Wow, how did Labour Day come so quickly? If you want to squeeze in a last bit of summer fun before school goes back, I have more than a dozen ideas for you, from community festivals in Kemptville and Hudson to museum exhibitions in Spencerville and Almonte, music festivals in Ottawa, and the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival. You’ll even find some tips on dog-friendly road trips across a wide swath of Eastern Ontario.
Wherever your travels take you (and whether you take Fido along or not), have fun celebrating the last long weekend until Thanksgiving!
Have fun at a fair in Shawville
In the Pontiac region of West Quebec, this week’s Shawville Fair (September 2 to 6) features a wide range of classic fall fair attractions, including a midway, a beer tent, a truck and tractor pull, live music, a petting zoo, a food court, and agricultural, horticultural and craft displays. Saturday, September 4, is Indigenous Day at the fair, and a demolition derby is a one-day attraction on Monday, September 6. Note that not all attractions are offered on all days, so check the fair’s website for the full schedule. All attendees must show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination (paper records from any province will be accepted). You can buy tickets online in advance.
Curious about whether other fall fairs throughout our region are happening this year? Check my recently updated list of 20+ fairs in Eastern Ontario, the Outaouais and beyond.
Fly a kite in Vanier
The Vanier Museopark is hosting a community kite-flying festival on Monday, September 6, featuring storytelling (in French), live music and a big kite launch. The event runs from 1pm to 3pm. Attendees are asked to register in advance. When you register, you can also buy a kite-making kit for $5. If you don’t want to go to the public event, you can still buy a kite kit and fly your creation elsewhere.
Meet artists and buy art in the woods
For those of you who read this post when I put it up on Monday, this is a mid-week addition! The fault is all mine; a friend gave me a heads-up weeks ago, but the information fell out of my Swiss-cheese brain until a reader reminded me of it yesterday. For years, I’ve been hearing that Fantasy in the Forest (September 4 and 5, 10am to 5pm) is a magical art fair, with artists gathered in a scenic outdoor setting to display their work and chat with buyers. This year, it’s happening at 1860 Draper Lake Road in Perth Road. (For those not in the know, “Perth Road” is not just a road but is also a small community, partway between Westport and Kingston.)
Celebrate Afro-Canadian music and more at Mooney’s Bay
After a successful virtual festival last year, AfroFest Ottawa is holding a two-day live event this year at Mooney’s Bay on September 4 and 5. Enjoy live music, spoken-word performances and more by Black artists, and check out craft vendors, food stalls and children’s activities. Featured performers include Moncliche (see video above), Nyma, DJ LMO, the Royal Mega Band and many others. Tickets are free, but it would be a good idea to pick one up online before heading out, due to capacity limits.
Watch balloons take to the skies in Gatineau
Skies dotted with dozens of colourful inflated shapes are a sure sign that the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival (September 2 to 6) has wafted into town again to mark the Labour Day weekend. Always a big hit with photographers, thrill seekers, music lovers and families, the event this year features sunrise shows by Coeur de Pirate and Fred Pellerin, balloon rides, fireworks, entertainment throughout the day and evening, and more. Like all Quebec festivals, the event will be screening attendees for COVID-19 vaccination; see this page on the festival’s website for the latest details.
Shop a Sunday market near Perth
Ecotay Education Centre near Perth recently re-opened under new ownership. Among the new events drawing visitors is a weekly Sunday market, from 9am to 2pm, which will be happening every weekend until Thanksgiving. And there’s usually lots of live music to entertain shoppers, too.
P.S.: If markets are your thing, don’t miss my big list of farmers’ markets in Eastern Ontario and the Outaouais.
See a Shakespeare mashup at the Central Experimental Farm
Throughout September, A Company of Fools is presenting Love From Afar, a production drawing on multiple Shakespearean plays to tell the story of three friends—one recently widowed—discussing the idea of love. The first performances will take place at the Canadensis Botanical Garden (yeah, I had to look it up, too) at the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa from September 2 through 4.
If you can’t make it to one of those, you can catch the show at the following locations: J.T. Bradley’s store in Navan (September 9), Champlain Park (September 11), Beechwood Cemetery (September 16 to 18), the MERA Schoolhouse in McDonald’s Corners (September 23), Maplewood Park in Oxford Mills (September 24) and Strathcona Park (September 25).
Have a day out in Kemptville or Hudson
On Saturday, September 4, multiple Kemptville organizations are hosting Downtown Promenade from 10am to 2pm. A stretch of Prescott Street will be closed to vehicles so pedestrians can enjoy live music, vendors’ stalls, a bouncy castle, magic shows, Highland dancing, a fishing derby, a weightlifting contest and other amusements, both on the street and in nearby parks.
That same day, the folks in Hudson, Quebec, are shucking off the last year-and-a-half of pandemic blues with a free one-day festival. Hudson Day will feature 28 live music shows on six stages spread across the village. The organizers also promise family fun, and arts and culture activities. Restaurants, shops and bars will be getting in on the act, too.
Tour a 19th-century mill in Spencerville
This is your last week this summer to take a guided tour of the Spencerville Mill and Museum, about 50 minutes south of Ottawa. As well as learning about the operation of the heritage mill, you can check out the current exhibition of stories, photos, videos and artifacts related to the community’s experience of the COVID-19 pandemic. There’s also an associated show of original art called Creativity Through Crisis. (P.S.: If you’re looking for a great place to eat nearby, try Little Sisterz for delicious breakfasts and Italian dishes.)
Immerse yourself in a movie-themed escape room near Ottawa
Escape Manor has launched an Immersive Film Series, which sends guests to a secret location about 20 minutes outside downtown Ottawa to participate in an escape room with a twist: the event riffs off a classic action movie. You’ll interact with costumed actors as you work to solve clues. When the game is done, you’ll watch the movie itself on an outdoor screen under the stars, complete with drinks and snacks.
Take Rover on a road trip
Looking for places you can discover with your dog? The South Eastern Ontario tourism board has collected a list of 19 pet-friendly places across the region, including a hipster motel in Wellington, a brewery in Gananoque, a campground in Ivy Lea, trails in Thousand Islands National Park, a beach in Westport and restaurants in Kingston.
Wander through illuminated gardens in Montreal
Gardens of Light has long been one of my favourite events at the Montreal Botanical Garden. As in previous years, in 2021 it will feature a mix of illuminated gardens, multimedia experiences and displays of Chinese lanterns. It runs from September 3 to October 31 this year, and I’d strongly advise getting your tickets ASAP, if you’re keen. This event often sold out in non-pandemic years, and I suspect demand will be even higher this year.
See textile exhibitions at an Almonte museum
The Mississippi Valley Textile Museum in Almonte is hosting two temporary exhibitions until September 18. Homage to Canadian Women is a collection of 40 neckpieces created by artist Donald Stewart to celebrate outstanding Canadian women, while Murray Gibson’s tapestries in Cloth and Consequence highlight female literary figures who are also textile artists. These two shows join the museum’s permanent displays on the weaving and needlecraft history of the Mississippi Valley.
Chill to electronic dance music in Ottawa
I’ll admit, I’m not the target market for the Bud Light Escapade Music Festival (September 4 and 5), being a few decades too old and having musical tastes that pretty much atrophied around the time CDs were invented. But if The Chainsmokers, Illenium, Claude Vonstroke and Zomboy are your cup of electronic dance music kombucha, the Ottawa Baseball Stadium on Coventry Road will be the place to be this weekend. (And, hey, even I’ve heard The Chainsmokers’ hit “Closer,” in the video above.)
Note that all festival goers must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, unless they have a valid medical reason for not getting vaccinated; in that case, there are other conditions to meet.
Looking for more ideas for fun in Ottawa, Eastern Ontario and beyond? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or buy my new guidebook, Ottawa Road Trips: Your 100km Getaway Guide.