Never say this weekly Heads Up post doesn’t have something for everyone! In this week’s edition, learn when Ottawa is getting its next new hotel, and where you can hang out with ostriches, hear a talk by a former astronaut or play bingo for charity.
Farms throw open their doors to animal-loving visitors
You probably already knew there are many places to go horseback riding in Eastern Ontario. Perhaps you even knew that there are lots of alpaca farms. But did you know that you can also hang out with goats in Seeley’s Bay, donkeys in Lyndhurst or Casselman, or ostriches in Prince Edward County? This post from the South East Ontario tourism organization has all the details you need to plan a trip.
Lots of upcoming charity events in Ottawa
Now that fall is here, Ottawa’s charity fundraising calendar is getting increasingly packed! Here are some of the upcoming events you can sign up to enjoy for a good cause.
- Light the Night is an evening walk/event to raise money for blood cancers (leukemia and lymphoma). You can participate in Kingston (September 28), Belleville (October 5), Montreal (October 26), Ottawa (October 26) and many other places across Canada.
- Walk for the Centre is an afternoon walk along the Rideau Canal on Sunday, October 6, to raise money for the Centretown Community Food Centre.
- A portion of the proceeds from A Tribute to Taylor Swift and the Spice Girls (two shows at TD Place on Saturday, October 26) will go to CHEO.
- World Trivia Night is a big fundraiser for the Children’s Aid Foundation of Ottawa-Carleton, which helps children in foster care attend summer camp, pursue extracurricular activities, go to college and more. The event is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and it’s happening at the Shaw Centre on Friday, November 1. (Full disclosure: My husband writes the questions!)
- Black Tie Bingo—taking place on Saturday, November 2, at the Infinity Convention Centre—includes a cocktail reception with entertainment, a photo booth, a beauty and fragrance bar, dinner, seven bingo games with big prizes, and silent auctions. It’s a fundraiser for the Bruyère Foundation’s health-care programs, and tickets are already 80% sold.
A four-day fall driving itinerary west of Ottawa
Ontario’s Highlands, the tourism organization that promotes Renfrew County, Lanark County and other regions west of Ottawa, has created a kickin’ four-day autumn road trip itinerary that includes stops in Sharbot Lake, Cobden, Perth, Smiths Falls and many other great spots for enjoying the fall colours. It’s written for people starting in the southwest corner of the loop, in Madoc (likely because many readers will be coming from the GTA), but you can just do it in reverse if you’re starting in Ottawa!
Catch a talk by Dr. Roberta Bondar
How often do you get to attend a talk by a former astronaut? On Wednesday, September 25, Dr. Roberta Bondar will be giving a talk about endangered birds for the Royal Canadian Geographic Society. The event at the society’s headquarters at 50 Sussex Drive is pay what you can, and tickets are available online.
Apples and cranberries and pumpkins, oh my!
Wondering where to buy (or, in some cases, pick) fresh apples, pumpkins, cranberries and other seasonal treats in the Outaouais? Wonder no longer, as Tourisme Outaouais has published a handy list of West Quebec farms you can visit this fall.
Tickets are available for a glam casino night in Kemptville
Tickets are available now for the Little Black Dress Glam and Games Gala, a casino night at the eQuinelle golf club in Kemptville on Friday, October 18.
Did you know that Ottawa is getting four new hotels?
Between now and 2027, four new hotels are set to open in Ottawa. The first, the AC Marriott Ottawa, plans to open its doors this fall.
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.