59+ fun things to do in and around Ottawa, June 8 to 14

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This week’s calendar of events offers nothing if not variety! You can dance under the stars in Balderson or dress up like a James Joyce character in Lowertown. You can delve into Filipino or Cuban culture in Ottawa, or learn to make a mandala in Dunvegan. Volleyball, cheese, a pow wow, three barn dances, two Art in the Park events and a garden tour are also on the agenda. Heck, I’ll even tell you where you can play bingo while dressed as ’70s sitcom character Mrs. Roper! Read on for details on these events and many, many others.

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Shop for a good cause in Almonte or Brockville

The Ontario SPCA Leeds and Grenville Community Thrift Sale is a fundraiser for the organization’s animal centre. Come browse for bargains on Saturday, June 13, at St. Lawrence Anglican Church in Brockville.

More than 30 local vendors will be on hand at the Mindful Market at the Almonte Old Town Hall on Sunday, June 14. Shop for candles, soaps, gems, baked goods and more at this fundraiser for the Royal Ottawa Hospital’s mental health and addictions initiatives.

Dance for a good cause in Maberly

The Alzheimer’s Benefit Dance at the ABC Hall in Maberly on Saturday, June 13, will feature live music by Average Height.

Watch dogs jump in Renfrew

I dunno—there’s just something about the whole idea of dock jumping that makes me smile every time news of it crosses my desk. The concept is simple: set up a long pool of water with a dock at one end, entice dogs to jump off the dock (it probably doesn’t take much, actually) and then give prizes to the dogs that leap the farthest. There’s a whole circuit of these events across Eastern Ontario every summer; the 2026 dock jumping season kicks off with an event in Renfrew on June 13 and 14. The video above gives you some idea of what to expect.

Thrill to a circus in Gatineau

Le Nouveau Cirque Mondial bills itself as a “100% human” circus. That means lots of acrobats and other skilled performers entertaining audiences with feats of derring-do. The circus will be welcoming fans to its big tent in the parking lot of Les Promenades Gatineau for 18 shows between June 11 and 21.

Go to a sock hop in Cornwall

The Cornwall Community Museum is kicking off its 70th anniversary celebrations with a ’50s and ’60s Sock Hop on Saturday, June 13, at the RCAFA Wing. Dust off those poodle skirts and leather jackets and dance the night away to classic rock ‘n’ roll played by The Fabulous Heartbeats. There will be dance and costume prizes, a jitterbug competition, a hula hoop contest, pizza and more. All funds raised will support the Cornwall Community Museum.

Celebrate world cultures in Ottawa and Aylmer

The world is coming to the National Capital Region this week, with a European fair, Italian Week, a Filipino celebration and two Latino festivals.

There’s so much packed into the Ottawa Italian Week Festival that the event actually lasts 11 days (June 11 to 21). There is a grand opening flag-raising at Ottawa City Hall on Thursday, June 11, but many of the other events are centered on Preston Street in the heart of Little Italy. They include live music, culinary masterclasses at Klas Studio (various dates), a walking tour and a bike race (Sunday, June 14). Here’s the full schedule.

HOLA Festival Latino (June 12 to 14) is one of the region’s largest Latin American festivals. You can hear lots of live music, dance, check out a vendors’ market, eat Latin American foods and more—and admission is free. It’s taking place at Parc des Cèdres in Aylmer.

Fiesta Cubana Fest at Lansdowne Park (June 12 and 13) promises lots of dance workshops, festive food and drink, and live music. A variety of tickets and passes are available, and they’re cheaper if you get them in advance online than if you buy them at the door.

The European Union Cultural Fair is taking place on Saturday, June 13, at the Canadian Museum of Nature. From 11am to 4pm, you can enjoy dance performances, European foods, live music and interactive workshops.

And Fiesta Extravaganza (June 13 and 14) is a weekend-long festival of Filipino music, art, dance and food. It’s happening at Ottawa’s Cohere Centre (formerly the EY Centre).

Take a garden tour in Westport

During the Friends of Westport Library Garden Tour on Saturday, June 13, you can visit up to 10 gardens in the Westport area, then end your tour with a strawberry social in one of the featured gardens in the heart of Westport.

Do yoga at the RA Centre

City of Om is a weekend-long health and wellness festival (June 12 to 14) at the RA Centre in Ottawa. Choose from more than 50 yoga and fitness classes and workshops, as well as a fun run and more.

Play Mrs. Roper’s bingo in Carleton Place

Now here’s something you don’t see every day: Final Score Sports Bar in Carleton Place is hosting an event called Mrs. Roper’s Romp Bingo on Saturday, June 13. For those of you who didn’t live through the ’70s, Mrs. Roper was the caftan-wearing landlord on the sitcom Three’s Company. She’s had an inexplicable but hilarious renaissance in recent years, to the point where you can even order complete Mrs. Roper costumes online. Costumes are encouraged but not essential for this bingo night, which will also include an appetizer buffet, prizes, a silent auction and karaoke.

Learn about Indigenous quillwork in Hull

Have you ever wondered how Indigenous quillwork is made? On Sunday, June 14, you’ll have the chance to make a quillwork item to bring home during a drop-in workshop at the Canadian Museum of History in Hull. The bilingual workshop is included with museum admission.

Chomp on cheese in Peterborough

Attention, connoisseurs of cheesy comestibles: It’s a bit of a drive from Ottawa, but the Great Canadian Cheese Festival does claim to be Canada’s biggest cheese festival! It’s taking place in Peterborough on June 13 and 14. As well as sampling and buying cheeses from dozens of Canadian makers, you can attend tutored tastings, enjoy live music and more.

Head to a free barbecue in Stittsville

The Stittsville District Lions Club is hosting a free Community Connections Barbecue for its neighbours on Saturday, June 13. As well as grilled goodies, there will be lots of family-friendly outdoor games and activities, including the chance to meet miniature ponies and pose for photos with them.

Enjoy music by the water in Battersea

Beats by the Beach is a popular, family-friendly event in Battersea, northeast of Kingston. This year, the Goodnight Irenes will be providing the live music, and families can enjoy face painting, yard games, crafts and treats. It’s all happening on Saturday, June 13, from 1pm to 3pm at Gilmour’s Point.

Cheer for men’s volleyball players at TD Place

The Arena at TD Place will be hosting games in the Volleyball Nations League from June 10 to 14. See men’s teams from Canada, France, Italy, Germany, Türkiye and the United States compete for top honours in one of the world’s leading volleyball tournaments.

Shop for quilts in Blackburn Hamlet

The Common Thread Quilt Guild is having its biennial Quilt Show at the Lois Kemp Arena in Blackburn Hamlet on June 12 and 13. Visitors can shop for quilts of all sorts, from traditional to modern, in all sorts of sizes. You can also buy quilting supplies, enter draws, and enjoy light refreshments from the cash-only café. Admission is $12, online or at the door. Parking is free.

Enjoy a summer social in Carleton Place

In the early evening of Saturday, June 13, the Carleton Place Summer Social is coming to the Carleton Junction festival spot. The fun will include live music by Bryan Adams tribute act Reckless Fire, lawn games, and a cash barbecue to support Beckwith Judo.

Have some outdoor fun in Manotick

The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority is marking its 60th anniversary with a free Community Day in Manotick on Saturday, June 13. Fun on the agenda at the family-friendly event will include raptor shows, a forestry talk, and conservation themed-games and challenges. Hands-on activities will help visitors understand how a weather station works, how floodwaters respond to changing landscapes, and more. There will be a native plant and tree sale, too.

Make a mandala in Dunvegan

The Glengarry Pioneer Museum in Dunvegan is hosting a mandala-making workshop on Saturday, June 13. Participants will learn to create mandalas using gel pens. Advance registration required.

Head to a garage sale in Ottawa or Alexandria

If you’re keen to check out a community-wide garage sale, do it this weekend! Otherwise, as far as I’ve been able to determine, your next chance to go to one will be in September. This weekend, you can hunt for treasures at community-wide sales in Alta Vista, Carp and Alexandria, as well as one-street sale in Vanier. My garage sales post has all the details.

Appreciate the stars in Balderson and Erinsville

Near the night of the new moon each month, weather permitting, the Lennox and Addington County Dark Sky Viewing Area offers a free Laser-Guided Stargazing Tour on Friday and Saturday nights. Each tour starts about an hour after dusk and lasts approximately 90 minutes. You’ll get a laser-guided tour of the night sky and perhaps peek through a telescope. The next tour nights are June 12 and 13. Even though the tour is free, you should go online to reserve a spot if you’re interested. The viewing area is in Erinsville, just south of where Highway 7 intersects with Highway 41 in Kaladar, Ontario.

Closer to Ottawa, you can learn some new salsa, merengue and bachata moves during Latin Night Under the Stars in Balderson (not far from Perth). It’s a fundraiser for the not-for-profit WBFIT Indigenous Centre. Music will be provided by the Sabor Internacional Live Band, and DJ Mendez and DJ Cayo! Refreshments, snacks and more will be sold onsite at this family-friendly, alcohol- and drug-free event. The evening will begin with traditional drumming and song.

Go to a pow wow in Smiths Falls

The Spirit of the Drum Pow Wow returns to Smiths Falls on June 13 and 14, with two days of Indigenous dancing, drumming and singing. Each day begins with a grand entry. It’s all happening at Duck Island (40 Abbott Street North).

Shop for craft supplies in Kanata

The Great Ottawa Markets Collective Destash Craft Overstock & Food Market is returning to the Bell Sensplex in Kanata on Saturday, June 13. Billed as “a garage sale for makers, by makers,” it’s a place to shop for crafting tools, fabric, notions, cake-decorating tools, beads, molds, and Cricut, scrapbooking and jewelry supplies—basically, anything you might need for any sort of craft. Food will be available, and parking and admission are free. The organizers are collecting non-perishable food items for the Kanata Food Cupboard.

Take a plant walk in a Hull cemetery

Local herbalist and botanical expert Amber Westfall of The Wild Garden is leading a plant walk called Life Among the Stones at the St. James Cemetery in Hull on Sunday, June 14. She’ll encourage participants to slow down, look closely and discover the natural beauty growing among the gravestones. The walk is free but donations are appreciated.

Kick up your heels in Carp, Metcalfe or Spencerville

The Carp Fair is hosting a Barn Dance with live music by The Riley New Band on Friday, June 12, at the Carp Fairgrounds. Doors open at 8pm and the TNT food truck will be on hand. There’s also a cash bar.

You can also go to a Barn Dance on Saturday, June 13, at the Metcalfe Fairgrounds. Eastbound of Bytown will be playing classic and country hits. That same night, about an hour south of Ottawa, DJ Rob McFadzen will be spinning ’80s, ’90s and early 2000s country throwbacks at the Spencerville Agricultural Society’s Barn Dance.

Try new beers in Kingston

At the YGK Craft Beer Fest at Fort Henry National Historic Site in Kingston (Saturday, June 13), you can check out over 20 beverage makers, lots of food and artisan stalls, and a packed slate of live music.

Celebrate Bloomsday in Lowertown

Bloomsday is a literary celebration that originated in Dublin and celebrates James Joyce’s novel Ulysses. It has since become a global festival observed by Joyce fans everywhere. In honour of the occasion, the Ottawa Celtic Choir has teamed up with the James Joyce Association of Ottawa to present a celebration of Joyce’s works in spoken word and in song. Songs and Stories of Dublin is taking place at the St. Bridgid’s Centre for the Arts in Lowertown on Saturday, June 13. Your ticket includes a drink from St. Bridgid’s Well, the pub in the centre’s basement. Edwardian costumes are encouraged and there will be a prize for the best outfit.

Head to a shopping soirée in Perth

The Dusty Rose Boutique in Perth is hosting its 12th annual Sunset Soirée Girls Night Out on Friday, June 12, from 5pm to 9pm. This fundraiser for Lanark County Interval House will include a raffle, giveaways, sales and swag bags (those bags are for the first 20 purchases over $25). Snacks and mocktails will add to the festive atmosphere.

Enjoy live music in Osgoode or Mallorytown

On Saturday, June 13, Osgoode PorchFest is a family-friendly, community-wide festival in the small community in rural Ottawa. You can choose from 75 musical acts performing at 25 locations across the village, and you can enjoy a block party, food trucks, kids’ activities and an after-party, too.

Six country acts are on the schedule at the 1000 Islands Country Fest at Happy Acres Campground in Mallorytown (June 12 and 13).

Looking for more live music suggestions? Check out my big list of concerts throughout our region.

Go to a car show in Gananoque

The Gananoque Lions Club is hosting a vintage car show, the 1000 Islands Cruise-In, on Saturday, June 13, from 9am to 2pm. You can enjoy a barbecue and try your luck in a draw, as well as admire the classic autos. It’s all happening at the Lou Jeffries Centre, 600 King Street East. Proceeds go to charity.

Head to Petawawa for Civic Centre Days

There’s tons of fun happening in Petawawa this weekend during Civic Centre Days (June 11 to 14). Enjoy a midway, pickleball, Pride celebrations, a mindfulness forest retreat, a wrestling show, bouncy castles, a craft beer festival, bingo, an ATV ride and much more.

Enjoy a night market in Smiths Falls

On Saturday, June 13, the outdoor Smiths Falls Night Market will take place from 5pm to 10pm. Shop for items by local artisans and vendors, nosh on food truck treats and enjoy live music. There will be a fire-truck pull, a mini curling rink and other fun, too.

Browse for books in Osgoode

The Osgoode Community Museum’s Jane Austen Tea on Saturday, June 13, is sold out, but you can still indulge your love of all things literary at the museum’s first-even Bookish Market, happening the same day. Shop for books and book-related items, as well as artisans’ products, crafts and more. For an extra fee, you can also attend a bookmark-making workshop.

See a play all over

This is opening weekend for Ottawa Little Theatre’s production of the D-Day drama Pressure (coincidentally, a movie version of the story is in theatres now). This week is also your last chance to catch the musical Once at the Gladstone Theatre or a French-language version of Macbeth at the NAC, as both are closing this week. Continuing shows include Very Heaven in Kingston and Danny & Delilah in Morrisburg. For details on these and many other plays, check out my theatre post.

Celebrate Pride in Petawawa, Renfrew or Kingston

Pride festivals continue across the province this week. Near Ottawa, you can check out live entertainment, food vendors and more during Petawawa Pride on Friday, June 12; attend a Pride picnic and a Colour Fun Run/Walk/Roll during Renfrew Pride on Saturday, June 13; or choose from all sorts of events—including drag bingo, “queer-eoke” and a Pride parade—during Kingston Pride (June 6 to 14).

Check out cool murals in Montreal

During the Montreal Mural Festival (June 4 to 14), artists will be painting new murals over many of the enormous outdoor artworks created for previous festivals. You can watch them at work and admire their new creations, and enjoy live music, DJ shows and block parties—for free! The action all happens along St. Laurent Boulevard. The video above is from 2023, but it gives you some idea of what you can expect.

Go for a ride, run or walk in Ottawa

The Navy Bike Ride takes to the streets of Ottawa on Saturday, June 13. The non-competitive event invites cyclists, runners and walkers to complete a 5K event (cyclists can do the 5K loop as many times as they like). The run/walk starts at 8:30am, while the ride starts at 10am. There’s also a Family Ride, starting at noon. Everyone will leave from Hog’s Back Park (600 Hog’s Back Road).

Shop for textiles and art in Picton

Gather in the County (Saturday, June 13) is an indoor/outdoor market at the Crystal Palace in Picton, in Prince Edward County. Vendors will include more than 90 textile makers, indie dyers, artists, collectors and community guilds, so visitors will be able to shop for a wide range of handmade and vintage textile items and supplies.

Enjoy francophone music in Ottawa or Montreal

The Festival Franco-Ontarien in Ottawa’s Major’s Hill Park (June 11 to 13) features an eclectic program of francophone musical acts from across Canada and overseas.

Les Francos de Montréal (June 12 to 20) is one of the largest festivals of francophone music in the world. With more than 100 indoor and outdoor concerts scattered across downtown Montreal (many of them free), it’s like a huge buffet of French music—you’re almost certain to find something to your taste, as just about every imaginable genre is represented.

Meet artists and buy pieces in the Glebe and Wakefield

One Art in the Park event is coming to Central Park in the Glebe on June 13 and 14. More than 170 artists and artisans will be setting up shop in the park between Bank and O’Connor streets, from 10am to 5pm. There will be food vendors and kids’ activities, too, and the event is pet friendly. Free admission.

A second and unrelated Art in the Park event is happening in Wakefield on Sunday, June 14. This monthly event, organized by the 100 Mile Arts Network, showcases artists and musicians from across the Outaouais. It has moved to a new location this year: the front lawn of the Centre Wakefield La Pêche. (It will move inside the centre in case of rain.)

Enjoy afternoon tea in Stirling

If your travels are taking you as far as Stirling, north of Belleville, you can enjoy afternoon tea—complete with a door prize and a silent auction—at Farmtown Park in Heritage Village on Saturday, June 13.

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.