Whether you’d like to cycle along a riverfront trail, hike to a mountain lookout, visit an artist or take a virtual trip to Prince Edward Island, I’ve found something for you to enjoy this week, in Ottawa and beyond. Note that all of the in-person events and activities listed below will have COVID-19 protocols in place.
Remember: Stay close to your home community! And if you’re wondering why I’m writing about places beyond Ottawa during these times of Stage 2 restrictions, please read this post.
Catch a concert in Almonte
This year’s Festival of Small Halls is offering two shows at the Almonte Old Town Hall this weekend. Alternative country act NQ Arbuckle is performing on Friday evening, while folk-roots group Great Lake Swimmers will take to the stage on Sunday afternoon. A few tickets are still available for both shows.
Enjoy the Ottawa International Writers Festival online
The Ottawa International Writers Festival has another jam-packed schedule of online literary events happening this week, and they’re all free. Sessions you can enjoy from home include the national book launch of Love After the End, an anthology of queer Indigenous speculative fiction edited by Joshua Whitehead (Thursday, October 22); a two-part podcast (here are Part 1 and Part 2) about speculative and science fiction called Imagining Worlds (Friday, October 23); an interview with poet Robert Macfarlane and artist Jackie Morris about their new book celebrating the wonders of nature, The Lost Spells (Sunday, October 25); and an interview with Pulitzer Prize winner and former UN ambassador Samantha Power about her memoir, The Education of an Idealist (also on Sunday, October 25).
Get lost in a maze in Munster
The latest COVID-19 restrictions forced Saunders Farm to postpone its planned Halloween event at Lansdowne Park until 2021, but the farm in Munster is still open to visitors. In a Zoom update for travel writers this week, owner Mark Saunders made a great point: the farm’s four hedge mazes are naturally social distancing, as the hedges help ensure two metres between participants! You can try the hedge mazes as part of the farm’s Haunting Season daytime experience. The farm is also offering a scarier nighttime FrightFest event, as well as the catered campfires that were such a hit this summer (choose from a family package or a date night package). Spaces are limited; check the farm’s website for dates and ticket availability.
Take a virtual trip to Prince Edward Island
The Confederation Centre for the Arts in Charlottetown recently produced a 40-minute TV special celebrating Anne of Green Gables and the book’s legacy in Prince Edward Island. It includes new versions of songs from the stage musical (including a fabulous salsa version of “Open the Window”), appearances by stars from the stage production and the recent Anne With an E TV series, and virtual visits to Anne-related sites across P.E.I. For Anne fans (and I’m definitely in that camp), it’s a lot of fun. You can see the whole show by clicking the video link above, or you can stream it on YouTube. (You may need to use the scrolling function at the bottom of the video to get to the beginning of the recording.)
Go cycling in Cornwall
It looks like the weather is going to be almost summery on Friday and pretty nice on the weekend. That means it might be a great time to try one of Cornwall Tourism’s three scenic cycling loops in and around the city. All three take you along the St. Lawrence River and, depending on the route, you could stop along the way for ice cream and a game of mini-putt at Archie’s Golf Centre (which closes for the season this Sunday, October 25), or explore hiking trails in several parks. Note that some of the attractions marked on the routes are currently closed due to COVID-19 restrictions, so check websites before heading out if there’s an indoor spot you’re particularly keen to visit.
Stroll cemeteries and see scarecrows in Carleton Place
The Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum is running a series of History Beneath Your Feet tours of the United Cemeteries of St. Fillans, Maplewood and Pine Grove this week (October 23 and 24). The 90-minute guided walks will be offered at 1:30pm and 6:30pm each day and will focus more on local history than ghostly chills.
Also, starting on Saturday and running until Halloween, the Scarecrow Stroll will see downtown Carleton Place decorated with handmade scarecrows! It’s a chance to get some fun selfies while checking out downtown shops.
Hike an off-the-beaten-path Outaouais trail
Over the last few weeks, a number of popular trails close to Ottawa-Gatineau have been overwhelmed by hikers. So a few days ago, Tourisme Outaouais published a blog post pointing day trippers to the lesser-known trails in the Vallée-de-la-Gatineau, a bit farther from the city. A covered bridge, a heritage fire tower and a mountain lookout are among the attractions.
Tour artists’ studios in West Carleton
This year’s Red Trillium Studio Tour (October 24 and 25) will introduce visitors to artists’ studios throughout the west end of Ottawa, including locations in Fitzroy Harbour, Dunrobin, Kinburn and Carp. You can meet the artists in person and browse for pottery, paintings, textile art and more. And if you’d rather shop virtually from home, you can do that, too.
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