Much of this week’s Heads Up post is about planning ahead for spring and summer adventures, whether you want to take an art class, learn to make international dishes or nab a campsite in Canada’s very popular national parks. I also have tips for bass fishers, skaters, Degrassi fans and more.
You can help mark Ottawa’s 200th birthday
Did you know that Ottawa officially turns 200 in 2026? The city is marking the occasion by giving out funding to local artists and community groups to celebrate the birthday in style. Find out how to apply.
Think beyond the canal … in Gatineau
Sure, the Rideau Canal Skateway is great, but it’s not the only outdoor skating spot in Ottawa-Gatineau. Over on the Quebec side, you could check out the outdoor rink at Parc de la Ferme-Dalton in Gatineau; if you have an Accès Gatineau card, you can even get free rental skates there. Also in Gatineau, part of the surface of Brewery Creek (ruisseau de la Brasserie) is groomed for skating. Looking for something more rural? See my list of outdoor skate trails across Eastern Ontario and the Outaouais.
Register now for art classes
If you’d like to do a spring road trip to take an art class, now’s the time to plan. At Stone Manor Studios in Newboro, registration for spring workshops in acrylic painting, watercolour painting, stained glass and felting are now open. Closer to home, La Fab sur Mill in Chelsea is taking registration for spring classes in nuno felting, Ukrainian Easter egg painting, quilting and mosaic art. (La Fab also has classes coming up sooner in painting, cartooning and other skills.) Paint with Janet has several art classes coming up in Carleton Place and an art retreat in Appleton. And Chesterville’s Dreaming Heart Art Studio regularly runs paint nights for adults in Kemptville, Osgoode, Russell and Cornwall.
Or sign up for cooking classes
Perhaps cooking is more your style? The City of Ottawa offers a range of international culinary classes at the Shenkman Arts Centre in Orleans, but they tend to fill up quickly (several upcoming classes in Greek and Moroccan cooking are already sold out). So now’s the time to sign up! One Greek class in March still has space. Other classes cover the basics of Indian, Turkish and Mexican cuisine.
Reserve your national park campsite
If you’d like to camp in a national park in Ontario or Quebec this summer, log onto the Parks Canada website this week for the best selection of campsites. Reservations for national parks in Ontario opened on Monday, February 2, and reservations for most Quebec parks will open on Wednesday, February 4.
Relive Degrassi’s glory days in Kingston
On the afternoon of Sunday, February 28, the Kingston Canadian Film Festival will be screening a new documentary about Degrassi Junior High and its many sequels and reincarnations. This showing of Degrassi: Whatever It Takes will include a Q&A with director Lisa Rideout and Degrassi alumni Amanda Stepto and Stacie Mistysyn (Spike and Caitlyn). Will fellow alum Drake make an appearance? Unlikely, but you never know.
Mark your calendar to learn about repairing with gold
For those who like to plan ahead, here’s an event for your calendar. On the evening of Friday, March 13, artist, tea practitioner and educator Rebecca Cragg will be giving a workshop on kintsugi at the Japanese Embassy on Sussex Drive. Kintsugi is the art of repairing cracks in porcelain and other materials with gold. Admission will be free and first come, first served.
Registrations are open for Kingston bass fishing derby
Attention, bass fishers: Registration for the Thousand Islands Open in Kingston (July 30 to August 1) are now open to the general public. Over $190,000 in prizes is up for grabs.
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.
