When it comes to events, you’re spoiled for choice this week in Ottawa, Eastern Ontario and the Outaouais. You can join a Jane’s Walk, shop for art or stamps, make a healing tea, see a play, go to a clay festival, learn about ikebana or sourdough, get your bike tuned up, taste wine, get your tarot cards read, lace up for a fundraising run, eat butter tarts or poutine … the options are almost endless!
Table of contents
- Buy used books in the Glebe
- Make tea and/or cookies in Gatineau
- See orchids in Ottawa
- Check out local talent in Kingston
- Explore the world of tartan in Almonte
- Do starlit yoga at Lansdowne Park
- Nosh on poutine in Ottawa
- Catch a concert all over
- Nibble on butter tarts in Orléans
- Find fab fabrics in Wellington West
- Get sourdough tips in Ottawa
- Enjoy a film festival in Ottawa, Montreal or Toronto
- Browse for bargains in Blackburn Hamlet, Trend Arlington, Merrickville and Renfrew
- Swing by a cycling event in New Edinburgh
- Head to a Women's Day show in Alexandria
- Hear authors in Ottawa
- Shop for unique items in Ottawa, Almonte, Carleton Place, Chaffeys Lock, Kingston or Belleville
- Learn about urban design and history on a Jane's Walk
- Drop into an art show and sale in Oxford Station, Brockville or Alexandria
- Celebrate Mexico in the ByWard Market
- See a play in Ottawa, Winchester, Wakefield, Carleton Place, Merrickville, Smiths Falls or Perth
- Attend a Red Dress Day event in Frankville
- Walk or run at the Central Experimental Farm, or in Stittsville or Renfrew
- Have some laughs in Gatineau or Montreal
- Delve into ikebana in Manotick
- Buy clothes for a good cause in Wellington West
- Taste the wines and ciders of PEC
- Go to a gala for charity in Ottawa
- Dive into holistic wellness in Kemptville
- Bike for a good cause in Ottawa
- Enjoy Ladies' Night in Brockville
- Get creative at a paint party in Dunvegan
- Cheer at a soccer game at TD Place
- Browse for stamps in Nepean
- Learn about bird names in Ottawa
Buy used books in the Glebe
All those people madly following Marie Kondo’s decluttering advice have to take their old books somewhere, right? That’s why you’ll probably find thousands of used volumes on sale at the Mutchmor Public School Book Sale in the Glebe from April 30 to May 3.
Make tea and/or cookies in Gatineau
Jenni Tea in Gatineau is offering a wellness tea workshop for women on Sunday, May 3. Participants will discover plants, herbs and spices designed to relieve PMS, share experiences in a welcoming setting, and make a tea to take home that’s specially blended for their needs. The same shop is also offering a floral tea workshop and a floral cookie workshop, both on Saturday, May 2.
See orchids in Ottawa
The Ottawa Orchid Society is holding its annual show and sale at Algonquin College on May 2 and 3. Browse for plants and supplies from vendors, and check out workshops on orchid cultivation. You can pay extra to get in an hour early, if you’re super keen.
Check out local talent in Kingston
The Homegrown Live Music Festival is a packed day of more than 140 live performances by local acts on 17 stages across Kingston on Saturday, May 2. Each venue will be showcasing multiple bands in a particular style, including blues, psychedelic, country, hip-hop and jazz. There’s even a venue devoted solely to comedy.
Explore the world of tartan in Almonte
A new exhibition, Tartan: Culture and Cloth, opens at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum in Almonte this week with a vernissage on Saturday, May 2. The show runs until July 26.
Do starlit yoga at Lansdowne Park
On Friday, May 1, you can enjoy full moon yoga at Lansdowne Park. It’s a one-hour vinyasa class, and donations to the Ottawa Food Bank are encouraged.
Nosh on poutine in Ottawa
Got the munchies? Ottawa PoutineFest at the RA Centre (May 1 to 3) is a great chance to get your curds-and-gravy fix.
Catch a concert all over
The Rise Up Ottawa Music Fest brings three packed nights of music to Live on Elgin and Club Saw (April 30 to May 2). Elsewhere around the region, shows include the Lowest of the Low in Ottawa and Kingston; the Ottawa Air Guitar Championships at House of Targ; Red Dirt Skinners in Smiths Falls; a Kenny Rogers/Dolly Parton tribute in Pembroke; Triumph at the Canadian Tire Centre; and many other concerts. See my concert list for links to these and many other shows.
Nibble on butter tarts in Orléans
I don’t have much info on this one yet, but if you like sweet treats, you might want to check out the Ontario Buttertart Festival and Competition in Orléans (May 2 and 3).
Find fab fabrics in Wellington West
Attention needleworkers: Dozens of vendors will be selling fabrics galore and other sewing-related materials at the Hintonburg Fabric Flea Market on Saturday, May 2. It is taking place at the Fisher Park Community Centre (250 Holland Avenue).
Get sourdough tips in Ottawa
On Saturday, May 2, author Rachel Pardoe will be sharing baking tips from her cookbook Sourdough Everything at the Pinecrest Indigo store. She’ll be signing copies of the book, too.
Enjoy a film festival in Ottawa, Montreal or Toronto
The Latin American Film Festival (April 24 to May 16) continues this week at Saint Paul University on Main Street in Old Ottawa East. Movies this week come from Chile, El Salvador, Panama, Colombia, Mexico and Brazil. Admission is free, but you should go online to reserve a ticket.
Meanwhile, the South Asian Film Festival of Montreal (May 1 to 10) will be screening 79 movies from a range of countries, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.
This year, the more than 113 featured documentaries from 47 countries at Toronto’s Hot Docs Festival (April 23 to May 3) focus on everything from a girls’ book club in Kabul to the music of Judas Priest. There’s even a surreal film about a talking Czech cow.
Browse for bargains in Blackburn Hamlet, Trend Arlington, Merrickville and Renfrew
Saturday, May 2, will be a busy day for community garage sales, with events happening in the Ottawa neighbourhoods of Blackburn Hamlet and Trend Arlington, as well as further afield in Merrickville and Renfrew. Details on these and many other sales are available in my community garage sales post.
Swing by a cycling event in New Edinburgh
Bike Day in New Edinburgh (Saturday, May 2) is a busy morning and early afternoon of cycling-related fun on Stanley Avenue and at the New Edinburgh Park Fieldhouse. You can buy or sell a bike (or other wheeled item, such as a scooter), see a movie about moms and cycling, join a Kidical Mass bike ride with your child, get your bike tuned up, enjoy baked goods and tacos, and learn about the Ottawa Bicycle Club’s programs.
Head to a Women’s Day show in Alexandria
During Women’s Day at the Glengarry Sports Palace in Alexandria (Sunday, May 3), the fun will include vendors, draws, a fashion show, goodie bags and more. Proceeds will support Hôpital Glengarry Memorial Hospital.
Hear authors in Ottawa
The spring edition of the Ottawa International Writers Festival (April 30 to May 3) features a wide range of authors, including Mary Walsh, Ashraf Zaghal, Gillian Deacon, Mai Nguyen and Brian Goldman.
Shop for unique items in Ottawa, Almonte, Carleton Place, Chaffeys Lock, Kingston or Belleville
The Ottawa Guild of Potters will be holding its spring pottery sale as part of the Ottawa Clay Festival in the Horticulture Building at Lansdowne Park from May 1 to 3. As well as shopping for pottery, you can see demonstrations and let the little ones discover clay in the children’s play area. Free admission.
Also at Lansdowne Park, the 613flea artisan and flea market moves outdoors for the season on Saturday, May 2, as does the Lansdowne Farmers’ Market on Sunday, May 3.
The Cumberland Spring Market on Saturday, May 2, will showcase some 85 local vendors. The event also includes a seedling sale and live music, and community groups will be on hand to share information about their activities.
In Carleton Place, you can meet artists at a Juried Fine Art Exhibition (May 2 and 3) taking place at the Carleton Place Arena (75 Neelin Street). More than 50 artists, many of them from Ottawa, will be showing and selling their works. The show includes The Great Return—Terra Incognita by Colleen Gray, an exploration inspired by seeing Earth from space. Free admission.
Almonte is going to be a busy place this week. Downtown will be hopping with vendors, tarot card readers, entertainers and more during the Spring Night Market on Thursday, April 30, from 5pm to 8pm. And on Saturday, May 2, the Cheerfully Made Market at the John Levi Community Centre (Almonte Arena) will feature food, clothing, jewellery, home decor and other goodies from local makers.
The Opinicon Spring Market, taking place at The Opinicon resort in Chaffeys Lock on Saturday, May 2, will feature some 30 local makers, bakers and creators.
The Kingston Potters’ Guild is holding its annual spring show and sale at the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning from April 30 to May 3. Also at the Tett Centre on the same dates is the 2026 Spring Metal Rocks Show and Sale, where you can buy jewellery, gemstones and gifts made by members of the Kingston Lapidary & Mineral Club.
It’s a bit of a hike, but the Mother of All Craft Shows on Saturday, May 2, at the Pinnacle in downtown Belleville looks like fun, with more than 70 vendors offering everything from clothing to food. Raffle ticket sales will support Fixed Fur Life, an animal-rescue group.
Learn about urban design and history on a Jane’s Walk
Jane’s Walks are named after urbanist Jane Jacobs, who wrote numerous books about the way cities work. This year, from May 1 to 3, numerous cities are hosting free walks with local experts who will explain facets of each city’s history, development and design. You can join a walk in Ottawa-Gatineau, Kingston or Montreal, among many other places.
Drop into an art show and sale in Oxford Station, Brockville or Alexandria
Green Gables Winery in Oxford Station is hosting the Art on 44 exhibition and sale on Saturday, May 2. It will include an indoor art show, 45-minute interactive workshops, mosaic tile sessions and paint-and-sip activities. You’ll also be able to watch painters at work outdoors on the winery grounds.
In Brockville, the Juried Fine Art Show and Exhibition Fundraiser is happening at the Fulford Place Museum from May 1 to 3.
The Glengarry ENCORE Photo Club is presenting its second annual photo art exhibition at the Sandfield Centre in Alexandria this weekend. Following a vernissage on Friday, May 1, from 6pm to 9pm, the show will run on May 2 and 3, from 10am to 4pm both days. Featuring 23 photographers, the event will showcase many forms of contemporary photography, including street, nature, landscape, abstract and conceptual photography. There will also be panels about the art and business of photography.
Celebrate Mexico in the ByWard Market
The ByWard Market is getting a jump on Cinco de Mayo festivities. Even though the Mexican festival’s name translates to “May 5th,” the fun will be happening in the Market on Sunday, May 3. You can enjoy live music, dance workshops, Mexican food, an art exhibition, a children’s zone and more.
See a play in Ottawa, Winchester, Wakefield, Carleton Place, Merrickville, Smiths Falls or Perth
There are all sorts of plays on stages around the region this week. Choices include a double bill of two one-act comedies at The Gladstone in Ottawa (my husband is playing a prime minister in one of them!); Renovations for Six, a Norm Foster comedy about a dinner party gone wrong, in Osgoode; the assisted living-set comedy Four Old Broads in Winchester; and two plays set during the Second World War (The Invisible at the NAC and Alice by Heart at the Shenkman Arts Centre). There’s also the intergenerational drama Jade Circle at the GCTC, the popular farce The Play That Goes Wrong in Carleton Place, the comedy Siberian Summer in Merrickville and the noir classic The Maltese Falcon in Perth. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Check my theatre guide for more information on these and many other plays this week.
Attend a Red Dress Day event in Frankville
The AOG Gallery in Frankville is hosting a Red Dress Day event in collaboration with St. Luke’s Leeds Anglican Church on Saturday, May 2. Red Dress Day was inspired by Métis artist Jaime Black’s REDress Project installation. She hung empty red dresses to represent missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirited people. The ceremony at the AOG Gallery will include a brief worship service, story sharing, time for crafts and reflection, and the opportunity to explore the gallery and its art trail.
Walk or run at the Central Experimental Farm, or in Stittsville or Renfrew
On Saturday, May 2, the Run to Empower will be raising money for the Canadian Breast Cancer Network. The event includes 5km runs for adults and a 1km run for kids. All routes wind through the Central Experimental Farm.
Also on Saturday, the Ottawa-Carleton Trailway Parkrun will celebrate its second anniversary with cake and refreshments. Every week, the free event gives people the chance to participate in a timed walk/run along the Trans Canada Trail in Stittsville.
On Sunday, May 3, Hike for Hospice Renfrew will be raising money for palliative care facilities. The event is open to runners and walkers.
Have some laughs in Gatineau or Montreal
French-Canadian comedian Pierre Hébert brings his new show, Grandiose, to the Salle Odyssée in Gatineau on Wednesday, April 29.
If you love The Kids in the Hall, SCTV and Saturday Night Live, you might just be interested in Montréal Sketchfest, an annual festival of sketch comedy (April 30 to May 9). It features both rising stars and established comic talents, performing in French and/or English.
Delve into ikebana in Manotick
Have you ever wanted to learn about the Japanese art of flower arranging? Then you might be interested in a spring ikebana workshop at Lume Club in Manotick on Thursday, April 30. The evening class will include instruction, materials and refreshments.
Buy clothes for a good cause in Wellington West
On May 2 and 3, you can browse for gently used high-end fashion items at a popup shop called Boutique Cornerstone. You’ll find the shop in Nest, an event space above Thyme & Again on Wellington West in Ottawa. Funds raised go to support emergency programs at Cornerstone Housing for Women, which serves women experiencing homelessness.
Taste the wines and ciders of PEC
Terroir (Saturday, May 2) is a great chance to sample a range of Prince Edward County wines and ciders, along with tasty charcuterie. The event is taking place at the Eddie Hotel & Farm near Bloomfield.
Go to a gala for charity in Ottawa
Helping With Furniture, a charity that provides gently used furniture and household items to families in need, is holding a fundraising gala at Ottawa’s St. Elias Centre on Friday, May 1. The glamorous evening will include dinner, cocktails, a silent auction and dancing.
Dive into holistic wellness in Kemptville
At the Psychic and Wellness Fair in Kemptville (Saturday, May 2), you can consult with psychics, tarot card readers, astrologers and palm readers, and shop for crystals, oils, meditation cushions and more.
Bike for a good cause in Ottawa
The CN Cycle for CHEO fundraiser takes to Ottawa’s streets on Sunday, May 3, with 15K, 35K, 70K and 95K cycling routes, as well as 2K and 5K walks. They all start at LeBreton Flats Park and go along the Ottawa River; the longer routes also take riders along the Rideau Canal and through the Experimental Farm. (The 95K Century Ride also goes into Gatineau.) Proceeds will support the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario.
Enjoy Ladies’ Night in Brockville
Ladies’ Night is a bit of a misnomer. While Ladies’ Night: Friends Edition kicks off with VIP activities on Friday night, you can collect event passport stamps at local businesses—which make you eligible for prizes—throughout the weekend (May 1 to 3).
Get creative at a paint party in Dunvegan
The Dunvegan Pioneer Museum is sponsoring a paint party night at the Dunvegan Recreation Hall on Thursday, April 30. Enjoy step-by-step instruction from artist Lorie Brown. Materials, snacks and refreshments are included.
Cheer at a soccer game at TD Place
Ottawa Rapid FC women’s soccer club plays its season home opener against Calgary Wild FC at TD Place on Saturday, May 2.
Browse for stamps in Nepean
Attention, philatelists: ORAPEX 2026 is a big exhibition of collectible stamps with dozens of vendors on hand. It’s happening at the Nepean Sportsplex on May 2 and 3, and admission and parking are free.
Learn about bird names in Ottawa
Lots of bird species are named after researchers, scientists, famous birders and other humans. Who is honoured with a namesake bird? Who decides? How does the name of a species affect conservation efforts? And if a bird is named for someone with a less-than-stellar reputation, should the name change? These are the sorts of questions raised and analyzed in the documentary Bird Names. On Thursday, April 30, you can attend a screening of the film at the Royal Canadian Geographical Society headquarters in Ottawa, followed by a Q&A with director Aliya Jasmine and others involved in making the movie. Admission is pay what you can.
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.
