons! Food and drink vendors will be dishing up Central and South American cuisine and cocktails. And a new attraction this year is a Carnaval-style parade. The festival is happening at LeBreton Flats in Ottawa.
Tiptoe through the sunflowers in Ashton
The fields are in bloom at Sultan Sunflower Farm in Ashton, but you might want to hurry if you want to stroll through them: the flowers started blooming on August 21 and the show usually lasts just two to three weeks. The farm’s owners ask visitors to stick to the path and to make a donation to help support the farm and its animal-rescue efforts.
Savour great food in Vankleek Hill, Montreal or the Eastern Townships
On September 4 and 5, dozens of food trucks will gather at Montreal’s Parc Olympique for First Fridays, a celebration of food truck fare. (Note that, despite the name, it runs on Friday and Saturday.) 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.
The Festival of Flavours is returning to Vankleek Hill on Sunday, September 6. Local food producers will be setting up tents along the town’s main street, and there will be free activities to enjoy from 10am to 4pm.
The Fête des Vendanges at Pointe Merry Park in Magog (September 5 to 7, and September 12 and 13) showcases more than 75 food and beverage exhibitors from across the Eastern Townships area of Quebec and beyond. You can enjoy tastings, live music and more, all on the shore of Lake Memphrémagog.
Tap your toes to fiddlers and step dancers in Pembroke
Want to see some impressive musicianship and dancing—possibly by the same person at the same time? Then the Pembroke Old Time Fiddling and Step Dancing Annual Championships (September 4 and 5) will be just your cup of tea. Thousands of dollars in prize money is on the table, so the competition—in age groups ranging from “9 and under” to “65 and over”—will likely be fierce.
Eat burgers everywhere
If hamburgers are your thing, you’ll love Le Burger Week (September 1 to 7)! Restaurants across Canada will be serving up unique versions of the popular barbecue staple.
Head to a fair in Shawville, Perth or Newington
A fireman challenge, a classic car and bike show, pony rides, and a comedy hypnotist/mentalist are among the amusements at the Shawville Fair (September 3 to 7). There’s lots here for kids, as the event bills itself as the Valley’s most family-friendly fair.
Fun at the Perth Fair (September 3 to 6) includes lawn mower races, a dog agility show, truck and tractor pulls, and children’s activities.
At the Stormont County Fair in Newington (September 4 to 6), highlights include a parade, a classic car show and a baby contest.
All three fairs offer a midway, a demolition derby, livestock competitions, live music and lots more. (Looking for more fairs in September and October? Check out my extensive list of fairs.)
Watch street dancers in Montreal
At the JOAT International Street Dance Festival in Montreal (September 1 to 7), more than 100 artists will be competing in all sorts of dance battles—breaking, popping, hip-hop and more—and there will be choreography masterclasses for visitors, too (registration required for classes).
Revel at a festival in Cardinal
Labourfest (September 4 to 7) in the St. Lawrence community of Cardinal offers a little something for just about everyone, from a canine watersports competition and a parade to a show-and-shine car show, wrestling, bouncy castles, and a “luminary lane” of hand-made illuminated bags.
Catch a concert at Tremblant
The hills of Mont Tremblant will be alive with the sound of music this weekend during La Fête de la Musique de Tremblant (September 4 to 7). Concerts will range across Canadian and international musical genres, from classical to flamenco. Choose from more than 30 performances on stages across Tremblant, all for free.
Discover art in many places
The Sundance Artisan Show (September 5 to 7) is taking place in a two-acre setting of forests and fields along a riverbank, about 15 minutes southwest of Perth (126 Maberly-Elphin Road at Highway 7, Maberly). Browse for pottery, jewellery, mosaics, kitchen items, soaps, clothing and more from 40 local artists, and enjoy tasty treats cooked up by local chef Tim Cota from Tichborne. The show runs from 10am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday, and from 10am to 2pm on Monday. Admission and parking are free.
Fantasy in the Forest (September 5 and 6) is a one-of-a-kind 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. The location is about halfway between Westport and Kingston; the exact address is 1860 Draper Lake Road, Perth Road, Ontario. The show runs, rain or shine, from 10am to 5pm. Admission is free and parking is $5.
Twenty artists and artisans are participating in the Rednersville Road Art Tour (September 5 to 7). Drive from studio to studio to browse for paintings, pottery, sculptures and many other types of pieces. So where the heck is Rednersville Road? It hugs the shore of the Bay of Quinte in Prince Edward County. The studios will be open from 10am to 5pm each day.
P.S.: If studio tours are your thing, check out my big list of local studio tours.
Have a horsey weekend in Morrisburg
Horse Lovers’ Weekend at Upper Canada Village in Morrisburg (September 5 to 7, 9:30am to 5pm) showcases horses and riding techniques of all descriptions. You can see driving horses, riding horses, and work horses doing their thing, enjoy a wagon ride, see a Capital Cowgirls show, learn about equine therapy and Ojibwe spirit horses, and more. This is one of Upper Canada Village’s most popular events of the year, so you’ll probably want to buy your tickets in advance. The event is included with your museum admission. You’ll find Upper Canada Village at 13740 County Road 2 in Morrisburg.
Laugh it up in Chelsea
Battle of the Provinces is a comedy night pitting standup comedians from Ontario and Quebec against each other in a clash for laughs! It’s happening at Motel Chelsea on Friday, September 4.
Get some garlic in Verona
The Verona Lions Club is holding its annual Garlic Farmers Market at the Lions Hall at 4504 Verona Sand Road (about 20 minutes north of Kingston) on Saturday, September 5, from 9am to 2pm. Shop for all things garlic! Admission is by donation.
See a concert all over
Here are just a few of the concerts happening in our region this week.
- September 3: Jane & Kyle, Red Bird, Ottawa
- September 3: Garret Mason, Black Sheep Inn, Wakefield
- September 3: The Surfrajettes, Neat Coffee Shop, Burnstown
- September 3: Miss Emily Band, The Cove Inn, Westport
- September 4: The Desert Island Big Band, Live on Elgin, Ottawa
- September 4: Miguel de Armas and Samantha Christ Francois, Robo Lounge, Ottawa
- September 5: Witchkiller, Enforcer and Scraam, Rainbow Bistro, Ottawa
Sip soup in suburban Montreal
Do you like soup? I mean, really like soup? Then the Festival de la Soupe de Vaudreuil-Soulanges (on the west side of Montreal) on Sunday, September 13, will be your cup of chowder. You can taste all kinds of soups by local chefs and vote for your favourite, while enjoying entertainment in Parc historique Pointe-du-Moulin (2500, boulevard Don-Quichotte, Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot) on the shore of the St. Lawrence. The soup fest runs from noon until 4pm.
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.)
- 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: Taste of Manotick
- September 12: Black and Bluegrass Fest, North Gower
- September 12 and 13: Fibrefest, Almonte
- September 12: 1000 Islands Food Festival, Gananoque
- September 12: RoadTrip Music Festival, Kingston
- September 13: Beechfest, Ottawa
- September 13: Harvest Fall Festival, Dunvegan
- September 15 to 20: Asinabka Film and Media Arts Festival, 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
- October 24: Mystic Market, Smiths Falls
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.
