From a superhero-themed murder mystery in Carleton Place to an international dog sledding championship near Haliburton, there are lots of reasons to hop in the car this week. Take in a winter festival, skate a frozen lake in Portland, check out a DJ party at the Canadian Museum of Nature, enjoy Acadian music in Hawkesbury, or kick back with the Governor-General at Rideau Hall. Enjoy!
Cheer on sled dogs in the Haliburton Forest
Flickr/Creative Commons photo of sled dogs by Ralf Κλενγελ.
Come cheer as dog-sledding teams from around the world race through 100,000 acres of protected wilderness in the Haliburton Forest during the 2017 Winter Sleddog World Championship (January 24 to February 1). This is the first time Canada has hosted this huge event since 2009.
Celebrate Chinese New Year at the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa
Have you heard about the very cool Nature Nocturne nights at the Canadian Museum of Nature? After dark, once a month, the museum turns into a one-of-a-kind dance club, with DJs and a cash bar. This week’s event on Friday, January 27, has a Chinese New Year theme.
Enjoy live music and lumberjack lore in Fort Coulonge
The Spruceholme Inn in Fort Coulonge is holding a lumberjack dinner called Night of Memories on Friday, January 27. Hear tales of Ottawa Valley lumberjacks and enjoy live music by Gail Gavan.
Raise a toast to Robbie Burns in Ottawa
Alexander Nasmyth [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.
The Ottawa Senators Foundation is hosting a Robbie Burns Supper for Roger Neilson House at the Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club on Saturday, January 28. The event starts with a Macallan whisky tasting, and business or traditional Highland attire is requested (dig out those kilts, lads!).
And the Mill Street Brew Pub Ottawa is running a five-course beer-pairing dinner in honour of the Scottish bard on Thursday, January 26, which will feature live entertainment.
Skate, run, drink and raise money for a good cause in Ottawa
The rowdy Carleton Cup Marathon (motto: Skate – Run – Drink) takes place on Saturday, January 28. This fundraiser for cystic fibrosis research includes a few kilometres of skating on the Rideau Canal (weather permitting), a 1K run through the ByWard Market and post-race beers at the Auld Dubliner and Pour House.
Light up your winter in Montreal
This is the last weekend to catch Luminothérapie in Montreal, a free outdoor playground of illuminated zoetropes (sort of like circular movie projectors you operate from inside—you really have to try them to understand them!), video projections and other light-themed fun (closes Sunday, January 29).
Channel your inner comic book fan in Carleton Place
The Mississippi Mudds theatre troupe is presenting A Comi-Cal Murder at Carleton Place Town Hall (January 27 and 28). The murder mystery dinner theatre show involves a billionaire, a bunch of costumed superheroes and lots of audience participation. Due to the cash bar, these comics are for adults only.
Play in the snow from Greely to Quebec City
There’s lots of winter festival fun in the region this week: the Alice in Winterland Carnival in Laurentian Valley (until Friday, January 27); the Pakenham Frost Festival (until January 30); Cabin Fever in Petawawa (until January 29); the Embrun Carnival (until January 29); the Greely Winter Carnival (January 25 to 29); the Milford Winter Carnival (January 27 and 28); Laval en blanc (January 27 to 29); Shiverfest in Manotick (January 27 to 29); the Lanark Highlands Frosty Fling (January 27 to 29); and Winter Fun Day in Brockville (January 28). A bit further afield, you can visit the Carnaval de Quebec in Quebec City (January 27 to February 12) and the Fire and Ice Festival in Bracebridge (January 28).
Looking for festival ideas later in the winter? Check out my list of more than 30 winter carnivals.
Enjoy Acadian music in Hawkesbury
Acadian singer Sandra Le Couteur, accompanied by Nicholas Basque on bass and Julien Breau on guitar, will be bringing her Maritime music to Le Chenail Cultural Centre in Hawkesbury on Saturday, January 28. Check out the video above for a sample of the music from her latest album, Le Phare.
Enjoy ’70s classics in Gananoque
The Thousand Islands Playhouse is presenting A Beautiful Noise: Cabaret Music Series, featuring the music of Neil Diamond and Karen Carpenter performed by Cliff Edwards and Janice Wilkins (January 28 and 29).
Cheer on speed skaters in Portland
Photo courtesy of Skate the Lake and Carolyn Green.
Skate the Lake Portland takes to Big Rideau Lake this weekend (January 28 and 29) with a series of speed skating events, but that’s just the beginning of the fun. Even if you don’t lace up a skate, you can enjoy fireworks, helicopter rides, kids’ curling, sleigh rides, a festive dinner and more.
Swing like a cool cat in Gatineau
Relive the days of Big Band music and Rat Pack cool at Forever Gentlemen, a concert running for two nights at the Casino Lac-Leamy in Gatineau and featuring Roch Voisine, Garou and Corneille (January 27 and 28).
Hang out with the Governor-General at Rideau Hall in Ottawa
In honour of Canada’s 150th, the outdoor rink at Rideau Hall has been upgraded and is now refrigerated, so you may well be able to skate there this weekend despite the balmy (for January) weather. And there’s lots of other fun to be had at the Governor-General’s Winter Celebration on Saturday, January 28, from 12:30 to 4pm. Free activities include kicksledding, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and a snowball challenge. Less outdoorsy folks can enjoy crafts, tours of Rideau Hall and short films from Nordic countries. And a range of embassies will be on hand, serving up dishes from their countries. Yum!
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