61+ fun events in and around Ottawa, November 2 to 8

5

From a farm open house in the Outaouais and a shopping event in Winchester to a big soccer match in Ottawa and a one-act play festival in Kanata, there’s a ton going on in Ottawa, Eastern Ontario, the Outaouais and Montreal this week. You’ll find events for wine lovers, jigsaw puzzlers, music fans and romance readers. I’ll even point you to a dog film festival and a chance to lob pumpkins into the sky with a catapult!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

See a play in many places

It’s a busy week for theatre. It’s your last opportunity to catch the new Tragically Hip musical, It’s a Good Life If You Don’t Weaken. Jane Eyre continues at Ottawa Little Theatre. Running this week only are L’Orestie at the National Arts Centre and Peter Pan in Morrisburg.

Also this weekend, Kanata Theatre is hosting the Eastern Ontario Drama League One-Act Play Festival. Nine community theatre groups will be presenting one-act plays in three, three-play blocks—one on Friday night, another on Saturday afternoon and a third on Saturday evening.

You’ll find details on these and many more plays in my theatre roundup post.

Catch a movie in Ottawa or Montreal

OCan is a three-day celebration of Canadian movies at the ByTowne Cinema on Rideau Street and the Mayfair Theatre in Old Ottawa South (November 6 to 8). Nineteen movies are on the program, including short narrative films and short documentaries, some by Ottawa-area directors. On Saturday afternoon, the satirical short film Finger Guns by Calgary director David Feehan (see video above) will be screened at the Mayfair.

Along with narrative and documentary movies, the ChromaQueer Film + Arts Festival (November 6 to 8) will offer all sorts of other 2SLGBTQIA+ programming, including lectures, workshops, contemporary dance performances and poetry karaoke. It’s all happening at Arts Court in Ottawa.

A francophone film festival called Cinemania is running at multiple theatres in Montreal from November 4 to 15. The movies come from a range of francophone countries, including France, Martinique, Belgium, Central African Republic and Tunisia—and Canada, of course. There’s something for just about every taste, whether you like coming-of-age stories, documentaries, comedies or sports movies. And if you’re not bilingual, don’t worry—all of the movies are subtitled in English.

For something completely different, there’s Ottawa Bad Movie Night at the downtown branch of the Ottawa Public Library. Once a month, this free event screens a different so-bad-it’s-fun movie for the amusement of attendees. This month’s film is the Jean-Claude Van Damme vehicle Street Fighter, and the screening is on Wednesday, November 4.

And Sunday, November 8, marks the opening of the Ottawa Dog Film Festival. For three consecutive Sundays, dog-themed movies will be screened at the Mayfair Theatre in Old Ottawa South to raise money for several pooch-related charities. First up this week is the Wes Anderson animated film Isle of Dogs, about a boy searching for his dog on a Japanese Island.

Nosh on Italian specialties in Rideau Ferry

CC’s on the Rideau restaurant in Rideau Ferry is holding Italian Night on November 6 and 7. Diners can enjoy Italian-inspired salads, appetizers, entrees and dessert, along with Italian wines and cocktails.

Be dazzled by magic in Ottawa, Cornwall or Almonte

Escape Manor in Ottawa is hosting Magic at the Manor on Wednesday, November 4. During the 90-minute interactive show, Ottawa-based performer will be entertaining the audience with feats of mental dexterity, illusions and more. He is also giving a show at the Port Theatre in Cornwall on Friday, November 6.

And on the morning of Saturday, November 7, magician Kevin Smith will be giving an interactive family magic show at the Almonte Civitan Community Hall.

Discover farms in Luskville

During the Luskville Farm Hop (November 7 and 8), four farms and a vineyard in the Mountain Road and Cregheur area of Luskville, Quebec, will be opening their doors to visitors. You can see farm animals, shop for farm and local artisan products, and maybe do a little hiking on nearby Gatineau Park trails.

Launch a pumpkin in Metcalfe

Oh, this sounds like fun! At the Squash CF Pumpkin Launch, visitors will launch used jack o’ lanterns into the air using giant slingshots and trebuchets. Other family-friendly entertainment at the cystic fibrosis fundraiser will include pumpkin-themed games and axe throwing (well, that last one if for the older members of the family). It’s taking place at RiverOak in Metcalfe on Saturday, November 7.

Go shopping in Lowertown, Navan, Little Italy, Winchester or Carleton Place

The Robert Plante Greenhouses in Navan are hosting an evening open house on Friday, November 6, to launch the company’s Christmas lineup of indoor and outdoor holiday decorations, plants and planters, swags, wreaths, and more! There will be live music and a coffee shop, too.

On Saturday, November 7, shopping events include the following:

• The Lowertown Market Fair at St. Brigid’s Centre for the Arts will feature more than 40 local food and artisan vendors. The organizers will also be collecting donations of non-perishable food for the Shepherds of Good Hope and the Lowertown Community Resource Centre.
• The Artist Ally Fandom Culture Art Market at Next Door Event Space on Gladstone Avenue in Ottawa will offer prints, zines, accessories, clothing, ceramics, collectables and one-of-a-kind pieces for fans of cult classics, comics, fantasy, science fiction, gaming and animation.
• Multiple shops in and around Winchester are participating in the Winchester Shop Crawl. Retailers will be offering discounts, promotions and giveaways, and shoppers will be entered in a prize draw.
• The annual Junk and Disorderly Sale returns to the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum. Shop for vintage and gently used items, knowing that the proceeds will support the museum. Cash preferred, but debit, credit and e-transfers are also accepted.

On Sunday, November 8, at Next Door, you can check out the Play It Again Retro Media Market for vintage comics, collectable cards and board games, vinyl records, CDs, cassettes (remember those?), VHS tapes, film cameras, MP3 players, video games, and vintage books, paper goods and prints.

At the Original Navan Market (Sunday, November 8), you can browse for foods, crafts and more from a huge range of local vendors. It’s happening at the Navan Fairgrounds (1279 Colonial Road) from 10am to 3pm. 

Speaking of markets…

This weekend offers a huge selection of Christmas craft fairs to visit, including events in Orléans, Nepean, Manotick, Greely, the Glebe, Gatineau, Shawville, Almonte, Carleton Place, Perth, Chesterville, Alexandria and many more. There’s even a two-day Christmas artisans’ tour in the Yarker area, west of Kingston.

Celebrate Ukraine in Ottawa

On Saturday, November 7, you can go to a Ukrainian Dinner and Dance at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Shrine in Ottawa. Ukrainian dancers will be performing. And, yes, dinner will include perogies—along with cabbage rolls, chicken Kiev and other Ukrainian specialties. Proceeds will go to the Ukrainian Solidarity Fund, which provides humanitarian assistance.

Discuss the crises facing boys and young men

Gone Guys is a 45-minute documentary delving into the reasons that boys and young men have been steadily disengaging from school, work and broader society over the last 50 years. As a result, they’re falling behind academically, struggling with loneliness and isolation, and facing rising rates of substance abuse and suicide. A screening of the documentary at Studio Theatre Perth on Sunday, November 8, will be followed by a panel discussion.

Enjoy a paella party at a Navan vineyard

Domaine Perrault in Navan is hosting a paella party on Saturday, November 7. As well as watching chefs prepare traditional and vegetarian paellas for the gathered diners, you’ll enjoy Spanish and Domaine Perrault wines.

Cheer at a soccer or hockey game

Big news for local women’s pro soccer: Ottawa Rapid FC are taking on AFC Toronto in the Northern Super League semi-final on Saturday, November 7, at TD Place.

Meanwhile, in hockey…

• The first-ever Ontario Cup organized by Canadian Blind Hockey is coming to the Tom Brown Arena in Ottawa’s Hintonburg neighbourhood from November 6 to 8. Despite the name of the tournament, teams from across Canada will be competing.
• The Ottawa 67s have two home games at TD Place this week, one against the Kingston Frontenacs on Wednesday, November 4, and a second against the Windsor Spitfires on Friday, November 6.
• On Saturday, November 7, the Ottawa Senators are playing the Utah Mammoth at the Canadian Tire Centre.
• For more hockey options, 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.

Have some laughs in Ottawa, Gatineau, Kemptville or Perth

Every week, the Carleton Tavern in Ottawa’s Hintonburg neighbourhood hosts a comedy night featuring local standups. The next one is on Tuesday, November 3.

Also on Tuesday, standup comic Simon Gouache is giving a show in French at the Salle Odyssée in Gatineau.

On Friday, November 6, German-Italian comedian Laura Ramoso is headlining a show at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Ottawa. She has built an audience of more than 3.5 million followers on social media with fan favourites like “German Mom” and “Italian Dad.”

That same night, Chicago-born comedian Matteo Lane will be at the National Arts Centre. Lane tackles a wide range of topics, from his experiences as a gay man to hilarious insights into everyday life. Intriguingly, he is fluent in five languages, has a singing range of six octaves, and lived in Italy as an oil painter and opera singer before pivoting into comedy.

At Kemptville Comedy Night (Saturday, November 7), six standup comics from LOL Entertainment will be keeping crowds laughing at the North Grenville Municipal Centre.

Also on Saturday, the Great Canadian Comedy Caravan Tour rolls into Studio Theatre Perth, with Casey Corbin headlining a full slate of standup comics.

Rock on at a francophone music fest in Montreal

Looking to discover some cutting-edge francophone music? Then check out Coup de coeur francophone (November 5 to 15), which features emerging and avant-garde musicians working in French, from across Canada and around the world. Shows are scheduled in cities across Canada, but the main hub is Montreal.

Sample new-to-you wines in Little Italy, Orléans or Kingston

Savvy Company is throwing a wine-tasting event in Ottawa’s Little Italy on Thursday, November 5. Outstanding in Their Fields gives you the chance to taste wines from British Columbia, Ontario and Nova Scotia, meet the winemakers and buy your favourite bottles on the spot.

Later in the week, the Orléans Cork and Fork Festival is returning to the Shenkman Arts Centre in Orléans on November 6 and 7. You can choose from three timeslots—Friday evening, Saturday afternoon or Saturday evening—and enjoy wine, beer and spirits tastings, along with fine food, live music and cooking demonstrations.

At the Judgement of Kingston (Saturday, November 7), attendees will sample six Pinot Gris wines from Prince Edward County alongside celebrity judges in a blind tasting. Both judges and guests will choose their favourite.

Head to Women’s Day in Manotick

Saturday, November 7, is Women’s Day in Manotick. Details are still to come, but the day usually includes special promotions at local businesses and an array of prizes.

Find a new puzzle in Russell

Attention, jigsaw fans: You can swap your used puzzles for new-to-you kits during a free puzzle swap at the Russell Public Library on Saturday, November 7.

How about a concert?

Among your many live music choices this week are the following concerts:

• November 2 to 7: Leonard Cohen: Ten Years Gone (tribute show), Gladstone Theatre, Ottawa
• November 3: Maryna Krut, Shenkman Arts Centre, Orléans
• November 4: Paolo Fresu, National Arts Centre, Ottawa
• November 6: 613RnB (multiple artists), Club SAW, Ottawa
• November 6 and 7: Ottawa New Music Festival, Ottawa Art Gallery
• November 7: Orchestre symphonique de Gatineau, Salle Odyssée, Gatineau
• November 7: Streetheart, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Ottawa
• November 7: Tulua, Little Red Wagon Winery, Shawville
• November 7: Reckless Fire (Bryan Adams tribute), Royal Theatre, Gananoque
• November 8: Ottawa Regional Youth Choir, St. Barnabas, Ottawa
• November 8: Kingston Symphony Orchestra (The Hockey Sweater), The Isabel, Kingston

Eat well for less in the Outaouais and Montreal

Two separate restaurant promotions will give you the chance to enjoy multi-course menus at all sorts of restaurants for a special price in November. In Montreal, MTLàTABLE (October 29 to November 15) offers deals at more than 100 restaurants throughout the greater Montreal area. Closer to home, the Outaouais au menu event (October 29 to November 14) is modelled on the Montreal promotion and features 20 restaurants in various Outaouais communities, including Gatineau, Chelsea, Wakefield, Saint-André-Avellin, Bouchette, Maniwaki and Montebello. They’re great chances to try a new-to-you restaurant!

Dance for a good cause in Kanata

Fun at the Infinity Ball at the Brookstreet Hotel in Kanata (Saturday, November 7) will include cocktails, a three-course dinner, a silent auction and dancing. It’s a fundraiser for the FAM Network. The Ottawa-based charity fosters animals for people who temporarily can’t care for them, including people fleeing violence or undergoing in-patient treatment for mental health or substance abuse.

Enjoy children’s stories in Nepean

The Ottawa Children’s Storytelling Festival is coming to Ben Franklin Place at Centrepointe in Nepean on Saturday, November 7. The free event will see storytellers spinning tales for children aged 3 to 5, and 6 to 10, in English and French.

See art and learn about Arctic photography in Chelsea

On Saturday, November 7, La Fab sur Mill in Chelsea is offering Brushstrokes & Shutter Clicks: Capturing the Changing North, run in conjunction with artist Dawn McArthur’s solo show, In the Footsteps of the Polar Bears. Baffin Safari founder and expedition leader John Davidson will join McArthur to share field stories from the frontlines of the changing North. You can also see photographer Nelson Liu’s Arctic imagery and McArthur’s Arctic art, such as the piece above.

Get a romance novel signed in the Glebe

On Tuesday, November 3, romance author Elayna R. Gallea will be talking about her new book Tethered and about romance writing in general. After the talk, you can meet the author and have her sign a copy of the book. The evening event is happening at Evermore Books in Ottawa’s Glebe neighbourhood.

Get witchy in Gananoque

Halloween may have come and gone, but it’s not too late to get mystical at Witches Night Out in Gananoque. The event on Saturday, November 7, will include a witches dance, a ghost trolley, tarot card readings and all sorts of other metaphysical fun.

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.)

• 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
• November 22 and 23: Minoshkite Indigenous Music & Arts Festival, Ottawa
• November 27 to 29: Local Christmas Shop and Hop, Lansdowne, Lyndhurst, Seeley’s Bay, Delta and Elgin
• November 28: CPKC Holiday Train, Finch, Merrickville, Smiths Falls and Perth
• November 28: Rotary Diamond Gala, Kemptville
• November 29: Barrhaven Santa Claus Parade
• December 3 to 6: Casselman Christmas Festival

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.