55+ cool events in and around Ottawa, July 13 to 19

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Country fairs, classic car shows, dragon boat races, lavender festivals, plays and more are coming up in Ottawa, the Outaouais and Eastern Ontario this weekend. And good news for anyone on a budget (isn’t that just about all of us, these days?): quite a few events are free or pay what you can, including a Latin dance class in Ottawa, a music festival in Perth, an RCMP Musical Ride performance in Napanee, a multicultural festival in Pembroke, and outdoor family movie screenings in Ottawa and Dunvegan. I hope this list inspires a road trip or two!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Have fun at a Lebanese festival in Ottawa

Ottawa’s Lebanese community is celebrating its heritage during the Ottawa Lebanese Festival (July 15 to 19) at the St. Elias Cathedral near Mooney’s Bay. Visitors can enjoy a midway; eat falafel, shawarma and other treats; and see dancers, musicians, cultural displays and more. There’s a free shuttle service from the parking lots at Canada Post headquarters and Brookfield High School daily after 4pm. Admission to the festival is free if you arrive at the site before 5pm on any day, and it’s also free for CAA members all day on Wednesday, July 15.

Check out a Rideau Canal celebration in Portland

The Rideau Canal Nautical Heritage Festival (July 18 and 19) is a brand-new event in Portland. Organized to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the the Rideau Canal’s groundbreaking, it will feature an antique small boat display, a vendors’ market, guided tours via pontoon boat and voyageur canoe, book signings, a flotilla, a film screening, and more.

Raise a glass in Vanier

The Vanier Museopark is hosting its second Beers and Bites event of the summer on Thursday, July 16. Each month, it pairs beers from a local craft brewery with nibbles by a local chef—in this case, drinks from Brauwerk Hoffman Rockland with appetizers by caterer Le St-Estèphe. Tickets are $35, and the event runs from 6pm to 8pm. Open to attendees of legal drinking age only.

Enjoy country tunes in Shawville

Naturally enough, country tunes are the star attraction at the Shawville Lions Country Jamboree (July 16 to 19) in West Quebec’s Pontiac region. Performers will include Unwound, Jennifer Smith, Phil Denault, and the Plager Boys.

Get romantic at the Parkdale Market

Ottawa’s Parkdale Market is hosting its second annual Summer Romance Book Market on Saturday, July 18, from 10am to 4pm. Meet romance authors, shop for new and used romance novels, and browse for romantic gifts.

Go to a gallery vernissage in Carleton Place

Works by a dozen printmakers are featured in a new show called Inked and Pressed at the Carleton Place Gallery. The show opens on Saturday, July 18, and you can meet some of the artists at a vernissage on Sunday, July 19, from 1pm to 4pm.

Applaud the RCMP Musical Ride in Napanee

The RCMP Musical Ride will be giving one of its famous equestrian performances, choreographed to music, at the Napanee Fairgrounds on Thursday, July 16. The show starts at 7pm, but the barn will also be open all day to anyone who wants to visit the horses. Donations to offset the cost of the event are welcome.

Head to a fair in Avonmore or Lansdowne

From July 16 to 19, the Lansdowne Fair (in the Eastern Ontario town, not the Ottawa park) will be offering a demolition derby and a midway, along with activities as diverse as sheep shearing, cow chip bingo, chainsaw carving, and a concert by country artist Abby Stewart.

This weekend, you can also check out the Avonmore Fair (July 18 and 19), where the amusements include livestock shows, live music, dancing tractors, a petting zoo, Nerf wars, line dancing and bouncy castles. (If you like summer and fall fairs, don’t forget to check out my fairs list.)

See a play in Ottawa, Prescott, Morrisburg, Gananoque or Bancroft

The St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival in Prescott kicks off this week with R&J and Joni, a world-premiere musical adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. Continuing this week are a comedy called The Beaver Club at the Upper Canada Playhouse in Morrisburg; the musical Grease at the Thousand Islands Playhouse in Gananoque; and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in Bancroft. You can also catch Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in five Ottawa parks and the Beechwood Cemetery. For details on these and many other plays on stages around the region, see my theatre post.

Shop for cool finds in Gatineau

Studio Crudo in Gatineau is hosting a Soirée Shop and Sip event on Thursday, July 16. Enjoy music, a mocktail and small bites while shopping for books, vinyls, CDs, movies, candles, sachets and more. Register for a free ticket online to be eligible for a gift or discount.

Gather ’round storytellers in Godfrey

S’more Stories (Saturday, July 18) is an early-evening event at Glendower Park in Godfrey, designed to bring cottagers and local residents together for some free family fun. Along with storytelling, there will be puppet shows, campfire songs, face painting, a craft station, a food truck, popcorn and, of course, s’mores. Godfrey is about 20 minutes southwest of Westport and about 45 minutes north of Kingston.

Admire classic vehicles in Westport or Stirling

Speaking of Westport: At the Westport Car Show on Saturday, July 18, you can see beautifully restored cars lovingly showcased by their proud owners. You can also check out fire trucks and antique tractors, watch demonstrations of airbrushing and other skills, test drive an electric vehicle, and enjoy live music by The Retro Kings. The video above, from last year’s event, gives you a taste of what you can expect.

If your travels take you to the Belleville area this week, you could check out Overalls and Whitewalls, a celebration of antique tractors and classic cars, at Farmtown Park in Stirling (northwest of Belleville) on Wednesday, June 15.

Meet an author in Eganville

The Bonnechere Authors Festival of weekly author readings continues at The Eagle’s Nest at the Eganville Arena (178 Jane Street, Eganville). You can hear Barbara Sibbald (July 13), Drew Hayden Taylor (July 20) and Steve Burrows (July 27). And there will be dessert, too! It’s a fundraiser for the Bonnechere Union Public Library.

Go to a market in Gloucester or Bourget

The Gloucester Night Market returns to the parking lot of the Earl Armstrong Arena on Ogilvie Road on Friday, July 17. Shop for unique items from local vendors in a laid-back atmosphere from 5pm to 9pm.

The Bourget Community Market on Saturday, July 18, will see vendors setting up their tables beside the Prescott-Russell Recreational Trail from 10am to 2pm.

Cheer at a game at TD Place

It’s a busy sports week at the Arena at TD Place, with Ottawa Rapid FC taking on Halifax Tides FC in women’s soccer on Thursday, July 16; the men’s soccer club Atlético Ottawa playing Inter Toronto FC on Friday, July 17; and the CFL’s Ottawa RedBlacks hosting the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Sunday, July 19.

Celebrate Pride in Cornwall

Diversity Cornwall Pride Week (July 12 to 19) features all sorts of fun, including a Queers and Beers night and a Sunday brunch. One of the biggest events will be a parade starting at 11am on Saturday, July 18.

Enjoy a summer party in Gatineau

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

Learn a new craft in Middleville or Dunvegan

The Middleville and District Museum is hosting a two-day workshop on natural dyeing techniques on July 18 and 19. The $30 registration fee for the whole two-day event seems like a steal, especially because it includes a light lunch each day! The workshops start at 10am.

The Glengarry Pioneer Museum in Dunvegan is offering two three-hour workshops this weekend: one on rug hooking on Saturday, July 18, and the other on card making on Sunday, July 19.

Discover a cool genre movie in Montreal

The Fantasia International Film Festival (July 16 to August 2) is a wide-ranging Montreal event that screens genre films from around the world, including science fiction, fantasy, thriller, comedy and horror movies. You might discover an indie gem you’d never find at your local multiplex.

Visit an Ontario park for free

Friday, July 17, is Healthy Parks Healthy People Day, and admission to all Ontario provincial parks is free that day! (You’ll still need to pay if you want to stay overnight.) It’s a great opportunity to discover a new-to-you park. To avoid disappointment, go online starting five days in advance to get your free vehicle pass.

Take a ghostly tour in Picton

On Friday nights in July and August (including July 17), you can take a spooky Graveyard and Gallows walking tour at Macaulay Heritage Park in Picton. See a tombstone featured in Ripley’s Believe It or Not, explore an 1884 courthouse and see other sites on this 90-minute outing.

Catch a multicultural festival in Pembroke

Delve into world cultures at Pembroke’s Multicultural Festival, taking place on Friday, July 17 (4pm to 8pm), and Saturday, July 18 (12pm to 8pm) at Pembroke Waterfront Park. The attractions will include workshops, a vendors’ market, international foods, and live music and other performances (there will be face painting, bouncy castles and other fun for little ones, too). Free admission.

Groove to a tribute show in Gatineau or Brockville

Attention, dancing queens: You can enjoy ABBA Celebration, a tribute show featuring lots of the Swedish bands big hits, at the Théâtre du Casino du Lac-Leamy in Gatineau on Wednesday, July 15.

Also on Wednesday, Taylor: A Tribute to the Eras of Taylor Swift is, as the name suggests, a tribute show featuring an international band and dancers. You can enjoy their versions of more than 20 Swift tunes at the Brockville Arts Centre.

Browse for art all over

The Bloomfest Garden Art Show and Sale is coming to Whitehouse Nursery and Display Gardens outside Almonte from July 17 to 26. Works by 21 artists will be on display throughout the nursery’s display gardens, which include beds of daylilies in full bloom.

Fantasy in the Forest (July 18 and 19) is a mixed-media art show and sale. It takes place in a forest in South Frontenac, about 150 kilometres southwest of Ottawa, and has a distinctly fairy-tale/elfin vibe. The event will happen rain or shine. The location is about halfway between Westport and Kingston; the exact address is 1860 Draper Lake Road, South Frontenac, Ontario. A second edition of the show will take place on September 5 and 6.

The Madawaska Valley Studio Tour (July 18 and 19) features about two dozen artists and artisans scattered across a wide swath of the Madawaska Valley in Eastern Ontario, roughly between Eganville and Barry’s Bay. A second edition of the tour happens on October 3 and 4.

Celebrate community in Marionville

Throughout the summer, North Dundas is hosting a series of Meet Me on Main Street events in communities throughout the township. This week’s event is happening on Wednesday, July 15, in Marionville. Local vendors and food producers will be on hand, and there will be live music.

Rock on at LeBreton Flats, in Clayton or in Mallorytown

The huge Ottawa Bluesfest on LeBreton Flats continues until July 19 with a packed lineup of acts, including Conan Gray, Ella Langley, Gwen Stefani, Choir! Choir! Choir! and The Sheepdogs.

Looking for something on a less gargantuan scale? The small Mississippi Mills community of Clayton, just west of Ottawa, is hosting ClaytonFest on Saturday, July 18. As well as live music all day long, the festival features a market where you can buy food, drinks and unique items from local makers. A shuttle bus will be providing transportation to and from Almonte for $15 per round trip. The festival runs from noon until 8:30pm.

Also on a manageable scale is the Heat Waves Summer Vibes music festival, featuring live bands performing music from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s. It’s coming to the Happy Green Acres Campground in Mallorytown on July 17 and 18.

Take a free Latin dance class in Ottawa

Until August 26, you can take free Latin dance classes on Wednesday nights courtesy of the City of Ottawa’s Recreation and Culture Department. Most of them, including this week’s class on July 15, take place at Ottawa City Hall (111 Laurier Avenue West), starting at 6:30pm. (Two classes, on August 5 and 12, will take place at Lansdowne Park instead.) The first 45 minutes of each class is devoted to an “alternate” (i.e., not salsa) dance style, such as bachata, kizomba, hustle, son cubano or zouk. The next 45 minutes is a salsa lesson. Then everyone can enjoy two hours of social dancing, starting at 8pm. The classes are outdoors unless the weather is nasty.

Cheer for dragon boat racers in Arnprior or Trenton

Want to cheer on dragon boat racers in a national qualifier race? Head to the Arnprior Marina on Saturday, July 18, for the Arnprior Dragon Boat Festival.

Downtown Trenton’s Festival on the Bay (July 16 to 18) also features a dragon boat festival, along with a sidewalk sale, fireworks (weather and fire bans permitting), live music and more.

Learn about cricket in Stittsville

Curious about cricket? This weekend, you can learn all about the sport during a Cricket Festival at Bradley Craig Park in Stittsville on Saturday, July 18. Demonstrations and hands-on activities will be geared to appeal to newbies and seasoned players alike.

Kick back at a free concert in Perth or Alexandria

Speaking of free: The popular—and free—Stewart Park Festival returns to its namesake park (41 Mill Street, Perth) from July 17 to 19. Along with folk, blues and other concerts by the likes of Cowboy Junkies, Suzie Vinnick, Ron Sexsmith, Valdy and Amanda Rheaume, the Perth festival features a kids’ fun area, a vendors’ market, a display of model boats, a duck race and other amusements. A shuttle bus will ferry people from the outskirts of Perth to the festival site. While the festival is free, you can donate at the gate.

On Wednesday nights throughout the summer, the Concerts at the Grotto series presents free outdoor musical performances at the Grotto in Alexandria (92 Centre Street). This week, on July 15, it showcases two acts: the Quigley Highlanders Pipes & Drums and Stewart’s Glen. Bring a lawn chair. (Concerts usually start at 7pm, but this one starts at 6:30pm because it features two groups.) Donations to the upkeep of the Grotto are welcome.

Cheer for triathletes in Kingston

Feeling fit? I mean, really fit? Then you might want to try one of the races in the K-Town Triathlon and Duathlon in Kingston on Sunday, July 19. The “sprint” triathlon includes a 750m swim in Lake Ontario, a 20km bike ride and a 5km run. The Olympic course features a 1.5km swim, a 40km bike ride and a 10km run. And the duathlon comprises a 5km run, a 20km bike ride and then, just for kicks, another 5km run. If you haven’t been training for months, well, it’s too late to start now—but you could always cheer on the competitors at the finish line!

Delight in all things lavender in Moose Creek or Oxford Mills

Lavanade Braydale Lavender in Moose Creek is hosting its second annual Lavender Festival on Saturday, July 18. The fun will include a vendor market, live violin music, face painting for kids, photo sessions and guided farm tours. The following day (Sunday, July 19), Lavender Mills Farm in Oxford Mills will host the North Grenville Lavender Festival. Sip a coffee as you browse for lavender bouquets, baking products, candles, soaps, sachets and other products, and pick your own lavender.

See a family movie outdoors in Ottawa or Dunvegan

At TD Place at Lansdowne Park, you can enjoy a free outdoor screening of Night at the Museum on Thursday, July 16. The following night (Friday, July 17), you can enjoy The Goonies under the stars at the Glengarry Pioneer Museum in Dunvegan; admission is pay what you can.

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.

Enjoy classical music in Ottawa and Prince Edward County

You can catch the tail end of Ottawa’s Music and Beyond festival (July 4 to 17); following a packed schedule of concerts all week, it wraps up with a closing gala at the Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre on Friday, July 17.

Classical music fans can also check out Music at Port Milford (July 18 to August 1). This combined festival and youth summer school presents chamber music concerts in various locations around Prince Edward County.

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 23 to August 2: Ottawa Chamberfest
• July 23 to 26: Delta Fair
• July 23 to 26: Palmer Rapids Twin Music Festival
• July 25: Bridge Street Summerfest, Carleton Place
• 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

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.