49+ fun events in and around Ottawa, October 19 to 25

10

Halloween fun is kicking into high gear this week, with multiple communities organizing trick-or-treating events. But that’s not all that’s happening—not by a long shot! From a yarn-and-more crafting event in Vankleek Hill and a harvest dinner in Campbell’s Bay to a chocolate show in Nepean, a new Tragically Hip musical in Kingston, the Ottawa International Writers Festival, and restaurant deals in Prince Edward County and the Laurentians, there’s so much going on! Read on for details.

Cover photo by Jessica Loaiza on Unsplash.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Tap your toes to fiddlers in Chelsea

The Gatineau Hills Fiddle Festival is coming to La Fab sur Mill Arts Centre (8, chemin Mill, Chelsea) from October 22 to 25. The packed schedule includes concerts, jam sessions, a community dance and workshops focusing on fiddling styles from a wide range of places, including Quebec, Ireland and Scotland.

Walk or run in Ottawa or Gatineau

This week, two similarly named Ottawa events will be raising money for excellent causes.

On Thursday, October 22, the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation Night Light Walk is a three-kilometre walk that starts at the Aberdeen Plaza at Lansdowne Park. Organizers suggest you arrive at 6:15pm for a 7pm start time. Funds raised will go to Harmony House, Nelson House and Maison d’amitié, to support women and children experiencing family violence.

Three nights later (Sunday, October 25) the Light the Night walk aims to raise $400,000 to research cures for blood cancers and provide support services for people living with leukaemia or lymphoma. The event starts at the Fieldhouse at Carleton University, and doors open at 5pm. (P.S.: This is a cause near to my heart and I’ll be walking that night. If you’re there, too, come over and say hi! Also, anyone who feels so inclined can donate on my fundraising page. Thanks!)

On Saturday, October 24, the Russell Run offers three options: a 10km run, a 5km run/walk and 1.2km kids’ fun run. And over in Gatineau that night, you can choose from 1km, 2km, 5km or 10km runs during the Bougebouge Twilight Run.

Enjoy charcuterie with alpacas in Odessa

Here’s something you don’t see every day: Ruby Acres Alpaca Farm in Odessa, near Kingston, is holding a charcuterie with alpacas event on Friday, October 23.

Go to a book fair in Campbell’s Bay

At the Campbell’s Bay Book Fair (October 22 and 23), you can find French and English books for readers of all ages. It’s happening at the Campbell’s Bay Recreation Centre, and admission is free.

Shop for unique items in Ottawa and Kemptville

If you enjoy browsing for hand-created items, head to Lansdowne Park in the Glebe. The Signatures Handmade Market in the Aberdeen Pavilion (October 22 to 25) gives you the chance to browse for items made by more than 70 artists, artisans, culinary businesses and other creators from across Canada. And you can ride to Lansdowne Park on OC Transpo if you show your Signatures ticket to the driver.

Also this weekend in Ottawa, you can drop into the Out of the Box Fibre Artists Fall Fling at Kitchissippi United Church on Island Park Drive. During the two-day event (October 23 and 24), you can shop for fibre-art and mixed-media pieces, and see demonstrations. Admission is by donation.

At the Dovercourt Recreation Centre, the Autumn Colours Bazaar (Saturday, October 24) will showcase vendors selling crafts, fashion, home decor and more. You can also enjoy family-friendly activities and nosh on globally inspired treats.

Further west, the Oktoboofest FUNdraiser Market at theJohnny Leroux Arena in Stittsville (Saturday, October 24) will feature more than 30 vendors selling gifts, crafts and food. There will be door prizes and a draw to win for $1,000.

And just south of town, the Kemptville Legion Artisan Market is happening on Sunday, October 25.

For more shopping ideas, don’t miss my just-updated list of Christmas craft sales and other holiday shopping events, which includes some 240 (yes, you read that right!) bazaars, markets, art tours, fairs and shows.

Catch a game in many places

Hey, sports fans! The first weekend of the Capital Classic Fall Tournament (October 23 to 25) will see lots of AA and U10 hockey teams facing off at the Bell Sensplex in Kanata.

And here are just some of the many other sports matches you can enjoy this weekend.

• October 22: Ottawa Senators vs. San Jose Sharks, Canadian Tire Centre, Kanata (hockey)
• October 22: Cornwall Colts vs. Renfrew Wolves, Ed Lumley Arena, Cornwall (hockey)
• October 23: Canada vs. England, TD Place, Ottawa (WVX rugby)
• October 23: Rockland Nationals vs. Carleton Place Canadians, Desjardins Centre, Rockland (hockey)
• October 23: Shawville Pontiacs vs. Arnprior Rivermen, Shawville (hockey)
• October 23: Hawkesbury Hawks vs. Kemptville 73s, Robert Hartley Sports Complex, Hawkesbury (hockey)
• October 24: Bytown Brawl II, TD Place, Ottawa (wrestling)
• October 24: Ottawa Junior Senators vs. Brockville Braves, Jim Durrell Sports Complex, Ottawa (hockey)
• October 24: Ottawa Senators vs. New York Rangers, Canadian Tire Centre, Kanata (hockey)
• October 24: Glengarry Brigade vs. Winchester Hawks, Glengarry Sports Palace, Alexandria (hockey)
• October 24: Westport Lumberjacks vs. Deseronto Bulldogs, Westport Community Arena (hockey)
• October 24: Madawaska Valley Wolves vs. South Stormont Mustangs, Paul J Yakabuski Community Centre, Barry’s Bay (hockey)
• October 25: Ottawa 67s vs. Kingston Frontenacs, TD Place, Ottawa (hockey)
• October 25: Gatineau Olympiques vs. Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, Centre Slush Puppie, Gatineau (hockey)
• October 24: Casselman Vikings vs. Ottawa West Golden Knights, JR Brisson Complex, Casselman (hockey)
• October 25: Pembroke Royals vs. Carleton Place Canadians, Pembroke Memorial Centre (hockey)

For additional hockey games this week, check the websites of the Central Canada Hockey League, the Northern Premier Hockey League, the Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League.

Enjoy Halloween fun all over

The Haunted Museum at Parc des Chutes Coulonge near Fort Coulonge, Quebec, will be open for spooky thrill seekers on October 22, 23, 24, 29 and 30. The park promises that Saturday, October 24, will be extra scary. On the other hand, Sunday, October 25, is Children’s Day, and there will be a candy scavenger hunt.

That’s just one of the many, many Halloween events happening this week. Here are just a few of the others. (For the full list and more details, see my Halloween events post.)

• The Billings Estate is hosting a Witches and Warlocks Walk on Saturday, October 24, featuring spooky tales courtesy of Ottawa StoryTellers.
• Stittsville Haunted Heritage Tours are offered on Friday and Saturday nights. The 90-minute walk along Stittsville Main Street features six ghost stories and is suitable for most children over the age of 7.
• Pumpkin Fest is a huge Halloween playground at Proulx Farm in Cumberland, which is also hosting sKreamers, a terrifying-looking haunted house experience.
• In Hammond, the Hammond Hill Haunted Forest Walk (October 23 to 25) is a creepy 25-minute walk through a frightening woods.
• The Arnprior Witch Walk is a Halloween-themed scavenger hunt on Saturday, October 24. The event will be followed by a Witches’ Ball in the evening.
• In Shawville, Trunk or Treat will offer treats and family fun on Main Street on Saturday, October 24, from 1pm to 3pm.
• Little ones can trick-or-treat their way around downtown Kemptville businesses during Kreepy Kemptville on Saturday, October 24, from 10am to 12pm.
• On Saturday, October 24, downtown Smiths Falls will become one big trick-or-treating destination during Skele-Bration (10am to 1pm). The fun starts with a costume parade, then little ones can pop into participating businesses to collect Halloween treats.
• Happy Little Farmstead in Spencerville is hosting Fright Nights on October 23, 24 and 25, 30 and 31. Costumed actors create a scary adventure.
• In Brockville, you can check out Spook the Street (Saturday, October 24), a downtown trick-or-treating event and costume contest that runs from 10am to noon.

Go to an artists’ event in Ottawa

This is the final weekend of the Enriched Bread Artists Co-op’s annual Open Studio. During this year’s edition, you can visit studios in the former bakery and see works by 21 artists on October 24 and 25, from 11am to 5pm. The co-op is located at 951 Gladstone Avenue.

Head to a rummage sale in Arnprior or Pembroke

Attention, thrifters: The Arnprior Lionettes are holding their Fall Rummage Sale at the Arnprior Public Library on Saturday, October 24, from 10am to noon. There’s also a rummage sale at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Pembroke that day, from 8:30am to 11am.

Have some laughs in Ottawa

Several big-name comedians are in town this week. On October 21 and 22, Irish comedian Kyla Cobbler is at the Algonquin Commons Theatre. On Thursday, October 22, envelope-pushing British comic Jimmy Carr is at TD Place at Lansdowne Park. And on Saturday, October 24, American standup Mike Epps is at the Hard Rock Casino. You can get a taste of his show in the video above. (Warning: If profanity isn’t your thing, you probably won’t want to play the video or go to either of these shows!)

See a play in Little Italy, Constance Bay or Smiths Falls

This week is your last chance to see The Rocky Horror Show at the Gladstone Theatre in Ottawa (Little Italy) or the whodunnit The Hollow at the Station Theatre in Smiths Falls; both are running until October 25. It’s your first chance to see the Tragically Hip musical It’s a Good Life If You Don’t Weaken, which opens at the Kingston Grand Theatre on October 22 and runs until November 8. And it’s your only chance to see the true crime-inspired Unbalanced in Constance Bay (October 20 to 25). For details on these and many other local plays, see my theatre post.

Savour a harvest dinner in Campbell’s Bay

Brauwerk Hoffman in Campbell’s Bay is hosting a Farm-to-Table Fall Harvest Supper on Saturday, October 24. Everything on the menu will be made with ingredients from the Pontiac region of the Outaouais.

Hear authors in Ottawa

The fall edition of the Ottawa International Writers Festival (October 22 to 25) features a wide slate of novelists, poets and non-fiction authors—as well as artists and musicians—from Ottawa and elsewhere, including Jody Wilson-Raybould, Vivek Shraya, Maggie Helwig, Cory Doctorow, Emily St. John Mandel, Jesse Wente and many more.

Buy fun fibres in Vankleek Hill

During the Vankleek Hill Fibre Frolic on Saturday, October 24, you can shop for yarns, knitting needles, fabric, quilting supplies and more from 22 vendors. And if you have fibre craft-related tools you no longer need, bring ’em along for the swap table. The event at the Vankleek Hill Community Centre is free, but donations to the Vankleek Hill and District Historical Society and the Higginson Tower are appreciated. Also happening in VKH on Saturday are the Fibre Fête at the Vankleek Hill Creating Centre (where you can learn about crochet), a quilt show at Trinity United Church, a cyanotype demonstration and exhibition at Arbor Gallery, and a textile exhibition at the Vankleek Hill Museum.

Visit a farm near Smiths Falls

The Milkhouse Farm and Dairy near Smiths Falls is offering free farm tours on Saturday, October 24, 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.

Shop for vinyl in Kingston

If you’re a connoisseur of vintage LPs and 45s, you might be interested in the Kingston Symphony’s Fall Vinyl Records Sale (October 22 to 25). It’s a fundraiser for the ensemble.

Catch a concert

If you’re in the mood for live music, here are just a few of the many concerts happening around the region this week.

• October 20 to 25: Leisa Way, Upper Canada Playhouse, Morrisburg
• October 23: Cara Luft, Redbird, Ottawa
• October 23: Cassidy Houston and Willowbrook, Black Sheep Inn, Wakefield
• October 23: Stew & Alice, Beau’s All-Natural Brewing Co., Vankleek Hill
• October 24: Marianas Trench, History Ottawa
• October 24: Joel Brown, CC’s on the Rideau, Rideau Ferry
• October 24: Moondoggy, Neat Cafe, Burnstown
• October 24: Sultans of String with Shannon Thunderbird, Deep River Community Church
• October 25: Gord Barnes, Yvan Petit, Andy Bowes, Mark Lemieux, Brad Munro and Wade Foster (Autumn Harvest Country Show and Dance), Carleton Place

Sample chocolate or borshch

Attention, chocoholics: There’s an event just for you coming to Algonquin College this weekend. At the Ottawa Chocolate Show on Saturday, October 24, you can chat with chocolate makers and sample their wares.

If beet soup is more your speed, you’re in luck: A Borshch Cook-Off is happening on Sunday, October 25, at Ottawa’s Ukrainian Banquet and Convention Hall (1000 Byron Avenue). Sample as many as you like, and vote for your favourite. Or bring your own secret recipe and compete!

Eat well for a good price in Prince Edward County or the Laurentians

Countylicious (October 22 to November 15) gives you the chance to enjoy prix-fixe meals at restaurants across Prince Edward County. It could be just the excuse you need to try a new-to-you restaurant or some quirky dishes you might not have chosen otherwise. Menus are priced at between $20 and $65 per person.

Meanwhile, in the Laurentians, you can save with two other promotions. Saint-Sauveur à table (October 15 to 25) sees 12 restaurants in the Saint-Sauveur and Piedmont area offering $70 prix-fixe menus. And the similar Sainte-Thérèse à table promo (October 23 to November 8) features 11 restaurants in the Sainte-Thérèse area.

Browse for fashion and fabrics in Little Italy

At the Thread Heads Fashion and Fabric Market, you can shop for fabric, notions, sewing supplies slow fashion created by local designers. It’s happening at at the Next Door Market and Event Space (955A Gladstone Avenue) on October 24 and 25. The organizers will be collecting toiletries for the Parkdale Food Centre, too.

Learn about long-distance cycling in Bath

This event is actually next week, but because it’s on a Monday (October 26), I thought I’d give you a little extra time to plan. Photographer Phil Norton is giving a talk at the Bath Museum about his two epic bike rides—one in 1979–80 and another 41 years later—from Prince Edward County to the U.S.–Mexico border.

CONTINUING EVENTS

Don’t miss these ongoing museum exhibitions, sales and other events.

• ሀሌታ | Haleta: The Threshold of Being, Ottawa Art Gallery (until November 8, 2026)
• On Guard For Thee…, Priest’s Mill Arts Centre, Alexandria (until November 8, 2026)
• One World Bazaar, Manotick (until November 22, 2026)
• Napoleon—The Immersive Saga, Canadian Museum of History, Gatineau (until January 10, 2027)
• Wild Colour, Canadian Museum of Nature, Ottawa (until January 10, 2027)
• Close to Conflict—Canada and the American Civil War (until February 28, 2027)

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 29 to November 14: Outaouais au menu
• October 29 to November 15: MTLàTABLE
• October 31 and November 1: Ottawa Wedding Show
• November 6 and 7: Orleans Cork and Fork Festival
• November 7: Vankleek Hill Christmas Homes Tour
• November 7: Kemptville Comedy Night
• November 13 to 15: Homes for the Holidays, Ottawa
• November 13 to 28: European Union Film Festival, Ottawa
• November 14: Miracle on King Street, Brockville

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.