The Blue Jays and Halloween are taking up a lot of attention this week, but there’s more to enjoy than baseball and haunted houses (fun as those are). For instance, you can get deals on Outaouais restaurant meals, check out an art exhibition in Alexandra, go to wedding and pet shows (both at the EY Centre), and shop holiday craft sales galore. Enjoy … and GO JAYS!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Take little goblins to the Diefenbunker
- Get artsy in Ottawa or Alexandria
- Eat well for less in the Outaouais and Montreal
- See a play in Ottawa, Winchester, Cornwall or Gananoque
- Do some holiday shopping all over
- Check out the Ottawa Wedding Show
- Catch a concert
- Dance the night away in Wakefield
- Shop for comics and local foods in Orleans
- Go Back to the Future in Cornwall
- Enjoy a burlesque show in Ottawa
- Pamper your pet at the EY Centre
- SAVE THE DATE
- NEED A PLACE TO STAY?
Take little goblins to the Diefenbunker
The Toddlers’ Halloween Hunt returns to The Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum from October 29 to 31. Book your time slot (between 9am and noon) in advance so your costumed kids can search for goodies across the 100,000-square-foot expanse of the underground museum in Carp.
P.S.: Check my Halloween events post for LOTS of other spooky ideas.
Get artsy in Ottawa or Alexandria
Among local artists, the Enriched Bread Artists Co-op’s Open Studio is an eagerly anticipated event. During the final weekend of this year’s edition, you can visit studios and see works by 21 artists, on November 1 and 2.
A bit further afield, the Fall 25 Art Exhibition at the Priest’s Mill Arts Centre in Alexandria features more than 100 painting—as well as works in stone, glass, silver, copper enamel and more—created by 44 local artists. It runs until November 30.
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 30 to November 16) offers deals at 150 restaurants throughout the greater Montreal area. The newer Outaouais au menu event (October 30 to November 15) is modelled on the Montreal promotion and features 25 restaurants in various Outaouais communities, including Gatineau, Chelsea, Saint-André-Avellin and Montebello. They’re great chances to try a new-to-you restaurant!
See a play in Ottawa, Winchester, Cornwall or Gananoque
This weekend is your last chance to see a number of plays, including two Ottawa productions of The Rocky Horror Show (in Orleans and Little Italy), the comedy Halfway There in Cornwall, and 9-to-5: The Musical and The Piano Teacher in Gananoque. It’s also opening week for several other Ottawa shows, such as Abraham Lincoln Goes to the Theatre at the GCTC and The Turn of the Screw at Ottawa Little Theatre. And Dundas County Players are giving a one-night-only performance in Winchester of the one-act play Family Time, paired with a series of dramatic scenes called True Stories, on Saturday, November 1. For details on these and many other plays, see my theatre post.
Do some holiday shopping all over
I know, it’s not even Halloween yet—but the Christmas craft sale/art tour/artisan show machine is already kicking into high gear! This weekend, you can check out the Christmas in the Valley Artisan Show in Almonte—not to be confused with the Christmas in the Country studio tour in Stormont and Dundas, which in turn shouldn’t be confused with the Artisans’ Christmas Tour in the Country in and around Yarker! You’ll also find craft sales in high schools in Kanata, Orleans and Gananoque, as well as a trunk sale in Lancaster, a “shop crawl” in Winchester and perhaps the best-named event of them all, the Feliz Naughty Dog craft and bake sale in Arnprior (it’s a Humane Society fundraiser).
For details on these and many, many more events between now and December 25, see my list of 250+ Christmas craft sales.
Check out the Ottawa Wedding Show
Planning to say “I do” anytime soon? Then a visit to the Ottawa Wedding Show (November 1 and 2) at the EY Centre should provide lots of inspiration for dresses, flowers, reception venues, photography, honeymoons and more. Hey, do couples still give their guests chunks of fruitcake wrapped in doilies? No? See, my own nuptial knowledge could do with a bit of an update—not surprisingly, given that when I got married, wedding-dress sleeves were so big that brides had to go through doors sideways.
Catch a concert
It’s a big week for concerts, with Leahy at the National Arts Centre, Foreigner in Ottawa and Kingston, and Barney Bentall in Burnstown. For details on these and many other shows, check my big list of local concerts.
Dance the night away in Wakefield
Kaffé 1870 restaurant in Wakefield is celebrating its 18th birthday on Saturday, November 1, with live music, drink deals and Rutherfords819 pizza. Dancing encouraged!
Shop for comics and local foods in Orleans
The Orleans Comic Book and Novelty Show is a one-day event at Place d’Orleans on Sunday, November 2. Shop for comics, toys, crafts and more, and meet comic writers and artists. Costumes encouraged!
Also on Sunday, November 2, you can check out the Heart of Orleans Market on Centrum Boulevard. Shop for baked goodies, cheese, produce, jewellery, soap, wooden items and other items, from more than 120 local vendors.
Go Back to the Future in Cornwall
Can you believe Back to the Future hit theatres 40 years ago? Well, that’s either before you were born or you’re thinking, “Why don’t I have my own hoverboard yet?” Either way, you might be interested in the 40th anniversary screenings of the classic movie at the Port Theatre in Cornwall on November 1 and 2.
Enjoy a burlesque show in Ottawa
If you’re looking for more from your Halloween week than ghosts and snack-sized chocolate bars, The Shadows … and What We Do in Them might be your bag of treats. The three-hour show at the Gladstone Theatre runs from October 30 to November 2 (except Oct. 31) and features dancers, aerialists, pole dancers and burlesque performers.
Pamper your pet at the EY Centre
Attention, dog lovers, bird fanciers and cat staff! (We have three cats and I can assure you that we are their employees, not “owners.”) At the Ottawa Pet Expo at the EY Centre (November 1 and 2), you can see pet grooming demos, learn about pet care from experts, and shop for all the food, treats, toys and accessories you need to let your special fur buddy know that he is, indeed, a Very Good Boy.
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 7 and 8: Orleans Cork and Fork Festival
- November 8: Vankleek Hill Christmas Home Tour
- November 14 to 16: Homes for the Holidays, Ottawa
- November 14 to 29: European Union Film Festival, Ottawa
- November 15: 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.