If you haven’t finished your holiday shopping, time is getting short. Fortunately, I have lots of ideas for ways you can support local shops and makers while filling all those stockings! I also have tips on an online event featuring Indigenous storytellers, a drive-by Santa parade in Barry’s Bay, a socially distanced light show in Cornwall, the virtual version of Christmas Lights Across Canada and more. Enjoy!
As always in these pandemic times, please don’t travel far from home and please obey all the latest health and safety restrictions. And don’t forget to bring your mask and sanitizer.
Drive through a light display in Cornwall
Tickets are going fast for the Gray’s Creek Holiday Sparkle, a one-kilometre-long, drive-through display of holiday lights in Cornwall. It is open on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings throughout the holidays, and there’s an online, virtual-reality version if you’d prefer to enjoy it from home. Advance timed tickets are required for the in-person version. You can either reserve a free ticket or choose to pay for one, with half the proceeds for the latter going to the United Way and the other half to the event organizers. Donations of non-perishable food items for the Agapè Centre are also welcome.
Celebrate Christmas lights across Canada
Most years, there’s a big party on Parliament Hill to celebrate the moment when the holiday lights throughout downtown Ottawa and Gatineau are officially switched on. This year, we can enjoy the virtual version from home without freezing our toes—and see lights and musical performances from across the country, to boot. IllumiNATION debuts at 8pm on Thursday, December 17, online and will be available until midnight on Thursday, January 7. Performers include Martha and Rufus Wainwright, Gregory Charles, Jill Barber, Priyanka, and Dominion Carillonneur Dr. Andrea McCrady. It’s all free.
Hear Indigenous winter solstice stories online
On Saturday, December 19, at 1pm, the National Gallery of Canada will be livestreaming a Winter Solstice Storytelling event on Zoom. Part of a series of conversations linked to the gallery’s Àbadakone | Continuous Fire | Feu continuel exhibition, the event will feature guests Simon Brascoupé, Taqralik Partridge (see one of her other spoken-word performances in the video above), Jimmy Manning, Michael Kusugak and gallery interpreter Arianne Mulaire. If you miss the live show, don’t worry; it will be up on the gallery’s YouTube channel soon.
Drive past Santa in Barry’s Bay
Like many other communities this year, Barry’s Bay has organized a stationary Santa Claus parade. How does it work? The floats stay still, and the audience drives by in their cars. The Barry’s Bay parade is taking place on Sunday, December 20, from 5pm to 7pm, at the Paul J. Yakabuski Centre.
Enjoy a free online concert
The TD Ottawa Jazz Festival is streaming a free online show on Friday, December 18, at 7:30pm. Featuring pianist Florian Hoefner, 3 Trios Across the Globe (see trailer above) will showcase music videos he has recorded with other artists from around the world without leaving his home in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Hosted by JUNO-nominated vocalist Heather Bambrick, the live chat will delve deeply into the process of making music during a pandemic. A recording of the livestream will be available later on the festival’s Facebook and YouTube sites.
Sorry for the last-minute notice on this one, but Love at a Distance is a free one-hour concert by The Purring Dragons of music on the theme of love. It includes folk, classical, Brazilian and jazz works by everyone from Benjamin Britten and Bob Dylan to Buffy Sainte-Marie and Tori Amos. You need to register by 9pm on Thursday, December 17. The show is free, but donations to support The Purring Dragons are greatly appreciated. It will be streaming from the closed Gladstone Theatre, and may be available online later.
Do some last-minute shopping
Over in Gatineau, the Croquez L’Outaouais Christmas Market, featuring 11 local producers and artisans, is happening at Les Promenades Gatineau until December 24.
In Brockville, the Spitfire Café is hosting a pop-up shop on Saturday, December 19, from 9am to 1pm. Hot chocolate, mulled wine, baked goodies and more will be available.
There’s still time to participate in Downtown Cornwall’s Shop the Blocks event, which runs until Tuesday, December 22. By collecting stamps on a bingo card from participating businesses, you can qualify for a prize draw. Downtown Perth’s similar Shop Stamp & Win promotion runs until Monday, December 21.
Explore North Grenville has a great page highlighting independent local businesses in and around Kemptville, and their gift items.
And in Kingston, many downtown stores are open until 8pm on Thursdays and Fridays. Other special activities and fun include horse-drawn wagon rides, carollers, fire pits, and holiday window displays (dates vary).
Take some great Instagram selfies
To mark the holidays and to inspire hope in the national capital region during this special time of year, we're lighting up the Scotiabank Great Hall with aurora borealis lighting until January 1, 2021! ????
— National Gallery of Canada (@NatGalleryCan) December 14, 2020
We'd love to see your own photos. Tag us or use the hashtag #YourNGC! pic.twitter.com/IHFi6ziSjt
Until New Year’s Day night, the Scotiabank Great Hall at the National Gallery of Canada will be illuminated to resemble the northern lights (AKA the aurora borealis). Looks like a lovely opportunity for some eye-catching Instagram posts, if you’re in the area.
Speaking of the ‘Gram, Lanark County Tourism has a list of the Top 10 most Instagrammable spots in the county.
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