11 ideas for fun this week: Porch concerts, accessible trails and dog-friendly parks

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It’s not just weekend suggestions in this week’s road trip roundup post. Summer’s here, and we have to make the most of it by packing fun into every day of the week, right? From drive-in bingo in Carp on Wednesday and a night market in Kemptville on Thursday to virtual concerts you can enjoy anytime, there’s a lot to see and do this week—whether you prefer your adventures online or in the real world. Wherever your travels take you, enjoy!

Play drive-in bingo in Carp

It’s finally time to look under the B in Carp again! After a hiatus in 2020 due to, you know, everything, the popular drive-in bingo nights are back at the Carp Fairgrounds on Wednesday nights in July, starting on July 7. The gates open at 5:30pm and the games start at 7pm. Spaces are first come, first served. All the details are on the Carp Fair’s website, and you can read more details in this post in West Carleton Online.

See a tailgate show in Spencerville

Blues/retro-rockers River City Junction are playing an outdoor, drive-in tailgate concert on Saturday, July 10, at the Spencerville Fairgrounds. The organizers are encouraging everyone to order dinner in advance from local restaurants and shops to enjoy during the show. The gate opens at 5pm for the 7pm show. Tickets are $15 per person, with proceeds going to the band and to the Spencerville Fair.

Learn about Indigenous cultures in Ottawa and Gatineau

The Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada has created a detailed post outlining Indigenous experiences you can enjoy right now in cities across Canada. It includes lots of suggestions for Ottawa–Gatineau, including a self-guided visit to Pindigen Park near the Canadian War Museum, a guided tour of downtown Ottawa with Indigenous Walking Tours and installations at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau.

Explore South Dundas with a new app

A couple of weeks ago, I had the chance to test the new, free Tourism Pursuit app, created for the Municipality of South Dundas. Download it to your smartphone and you can collect badges and play mini-games while discovering 19 interesting places in Morrisburg, Iroquois and other communities throughout South Dundas, which is about an hour south of Ottawa. (I’ll have a full post up on the website soon about my fun day of exploring with the app.)

Stroll through an outdoor night market in Kemptville

Browse for products from local farmers, crafters and artists at an outdoor night market on Thursday, July 8, in Kemptville. The socially distanced event at 75 Campus Drive runs from 4:30pm to 8pm and features live music from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. Parking is free and admission is by donation.

Enjoy a virtual concert from the Vanier sugar bush

Érables en scène (Maples on Stage) is a new series of video concerts recorded in the sugar bush in Vanier’s Richelieu Park. Between June 28 and August 16, the Muséoparc Vanier will release seven performances on its YouTube channel. Each will feature a different Canadian musical artist, and each video will be available for 30 days from the date of its release. First up is Theland Kicknosway, a singer and a grass and hoop dancer whose video was released on June 28. He is Wolf Clan, Potawatami/ Cree Nation, and a member of Walpole Island-Bkejwanong Territory in Southern Ontario.

Bring your dog to a provincial park

A question from a reader (keep them coming, folks!) led me to discover this useful post on the Ontario Parks website, highlighting how dog friendly various provincial parks are. For instance, did you know your pooch can stay overnight with you in a yurt at Bon Echo or Charleston Lake, or enjoy a beach with you at Sandbanks or Sharbot Lake? (P.S.: Did you also know that day admission to Ontario provincial parks is free on weekdays throughout the summer?)

Catch a porch concert in Stittsville

On Thursday, July 8, from 6pm to 9pm, Stittsville residents will be entertaining their neighbours with free live music during the second annual Stittsville Front Porch Concert Series. It’s a great chance to enjoy a concert while you’re out for your evening stroll or bike ride. The shows are free, but the event’s organizers are also aiming to raise $8,000 for the Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa; here’s the donation page.

See new art in Chelsea

The latest exhibition at La Fab Arts Centre in Chelsea, Nature Remains, opens on Saturday, July 10, and runs until Tuesday, August 3. The three artists in the show—Sue Daugherty, Jae Shaw and Marsha Mitchell—have created paintings and photographs exploring their relationship with nature over the months of the pandemic, and the way landscapes have served as a source of solace for them. You can meet the artists during the show’s outdoor vernissage on Saturday from 2pm to 5pm.

Join a free online Zumba class

Missing your weekly workout classes? Yeah, me too! (My waistline is proof.) If dancing to catchy world music is your game, check out the free classes offered by Ottawa’s Zumba on the Hill on Facebook. They stream every Sunday from 3pm to 4pm. If you haven’t tried it, Zumba is a ton of fun—especially if no one can see you mangling the steps (well, maybe that’s just me).

Enjoy an accessible trail

Meg at the Adventure Report website has compiled this super-useful list of universally/wheelchair-accessible trails in Ottawa, Gatineau and the surrounding areas. It includes trails in Embrun, Westport, Renfrew, Kars, Gatineau Park and many other places. Whether you use a wheelchair, a walker or a stroller, or you’re just looking for a gentle way to enjoy nature, check ’em out!

Looking for more tips for things to see and do in Eastern Ontario, the Outaouais and beyond? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter and/or buy my guidebook, Ottawa Road Trips: Your 100-km Getaway Guide.