57+ fun events in and around Ottawa, July 20 to 26

928

If variety is the spice of life, our region is smokin’ hot this week, with a festival, show or market for just about everyone. You can watch leaping dogs, go to vegan or Caribbean fashion shows, take a weaving workshop, learn K-pop dance moves, catch Trooper (remember them?) in concert, sip craft beers, or put your literary trivia knowledge to the test. And those are just a few of the close to 60 events I’ve found for you!

As always, please check the links provided before heading out, as bad weather or other unforeseen calamities can lead to rescheduling.

Table of contents

Enjoy art events in Almonte, Smiths Falls and Renfrew

The Bloomfest Garden Art Show and Sale continues at the Whitehouse Nursery and Display Gardens outside Almonte until July 26. Works by 21 artists will be on display throughout the nursery’s display gardens, which include beds of daylilies in full bloom.

During the 2026 Big Art Walk on Saturday, July 25, you can see 25 artists at work, enjoy live musical performances, and check out an epic live chalk art in downtown Smiths Falls from 10am to 4pm. A $10 ticket entitles you to a reusable cloth tote bag featuring artwork from this year’s banner artists, three cards featuring local art, entry into a grand prize draw, discounts at local restaurants and two free refreshments. The art walk is being presented in conjunction with the Smiths Falls Heritage House Museum’s Rideau Artist of the Year event.

Also on Saturday, July 25, Art Factory in Renfrew is hosting a free Art Fair from 9am to 4pm. Artists from Renfrew County and beyond will be showing their works for sale.

Admire cool cars at Lansdowne Park

If flashy vehicles get your motor runnin’, drop by Lansdowne Park on Saturday, July 25, for Cars and Coffee Ottawa. From 10am to 3pm, owners will be displaying their prized wheels in this fundraiser for the OSEG Foundation, which supports youth and community sports. If you can’t make it this week, the event will be back at Lansdowne for a day in mid-August.

Celebrate world cultures in Orléans, Nepean and Montreal

Ottawa is playing host to two different Caribbean festivals from July 24 to 26. Caravibe is bringing Caribbean music and flavours to various locations, including Mexi’s Orléans, and Skate and Play/Exit Lounge on Baxter Road. Not to be outdone, the Afro-Caribbean Kinkolé Festival will be lighting up Britannia Park with live music, Caribbean cuisine, a vendors’ market, fashion shows, kids’ activities and more.

On Saturday, July 25, the Ottawa Kondattam Tamil Feast at Clarke Fields Park in Barrhaven is an all-day Tamil cultural festival featuring food, music, dance, a vendors’ market, kids’ activities and more.

Also this week, Montreal is celebrating all things Haitian at Haiti en folie (July 23 to 27). Programming includes a food fair, panel discussions, movies and lots of live music.

Enjoy HerbFest in White Lake

HerbFest (formerly the Ottawa Valley Midsummer Herbfest) comes to the Waba Cottage Museum and Gardens (24 Museum Road, White Lake) on Sunday, July 26, from 10am to 3pm. Along with the shorter name, the festival is reorienting itself a bit to become more of a family destination, with bouncy castles and kids’ games and activities. But you can still browse the wares of more than 50 local vendors, and there will be live music, food and a beer garden, too. Free admission. Accessible parking and an accessible washroom are available.

Shop for all things vegan in Ottawa

VegOttawa Fest is a celebration of all things vegan. It’s coming to the Ottawa Conference and Event Centre on Coventry Road on Saturday, July 25. Along with a vendors’ market, the festival will feature speakers, a fashion show, bingo, kids’ activities, live music and more. Free admission.

Learn about weaving in Middleville

The Middleville and District Museum is hosting a three-hour weaving workshop on Saturday, July 25. The $20 registration fee includes a light lunch, and the workshop starts at 10am. As of early on July 20, five spots were still available.

Get literary in Ottawa, Brockville and Kingston

Kingston kicks off a fun week for book lovers with a free night of literary trivia at Something in the Water brewpub on Wednesday, July 22. The event is sponsored by Kingston WritersFest, which happens in early October.

On Friday, July 24, Cover to Cover bookstore in Brockville is hosting a Black Out Poetry Night. Using pages of old books, participants will black out certain words to reveal a hidden poem. All materials will be supplied.

The Friends of the Ottawa Public Library Association is holding its monthly mammoth book sale at the James Bartleman Archives and Library Materials Centre in Nepean on Saturday, July 25. Thousands of gently used books, CDs and DVDs will be available at good prices. The focus this month is on DVDs, which will be available for three for $5 (or as marked).

Go to a market in Ottawa, Spencerville or Brockville

On Tuesday, July 21, you can browse for unique products at the Twilight Tuesday Makers Market in Brockville. Taking place at the south entrance of the Brockville Railway Tunnel, the monthly event showcases artisans, bakers, crafters and other creative types. Food and beverage vendors will be on hand, and there will be live music, too.

This month’s edition of the Canterbury Night Market is happening outdoors on Thursday, July 23, at the Canterbury Community Centre (2185 Arch Street) in Ottawa’s Alta Vista neighbourhood. Browse for fruits, veggies, sweets and more, from 4pm to 8pm.

From July 24 to 26, the Capital City Summer Market and Small Business Showcase at Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Ottawa will offer the chance to browse for art, clothing, home décor, specialty foods and beverages, and products handmade by local artisans.

And on Sunday, July 26, the Spencerville Summer Market will be offering produce and artisanal products by local makers at 22 Sloan Street in Spencerville from 10am to 3pm. Proceeds will support the South Grenville Food Bank.

Cheer for leaping dogs in Newburgh

Canine Watersports Canada will be at Hollow Square in Newburgh (northeast of Napanee) from July 24 to 26, so you can head there to see joyful dogs leaping into water in pursuit of tossed objects. Honestly, I love the idea of this sport SO MUCH.

Kick back at a community festival in South Mountain or Alexandria

Two more of the popular Meet Me on Main Street community festivals are happening this week. On Wednesday, July 22, it’s South Mountain’s turn, with festivities at Rick Cauvier Memorial Park.

At the Meet Me on Main Street event in Alexandria on Thursday, July 23, you can enjoy outdoor seating, music by The Ceilidh Drovers and a cash bar, and check out local businesses (they’ll be open late for the occasion).

Chow down on barbecue in Cornwall

At the Cornwall Ribfest (July 23 to 26), five different ribbers are expected to be on hand, tempting visitors with juicy barbecue. There will also be lots of other food vendors, as well as a beer garden, live music, a midway and kids’ activities. The festival takes place in Lamoureux Park (100 Water Street East, Cornwall). Free admission.

Looking for more ribfests to check out this summer and fall? Check out my list of barbecue events around the region.

See a military tattoo in Kingston

In Kingston, the Fort Henry Annual Tattoo (Saturday, July 25) usually attracts a large and enthusiastic audience. You need tickets for this one, and the organizers advise buying them in advance to avoid disappointment (balcony tickets are already sold out). This event also features massed military bands (fife, brass, pipes and drums) and adds a fireworks show to the mix.

Pick up new dance moves at Zibi and on Parliament Hill

Dance at Zibi is a series of free monthly dance lessons at Zibi on Albert Island (28 Booth Street, just north of the Canadian War Museum). The outdoor, one-hour lessons are presented by the National Arts Centre. During this week’s class on Thursday, July 23, you can learn K-Pop dance moves from Synaptik Dance Crew. (Note that on-site parking is limited.)

On Saturday, July 25, you can time travel back to the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s during Swing on the Hill. Open to dancers of all ages and experience, the free event will include lessons for solo and partner dancers, as well as lots of social dancing to DJ music. It runs from 3pm to 7:30pm.

Go to a classical concert in Ottawa or Prince Edward County

Ottawa Chamberfest runs from July 23 to August 2. Scattered across 11 locations in Ottawa, the festival offers everything from a chamber song series written by Elvis Costello to yoga, for children, and opera. On Sunday, August 2, there will be a free outdoor finale at Club SAW.

Classical music fans can also check out Music at Port Milford (July 19 to August 2). This combined festival and youth summer school presents chamber music concerts on Saturday nights at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Picton and free Sunday student concerts in various locales around The County.

Discover a historic site

Some 400 historic sites across Canada are participating in Historic Places Days (July 11 to 25). Some sites have events scheduled, while others are simply offering a special invitation to come check them out. Click on the “places” tab in the link above to find sites near you participating in the day. The Vanier Museopark, the Bytown Museum and Laurier House are among the participating sites in Ottawa. Further afield, they include the Spencerville Mill and Museum, Manoir Papineau in Montebello, and the L’Orignal Old Jail.

Celebrate Pride in Stittsville

Out in the Park is a celebration for the LGBTQ community and allies at Alexander Grove Park in Stittsville on Saturday, July 25. Running from 11am to 4pm, the event by West Side Pride will include a community fair, live entertainment and other fun.

Head to a game at TD Place

Sports fans, here are two games for you at TD Place at Lansdowne Park: You can cheer for the Ottawa BlackJacks men’s basketball team as they take on the Scarborough Shooting Stars on Wednesday, July 22, and for men’s soccer team Atlético Ottawa when they play Pacific FC on Sunday, July 26.

Enjoy plays in Pembroke, Maitland, Kingston and elsewhere

Several productions are opening in our region this weekend. This weekend is your only chance to catch the 10-Minute Play Festival at the Ron Maslin Playhouse in Kanata. In Strathcona Park in Sandy Hill, it’s opening week for Odyssey Theatre’s sharp-witted comedy Mirandolina. The St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival is launching its production of Macbeth at the Tower, a walk-about production of Shakespeare’s Scottish tragedy, in Maitland. And in Pembroke, it’s opening night for Stone Fence Theatre’s 2026 production, If You Don’t Know, You Wilno! The musical highlights Wilno’s famous chicken supper and goings-on at the village’s community hub, the Wilno Tavern.

Other shows continuing in the region include A Midsummer Night’s Dream in various local parks, The Beaver Club in Morrisburg, R+J and Joni in Prescott and Grease in Gananoque. You can learn more about these and many other plays in my theatre post.

Also in theatre news: The Kick and Push Festival in Kingston brings innovative, interactive shows to theatres and more unusual venues across the Limestone City. This year, it will see performances of Le Concierge (The Caretaker) at Le Centre Culturel Frontenac from July 23 to 28. That will be followed by the TK Fringe Festival at the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning (August 6 to 16), which will feature multiple productions.

Dance at a summer party in Gatineau

Gatineau’s Festival Parasol (July 16 to 26) wraps up this weekend, with craft beer, loads of food, pedal boats, dance lessons, and endless tunes spun by DJs and played live. Saturday afternoon will be aimed particularly at families. It’s all happening at the Hôtel-Casino du Lac-Leamy.

Have a doggone good time in Gananoque

What dog doesn’t love a road trip? Here’s an outing that’s perfect for pooches: the Thousand Islands Bark Bash (Saturday, July 25, 10am to 3pm), which brings canines and their human companions together to browse for doggie goodies from a range of vendors, see demonstrations and learn about rescue dogs looking for new homes. It’s happening in Gananoque Town Park, at the corner of King Street East and Park Street, and admission is free.

Sip drinks in Manor Park, Almonte and Belleville

The Almonte Craft Beer Fest returns to the grounds of the Almonte Old Town Hall on the evening of Friday, July 24. Nine beverage makers (including wine and spirits makers, as well as brewers) will be on hand. You can also enjoy non-alcoholic mocktails from The Sip Stand, food from local companies, and live music by opening act Jones-Finn and headliners Sussex. Tickets are limited, so you might want to buy yours in advance online.

Pints in the Park (Saturday, July 25) is a neighbourhood celebration at the Manor Park Community Centre in Ottawa. You can nosh on food and beverages from local brewers and restaurants, shop from local vendors, and enjoy live music from 2pm to 7pm.

And if you happen to be in Belleville on Saturday, July 25, you can sample lots of non-alcoholic beverages and vote for your favourite during the Savour the Sips event, from noon to 3pm.

Delight in sunflowers near Napanee

Wynn Farms—located on the Loyalist Parkway, about 20 minutes south of Napanee—is holding a Sunflower Festival on select weekends in July and August, including July 25 and 26. Admission includes a Kawartha Dairy ice cream cone, along with face painting, a bouncy castle, a colouring contest, and the chance to explore the sunflower field and pick your own bouquet.

Catch a music festival in Palmer Rapids or on Howe Island

The Palmer Rapids Twin Music Festival (July 23 to 26) bills itself as two festivals—country and bluegrass—in one, on the banks of the Madawaska River south of Barry’s Bay. And you can camp there, too. The festival site is at 937A Cedar Grove Road in Palmer Rapids.

On Saturday, July 25, the Howe Island Rockin the Rock festival brings six acts to Howe Island, which is about 20 kilometres east of Kingston. The music starts at 3pm. (You can reach the island via a ferry ride that usually takes less than five minutes.)

Head to a fair in Delta

The fun at the Delta Fair (July 23 to 26) includes truck and tractor pulls, live music, a baby show, a teddy bears’ picnic, lawn mower races, craft and agricultural competitions, a midway, and lots more.

Stroll the Bridge Street SummerFest in Carleton Place

A half-kilometre downtown stretch of Bridge Street in Carleton Place will likely be packed with visitors, musicians and food vendors during the lively Bridge Street SummerFest. It’s free, it’s family friendly and it’s happening from 10am to 3pm on Saturday, July 25.

Applaud ballet and more in Saint-Sauveur

The Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur (July 22 to August 2) is a multidisciplinary arts festival in the Laurentians featuring a diverse selection of dance and musical performances. Performances will include lots of ballet, a performance by Australian circus troupe Circa and a concert by Montreal’s Orchestre Métropolitain.

See Trooper in Ottawa

Do you want to raise a little hell, raise a little hell, raise a little hell? If you’re old enough to get that reference, you may just be interested in seeing Trooper live. The ’80s CanCon staples are coming to the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Ottawa on Friday, July 24.

Cast a line in Brockville

Anglers, bring your boat (or rent one there) to join the Paul Gill Memorial Fishing Derby in Brockville on Saturday, July 25. The fundraiser in the waters off Hardy Park will raise money for local sports programs. And on shore, a vendor village, bouncy castles, food vendors, a balloon artist, princesses and more will keep the whole family entertained from 10am to 2pm.

Catch a movie outdoors in Ottawa or Smiths Falls

At TD Place at Lansdowne Park, you can enjoy a free outdoor screening of The Tiger’s Apprentice on Thursday, July 23. That same night, Smiths Falls’ free series of family movies in Centennial Park (under the water tower) continues with Hoppers. (Hoppers must be a hot ticket, because it’s also being screened outside the Canterbury Community Centre in Alta Vista on Saturday, July 25.)

And Capital Pop-Up Cinema is offering two shows this weekend: The Little Rascals in the parking lot beside the Churchill Seniors Recreation Centre on Friday, July 24; and (postponed from last week), Romeo + Juliet at Beechwood Cemetery on Saturday, July 25.

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.)

• July 30 to August 1: Les FestivILES, Gananoque
• July 30 to August 1: Baitfuel Thousand Islands Open, Kingston (fishing derby)
• July 31 to August 1: Glengarry Highland Games, Maxville
• August 1 to 16: Water and Dirt Festival, Renfrew County
• August 7 to 9: Ottawa International Busker Fest
• August 7 to 9: Twist Fibre Festival, Saint-André-Avellin
• August 7 to 9: 1000 Islands Kingston Poker Run
• August 8 and 9: Puppets Up!, Almonte
• August 13 to 23: Ottawa Greek Festival
• August 14 and 15: Ottawa Valley Buskerfest, Pembroke
• August 22 to 30: Capital Pride, Ottawa
• August 28 to 30: Upper Gatineau Whitewater Festival, Maniwaki
• August 30: Tour de Bonnechere, Eganville
• September 2 to 6: Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival
• September 10 to 12: Big River Country Festival, Mallorytown
• September 12 and 13: Fibrefest, Almonte
• September 16 to 20: CityFolk, Ottawa

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.