45+ events in and around Ottawa, August 3 to 9

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This week, you can chow down on ribs or poutine, dance after hours at a museum or winery, get lost in a corn maze, visit a flower farm, see movies under the stars, watch crazy stunts at a circus, celebrate all things garlic, rev your motorbike, watch sheepdogs at work … really, the list of events happening in Ottawa, the Outaouais, Eastern Ontario and Montreal just goes on and on. Get out there and enjoy summer while you can!

Live on the cutting edge in Kingston

The Kick and Push Festival‘s TK Fringe Festival (August 6 to 16) is happening at the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning in Kingston. This year’s productions include improv, card tricks, drag and roller derby and more (not all in the same show).

Get a taste of the valley in Barry’s Bay

The first of five Taste of the Valley events in 2026 is coming to the Barry’s Bay Railway Station Museum on Saturday, August 8. These very popular events showcase food producers and artisans from across Renfrew County in the Ottawa Valley. Shop for fresh meats, vegetables and baked treats, handmade crafts, local honey and maple syrup, and more.

Dance after hours at the Canadian Museum of Nature or in Oxford Station

Here’s a rare opportunity for all you procrastinators. Tickets for the Canadian Museum of Nature’s after-hours event, Nature Nocturne, usually sell out weeks in advance, but you can still nab tickets for the upcoming soirée on Friday, August 7. Called Golden Hour, the evening will capitalize on the sunset’s rays streaming through the museum’s atrium. From 8pm until midnight, visitors can enjoy lots of live and DJ music (including global house and hip hop), crafts with the Ottawa Valley Weavers and Spinners, a honey tasting and bee trivia with Alvéole, glow-ups from Black Swan Beauty, presentations by museum botanists about evening plants, clever cocktails and mocktails, and more. It’s also a great chance to check out the museum’s new exhibition about colours in nature, Wild Colour.

Also on Friday, Green Gables Vines Winery in Oxford Station is holding a dance party from 6pm to 9pm. The $10 admission fee includes a wine tasting, and you can also purchase additional food and drink.

Take a Gilded Age tour in Appleton

If you’re free to do a road trip during the day on Friday, the Gilded Age Tea and Tour on August 7 might be just your white-gloved cup of tea. It includes a tour, tea and light refreshments at the North Lanark Regional Museum in Appleton, which is currently hosting a Gilded Age exhibition. You’ll also get an exclusive house and garden tour of the nearby Old Mill Manor, and you can take a self-guided driving tour of Gilded Age homes and landmarks in Mississippi Mills.

Discover fabulous fibres in Saint-André-Avellin

Knitters and other crafters, take note: the huge Twist Fibre Festival (August 7 to 9) is coming to Saint-André-Avellin, Quebec. With more than 100 vendors, along with activities focusing on sewing, knitting, felting and more, this is like Disneyland for textile fans. If you’re interested in the workshops, check them out now, as many require pre-registration. French, English and bilingual workshops are available. Other amusements at the festival include a food fair, kids’ activities and sheep herding demonstrations.

See a movie outdoors in many places

At TD Place at Lansdowne Park, you can enjoy a free outdoor screening of Paws of Fury on Thursday, August 6. That same night, Smiths Falls’ free series of family movies in Centennial Park (under the water tower) continues with How to Train Your Dragon.

Capital Pop-Up Cinema is offering the cult classic Office Space at Zibi on Friday, August 8. (Honestly, if you’ve never seen this comedy, go! It’s one of my favourite movies.) Also on Friday, the Glengarry Pioneer Museum in Dunvegan is screening Night at the Museum.

On Saturday, August 8, the Stittsville Village Association has organized a night of entertainment with live music by The Jivewires, followed by screenings of the short movie Hold and Secure and the feature film Mamma Mia.

Get your garlic fix in Perth

It’s back! After a break in 2025, the Perth Lions Garlic Festival returns to the Perth Fairgrounds this year, on August 8 and 9. Some 60 vendors will be on hand, selling all things garlicky. Expect tastings, cooking demonstrations and more.

Stroll through history in Carleton Place

The Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum is hosting the River Walk, a guided historical walking tour, twice this week. On Thursday, August 6, the tour starts at 6:30pm; on Sunday, August 9, it begins at 1pm. The 90-minute tour is the same on both days and focuses on downtown Carleton Place’s industrial history. Participants will walk from the museum to McArthur Island.

Take in a baseball or soccer game in Ottawa

The Ottawa Titans baseball team has a busy week of home games ahead, with games against Trois-Rivières on August 7, 8 and 9. The Friday game is country night, with live music, a mechanical bull and fireworks; Saturday is la Soirée Francophone; and Sunday (as always) is Family Fun Day.

On the soccer front, Atlético Ottawa is playing Halifax Wanderers FC on Saturday, August 8, and Ottawa Rapid FC will be facing AFC Toronto on Sunday, August 9. Both games are happening at TD Place at Lansdowne Park.

Revel in ribs in Brockville

In Brockville, you can check out live music, a kids’ zone, an arm-wrestling competition, a fishing derby, a Ribfest Idol competition, a beer garden, a volleyball tournament and, of course, lots of tasty ribs at the Brockville Ribfest (August 7 to 9). It’s happening in Hardy Park, across from 80 Water Street West in downtown Brockville. Free admission, although the event is a fundraiser for BGC South East, so donations are greatly appreciated. (P.S.: Don’t miss my list of ribfests around the region.)

Get a good scare in Munster

Can’t wait for Halloween? Then you might like A Midsummer Night’s Scream at Saunders Farm in Munster on Saturday, August 8. It will be a preview of some of the spooky attractions you can expect at the farm’s FrightFest this fall.

Rev your engine in Smiths Falls

Downtown Smiths Falls Bike Night is a celebration of all things motorcycle, when Smiths Falls rolls out the red carpet to riders. The next one is happening on Wednesday, August 5 (if you can’t make it then, there will be another on Wednesday, September 2). Enjoy live music and other entertainment, along with food and drink. Shops in downtown Smiths Falls will be open late, too.

Visit a flower farm south of Merrickville

Adair Gardens, a flower farm partway between Merrickville and Brockville, is welcoming visitors during an open house on Sunday, August 9.

Marvel at buskers on Sparks Street

The Ottawa International Busker Fest will light up Sparks Street throughout the weekend (August 7 to 9). More than 20 acts from around the world—including acrobats, fire eaters, jugglers and living statues—will amuse the crowds.

Enjoy a fair in Navan, McNab-Braeside, Merrickville or Williamstown

There will be lots to see and do on Ottawa’s southeastern edge at the Navan Fair (August 6 to 9), including a midway, a cornhole tournament, demolition derbies, truck and tractor pulls, zucchini-car races, a baby show, bed races, a parade, and lots of live music. It’s all happening at the Navan Fairgrounds (1279 Colonial Road, Navan). Bradley Bus Lines is providing free shuttles from Place d’Orleans, the Ray Friel Recreation Complex and Millennium Park.

The Merrickville Fair (August 7 to 9) offers sheep shearing demonstrations, lumberjack shows, a horse show, a kids’ zone, a beer tent, live music, standup comedy and more. Hours of activities vary. The fairgrounds are at 446 Main Street West in Merrickville.

The Williamstown Fair (August 7 to 9) has staked a claim as Canada’s oldest fair; it started in 1812. This year, the fun includes a midway, horse shows, karaoke, a kids’ zone, a petting zoo, a Lego and puzzles competition, live music, and an antique car show, among other attractions. The fairgrounds are at 19629 John Street in Williamstown.

The Valley Agricultural Festival is happening in at the Murray Yantha Centre (2473 Russett Drive, McNab-Braeside) on Saturday, August 8. It’s basically a fair by another name, with competitions for everything from livestock and quilting to photography and woodworking.

See my big roundup of local fairs for dates of other events happening later this summer and fall.

Go to the dogs (and sheep) in Kingston

I’ve always thought it cool that dogs can be trained to herd sheep. If you have, too, why not check out the Kingston Sheep Dog Trials Festival (August 7 to 9)? As well as marvelling at the feats of working sheep dogs, you can also see spinning and weaving demos (on Friday and Sunday), cheer on competitors in the Sheep to Shawl competition (Saturday), see raptors (daily), watch dogs tackle an agility course (daily), and enjoy other fun. The action takes place at Grass Creek Park, about 20 minutes east of downtown Kingston (2991 Highway 2, Kingston).

Create a water lantern in Andrew Haydon Park

At the Ottawa Water Lantern Festival in Andrew Haydon Park on Saturday, August 8, participants will design their own water lantern, illuminate it with an LED light and set it afloat on the Ottawa River. Food trucks will be on hand, and you can enjoy a scavenger hunt and live music, too. The admission fee includes all the supplies for making your lantern.

Enjoy all sorts of plays

This week is your last chance to catch two St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival shows: R+J and Joni, and Macbeth at the Tower. It’s also your only opportunity to see Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue at the NAC. Productions also continue this week in various Ottawa parks, Morrisburg, Rankin (Pembroke), Gananoque and elsewhere. See my theatre post for details.

Watch a boating poker run in Kingston

The 1000 Islands Poker Run (August 7 to 9) will see more power boats setting off from Kingston to collect the best poker hand as they travel a route through the 1000 Islands. On shore, visitors can check out Electric Avenue, a display of EV boats and cars. The video above, from the 2024 event, gives you an idea of what the event—one of the largest waterfront festivals in Canada—is all about.

Drop into a festival in Winchester

Winchester Dairyfest (August 5 to 9) offers family-friendly fun in a community about 45 minutes southeast of downtown Ottawa. The festivities will include a vendor market, live music, an antique car show, line dancing, a motorcycle night, an antique tractor parade and more. Many events take place at the Sam Ault Arena in the Joel Steele Community Centre (577 Main Street West, Winchester). Check the link for dates and times of individual events, which include Meet Me on Main Street on Wednesday, August 5.

Cheer for dragon boat racers in Cornwall

At Cornwall Waterfest (Saturday, August 8), you can cheer for dragon boat racers and check out a vendors market. It’s taking place at Lock 19 on the Old Cornwall Canal (near the corner of Power Dam Drive and Second Street West), starting at 8am.

Thrill to daredevil athletes in Ottawa

Nitro Circus 2.0 will see top athletes wowing crowds with their skills in freestyle motocross, BMX, skateboarding and more. If stunts, tricks and out-there contraptions are your thing, head to the Ottawa Stadium on on Wednesday, August 5.

Enjoy a craft, music and art festival in Killaloe or Odessa

The Killaloe Craft and Community Fair is an outdoor music, crafts and art festival taking place at 2789 Mountain View Road just outside Killaloe from August 7 to 9. Along with lots of live performances—lasting late into the night—there will be educational workshops, kids’ activities, an arts and crafts market, local food vendors, and lots more. You can camp there, too.

In a similar vein, Second Chance Ranch in Odessa is hosting a Livestock, Music and Craft Festival on Saturday, August 8. Visit with rescue animals, shop the vendors’ market, check out the food trucks and enjoy live music. Free admission, but donations to support the ranch’s rescue work are welcome.

Nosh on poutine in Bancroft

It’s a long way to go for fries, gravy and cheese curds, but if you’re heading west of Ottawa anyway, you could check out Bancroft Poutine Feast (August 6 to 9).

See fireworks in Gatineau

Les Grand Feux Casino Lac-Leamy continues at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, presenting gorgeous fireworks synched to cool soundtracks. The event is happening every Wednesday and Saturday night from July 29 to August 15. Each show night, a different country takes responsibility for the fireworks. On Wednesday, August 5, France will take the helm; on Saturday, August 8, Brazil will be doing the honours.

Try your luck in a corn maze in Vankleek Hill

Sure, we’ll still deep into summer, but there’s no surer sign of the approach of fall than the opening of local corn mazes. Ouimet Farms in Vankleek Hill is one of the first off the mark; its seven-acre corn maze, and a whole host of other family amusements (like pedal carts and rubber duck races), opens for the season on Friday, August 7.

Head outdoors in Renfrew County

Attention, outdoorsy types: The Water and Dirt Festival (August 1 to 16) offers activities for just about every sports lover, including a triathlon, a fundraising “doggy paddle,” kayak fishing, yoga, a swim across the Ottawa River, trail runs and a whole lot more. Events take place across a wide swath of Renfrew County, with Petawawa as a major hub. Check the website for registration details and fees, which vary from event to event.

Explore Indigenous culture in Montreal

The International First Peoples’ Festival in Montreal (August 4 to 13) features a big slate of performances and presentations by Indigenous filmmakers, musicians, visual artists and many others. The main location is the Place des Festivals, a large chunk of downtown Montreal bounded by Saint-Hubert, City Councillors and Sherbrooke streets, and René-Lévesque Boulevard.

Enjoy a music festival in Spencerville

The South Grenville Bluegrass Festival brings bluegrass bands galore—including acts from Georgia, Kentucky and Appalachia, as well as Canada—to the Spencerville Fairgrounds (22 Ryan Street, Spencerville) from August 5 to 9. In addition to shows throughout the day and evening, you can enjoy a euchre tournament, a scavenger hunt and more. Food and camping are available, too.

Shop for art in Dunvegan

The Glengarry Artists’ Collective Art Show opens with a vernissage at the Glengarry Pioneer Museum in Dunvegan, about an hour southeast of Ottawa, on Saturday, August 8 (11am to 1pm). It runs at the museum until Sunday, August 23.

P.S.: If you love discovering new art, don’t miss my roundup of studio tours.

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.)

• 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 5: Latin Sparks Festival, Ottawa
• September 10 to 12: Big River Country Festival, Mallorytown
• September 11 and 12: Kanata Craft Beer Festival
• September 11 to 13: Orléans Ribfest
• September 12 and 13: Fibrefest, Almonte
• September 12: RoadTrip Music Festival, Kingston
• September 13: Beechfest, Ottawa
• September 16 to 20: CityFolk, Ottawa
• September 19: Taste of Wellington, Ottawa
• September 23 to 27: Ottawa International Animation Festival

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.