This week’s schedule is packed with things to see and do, including concerts in Almonte and Montreal, plays in Kanata and Kingston, a big DIY show in Ottawa, a cardboard sled competition at Camp Fortune, and comedy just about everywhere! Enjoy your explorations, whether they take you near or far.
Get home renovation ideas at the EY Centre
The Ottawa Home and Garden Show is the big draw this weekend (March 24 to 27) at the EY Centre. Highlights include Living Landscapes, featuring beautiful gardens; DIY plant workshops with the Urban Botanist; talks by designers and home experts; and the chance to check out all the latest products and services from a huge range of vendors.
Go out for a meal in Brockville
About a dozen restaurants and bars in downtown Brockville are participating in this year’s Spring Into Flavour promotion (March 19 to 30). Drop in to participating businesses to try out special dishes and menus, and to enter a contest for some sweet gift certificates.
Celebrate spring with an Indigenous festival at Mādahòkì Farm
At the Sīgwan (Spring) Festival at Mādahòkì Farm (March 25 to 27), you can reconnect with the land in this season of new growth, while learning about Indigenous traditions. Take a painting or beading workshop, make maple taffy and learn how maple syrup is made, enjoy live performances, walk the Legacy Trail, meet the Ojibwe Spirit Horses (and artist Rhonda Snow, who has been inspired by them), shop at a makers’ market, take a horse-drawn wagon ride, and snack on bison meatballs, baked beans and bannock. Admission is free, but advance online registration is required in order to control crowds. The farm is at 4420 West Hunt Club Road in Ottawa.
Learn about trees in Old Ottawa South
Dr. Suzanne Simard will be giving a talk on reconnecting with nature—and signing copies of her book, Finding the Mother Tree—at Southminster United Church in Ottawa on Saturday, March 26. The talk will be followed by a discussion with representatives from Nature Canada and the Old Ottawa South Enviro Crew.
Have some laughs in Ottawa, Cornwall and Petawawa
It’s a big week for comedy in Eastern Ontario!
English standup comedian Russell Howard—fresh from his success with his Netflix special, Recalibrate—is on stage at the Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe on Tuesday, March 22.
In Carleton Place, the Waterfront Gastropub is hosting a comedy night on Friday, March 25.
On Friday, March 25, the Shenkman Arts Centre in Orleans is presenting On va tous mourir, a French comedy show starring Laurent Paquin and Simon Boudreault. Over the course of some 20 sketches, they promise to make that scariest of subjects—death—funny. (See the video above.)
Also in French is the Gala Juste pour rire standup comedy show, coming to the Aultsville Theatre in Cornwall on Saturday, March 26.
The Crackup Comedy Festival (March 22 to 26) is bringing the funny to cities across Eastern Ontario this week, with Comedy Night shows in Ottawa (March 24), Cornwall (March 25) and Pembroke (March 26) featuring a big roster of Canadian standup comics. The Ottawa Comedy Night, at the Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe, will include the Candy Awards, recognizing Canadian comedy royalty Rick Mercer and Jann Arden (who will appear via video). Ottawan Mark Rowswell, a comedy star in China under the stage name Dashan, will be at Centrepointe in person to accept his Candy award. Other shows during the festival include Got Land?, a night of Indigenous comedy at the Algonquin College Theatre (March 22) and The Yes Men Improv Show at Centrepointe (March 23).
Shop for pottery in Kingston, books at Centrepointe, vegan fare in Barrhaven and vintage in Orleans
The Kingston Potter’s Guild is holding a one-day-only Odds & Ends and Imperfections Pottery Sale at the Tett Centre on Saturday, March 26, from 10am to 3pm. Get ’em while they last.
Book lovers, take note: The Ottawa Public Library’s Mammoth Book Sale is taking place at 100 Tallwood Drive in Centrepointe from 10am to 2pm on Saturday.
The next day, March 27, the Spring Fling Vegan Market comes to the Copper Branch restaurant in Barrhaven from 11am to 5pm, with about a dozen local vendors selling food and gifts.
And on both weekend days, Vintage Pop-up 613 is holding its Spring Into Vintage sale at Place d’Orleans mall, from 9:30am to 7pm on Saturday, and 11am to 5pm on Sunday. Browse for clothing, collectibles and home décor.
Race a cardboard sled at Camp Fortune
Just because the snow is melting here in Ottawa doesn’t mean there’s still some of the white stuff on the slopes at Camp Fortune in Chelsea. And on Sunday, March 27, you can test your best homemade sled against the competition in the Cardboard Sled Derby. Costumes encouraged. Helmets mandatory. Rules for what you can and can’t use to build your paper chariot are in the link. The fun starts at 1pm.
Catch a concert in Ottawa, Almonte or Montreal
On Saturday, March 26, that’ll be the day when you can see Zachary Stevenson’s Tribute to Buddy Holly at the Shenkman Arts Centre in Orleans. (See what I did there?) The tribute artist will be performing many of the 1950s pop star’s top hits, including “Peggy Sue” and “Oh Boy.”
Also on Saturday, the Folkus concert series is presenting Juno-nominated singer-songwriter-guitarist Julian Taylor in concert at the Almonte Old Town Hall, in a special acoustic performance. Taylor blends everything from country to folk in his music. And for this show, the venue’s Steinway Grand piano will be involved! Opening for Taylor will be special guest Catriona Sturton, who plays fiddle, bass, kick drum, guitar and harmonica (but not all at once), and whose influences range from indie pop to blues. (She once played in a Halifax band that inspired the movie Scott Pilgrim.) You can see the show in person or via livestream.
On Montreal’s West Island, the Festival de la Voix (March 19 to April 10) features singers and choirs in just about every genre. This weekend alone, you’ll find concerts for fans of opera, gospel, pop and Broadway show tunes.
See a play in central Ottawa, Kanata or Kingston
Tuesday, March 22, is opening night for the GCTC’s production of Heartlines, which tells the story of two avant-garde artists who attempt to keep their Jewish and lesbian identities secret as they fight in the French Resistance during the Second World War. The play, by Ottawa playwright Sarah Waisvisz, runs at the Wellington West theatre until Sunday, April 3.
Also this week and next, Kanata Theatre is staging Opening Night, a comedy by perpetual Canadian favourite Norm Foster. In it, Jack and Ruth Tisdale go to a play to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary…even though Jack would prefer to be home watching the World Series. Madcap adventures ensue! It runs from March 22 to 26, and again from March 29 to April 2.
This is your last week to see Mercy, a drama by Drew Carnwath, at the Kingston Baby Grand Theatre (until March 26). In it, a high-powered lawyer hires a high-end prostitute to seduce her husband—but at what cost?
Looking for more ideas for things to see and do in our region? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or pick up a copy of my book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your 100-km Getaway Guide, from which this post is adapted.
As the owner of Ottawa Road Trips, I acknowledge that I live on, work in and travel through the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be present on this land. Ottawa Road Trips supports Water First, a non-profit organization that helps address water challenges in Indigenous communities in Canada through education, training and meaningful collaboration.