I thought last week’s road trip roundup was big. But this one is even longer, with some 40 events vying for your attention! Want to stay in Ottawa-Gatineau? You can check out an open house at Arts Court, the Outaouais Film Festival or a volleyball tournament. Keen to venture further afield? Paddling and running events, Pride parades, a powwow, and a steampunk festival await you. Plus, it’s another busy weekend for concerts, markets and garage sales. Read on for details.
Drop into an open house at Arts Court
Arts Court, the courthouse-turned-arts-hub in downtown Ottawa (2 Daly Avenue), is throwing a multifaceted Open House Party on Saturday, June 11, starting at 2pm. If it’s something artistic, it’s probably happening there in some way, shape or form during the 12-hour event. The various organizations based at Arts Court will be opening their doors to visitors, and you can check out live performances, film screenings, art workshops, an artisans’ market and much more. Admission is free from 2pm to 5pm, and pay-what-you-can from 5pm to 2am.
See cool murals in Montreal
During the Montreal Mural Festival (June 9 to 19), artists will be painting new murals over many of the enormous outdoor artworks created for previous festivals. You can watch them at work and admire their new creations along St. Laurent Boulevard. The festival also offers guided tours and live music, as well as augmented-reality installations that you can enjoy with the help of a festival app on your smartphone.
Travel back in time in Ste-Anne-de-Prescott
It’s Antique Days and Tractor Pull Weekend in Ste-Anne-de-Prescott (June 11 and 12), with a packed slate of events for music lovers, fans of antique machinery and more. Highlights include classic cars, bouncy castles and fireworks. The festival takes place at the Centre d’action Community Centre at 7888 Arthur Lavigne Street; hours vary. Admission at the gate (valid for the whole weekend) is $10 per person; kids under 16 get in free when accompanied by an adult.
Celebrate Italy in Ottawa
There’s so much packed into the Ottawa Italian Week Festival that the event actually lasts 11 days (June 9 to 19). There is a grand opening ceremony at Ottawa City Hall on Thursday, June 9; other highlights this week include an Italian Puzzle Quest—sort of an outdoor scavenger hunt/riddle-solving game in Little Italy (June 10 to 12), an outdoor screening in Plouffe Park of Pinocchio (June 11, 8:30pm) and a workshop on creating a tasty charcuterie board at Sala San Marco (June 12). Next weekend, things heat up with a three-day party along Preston Street (June 17 to 19), including live music, a kids’ fun zone, a car show and more.
Do yoga on a labyrinth or with alpacas
Many people find both yoga and alpacas calming. So The Heart of the Willow—a farm about an hour’s drive south of Ottawa—has had the genius idea of combining the two. It has three Saturday-morning yoga with alpacas classes coming up: one this weekend, on June 11, and others on June 25 and July 9. You can sign up for one, two or all three. Each session costs $40 per person and includes a one-hour yoga class and a half-hour “meet and greet” with the alpacas. The farm is at 10304 Sandy Creek Road in Brinston.
On Sunday, June 12, the Carleton Place Community Labyrinth is hosting a meditative yoga session led by teacher Charlotte Pragnell. It runs from 10am to 11am and admission is by donation, with a portion of the proceeds going toward relief efforts in Ukraine. Bring your own yoga mat. The labyrinth is located behind the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum at 267 Edmund Street in Carleton Place.
Check out film festivals in the Outaouais and Toronto
Apologies, folks—I should have mentioned this one in last week’s road trip roundup post! But if you hurry, you’ll still have time to catch some of the French-language movies screening as part of the Outaouais Film Festival (June 2 to 10). As well as placing a special focus on Moroccan films, the festival features movies from Canada, France and beyond. There’s a gala screening of the French fantasy film Petite Maman on Friday, June 10.
A bit further afield, the Toronto Jewish Film Festival (June 9 to 26) features movies from around the world. Films featured this year include Let It Be Morning, an Israeli drama about a Palestinian man trapped in a village during a military siege, and Plan A, a drama based on the true story of a group of Holocaust survivors bent on revenge. If you can’t make it to Toronto for the festivities, you can buy tickets to stream movies at home.
Celebrate paddling in Chesterville and Smiths Falls
On Saturday, June 11, the Chesterville Kayak Club Paddle Poker Run along the South Nation River leaves from the Cass Bridge Conservation Area near Winchester at 10am, finishing in Chesterville about 2.5 hours later, where there’s a lunch at 1pm. You’ll stop along the way to collect playing cards, and those with the best hands at the end will be eligible for prizes. Bring your own kayak or canoe. There will be shuttles back to everyone’s cars at the end of the race. Registration starts at 9am and is $25 for paddlers (including lunch). You can also register for lunch only; that’s $10 for adults and $5 for kids under 12.
Also on Saturday, the Rideau Paddlefest will have canoeists, kayakers and paddleboarders flocking to Lower Reach Park (Old Slys Road, Smiths Falls) from 10am to 4pm to enjoy voyageur canoe races and tours, paddling demonstrations, live music, educational exhibits, and more.
Get gourmet inspiration in Clayton, New York
The Great New York State Food & Wine Festival (June 10 to 12) gives you the chance to taste foods and beverages—everything from popcorn to mead—from producers across New York state. It’s all happening at the Cerow Recreation Park Arena (615 East Line Road, Clayton, NY). Hours are 3pm to 8pm on Friday, 11am to 6pm on Saturday, and 11am to 4pm on Sunday. Tickets are US$20 for adults and US$5 for kids aged 12 and up; kids under 12 attend free. Clayton is a two-hour drive southwest of Ottawa, roughly opposite Gananoque on the St. Lawrence River.
Shop sales all over Ottawa
On Wednesday, June 8, the Metcalfe Farmers’ Market Night Market is happening at the Metcalfe Fairgrounds (2821 Eighth Line Road, Metcalfe) from 5pm to 8pm. Musicians, producers and food vendors will all be on hand to keep the event lively.
The popular 613Flea sale returns to the Aberdeen Pavilion at Lansdowne Park on Saturday, June 11 (10am to 4pm), with more than 140 vendors selling antiques, collectibles, and vintage/used goodies. Also on Saturday, you can check out the AVCA Awesome Alta Vista Garage Sale, a neighbourhood-wide event in Alta Vista running from 8am to 1pm.
On Sunday, June 12, the Canterbury Community Association is hosting a Gigantic Indoor/Outdoor Garage Sale at the Canterbury Community Centre and Jim Tubman Chevrolet Rink (2185 Arch Street, Ottawa), from 10am to 3pm. Also on Sunday, the Osgoode Township Museum is presenting the first of three summer Pop Up Markets, from 10am to 2pm. Vendors will be selling local plants, crafts, artwork, produce and more. The museum is at 7814 Lawrence Street in Vernon, on Ottawa’s southern edge.
Looking for more shopping road trip ideas? Check out my big list of local farmers’ markets.
Go birdwatching in the Adirondacks
The Adirondack Boreal Birding Festival (June 9 to 12) features free birding hikes, walks, safaris, outings, and seminars throughout Hamilton County in the Adirondacks (in and around the communities of Long Lake, Indian Lake, Speculator, Raquette, Blue Mountain Lake, Piseco, Morehouse, Lake Pleasant and Inlet). Since the county includes over a million acres of the Adirondacks, 60 percent of which are classified as wilderness or wild forest, it’s a great place to watch for birds at the height of the breeding season. All field trips are free, but you need to register by calling Hamilton County Tourism at (800) 648-5239 or (518) 548-3076, between 9am and 4pm on weekdays.
Shop for yarn across Southeastern Ontario
Knitters, start your engines! Thirteen yarn shops across a wide region have banded together for a new event called the Southeastern Ontario Yarn Crawl. From now until August 31, you can pop into each of them and get a yarn crawl passport stamped to be eligible for prizes. You’ll find participating shops in Smiths Falls, Perth and Verona, among many other places.
Celebrate Pride in North Grenville and Brockville
There are lots of events for 2SLGBTQ+ folks and allies this week. Brockville Pride Week (June 6 to 12) includes (among many other events) a potluck on Wednesday, a coffee house on Thursday, and a fun run, a vendor market and a parade on Saturday. In and around Kemptville, NG Pride (June 11 and 12) features a flotilla starting at Curry Park at 11am on Saturday, and a parade on Sunday from 1pm to 5pm, with an after party at Riverside Park kicked off by pianist Alanna Sterling on the Kemptville Street Piano.
Can’t make it to one of these? See my list of Pride festivals for other events throughout the summer.
See a play in Ottawa, Pembroke or Kingston
This week marks the opening of Ottawa Little Theatre’s production of The Columnist, a drama about a revered (and feared) American newspaper columnist in the Cold War days of the 1960s. The show runs from June 8 to 25, with most performances starting at 7:30pm (there are matinées on June 12 and 19 at 2:30pm). There are also several “talkback” events, featuring a Q&A with cryptography expert Richard Brisson; the first is on Friday, June 10. Ticket prices range from $14 to $30. The theatre is at 400 King Edward Avenue (at Rideau).
Hot flashes got you down? Then you’ll likely get some laughs at Menopause: The Musical, on for two nights (June 8 and 9) at the Festival Hall Centre for the Performing Arts (401 Isabella Street, Pembroke). Tickets range from $40.50 to $49.50.
Domino Theatre is staging Kong’s Night Out, a rollicking comedy about a down-on-his-luck Broadway producer in 1933 who learns that his arch-rival is producing a new play about a really, really big ape whose name might sound familiar. It’s running in Kingston (52 Church Street) from June 9 through June 25 (on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays). Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for kids; seniors and members pay $16 at the door on Thursdays only.
Run a marathon in Lake Placid
Feel like taking on a running challenge in the scenic Adirondacks of upstate New York? It’s not too late to register for the Lake Placid Marathon and Half Marathon on Sunday, June 12. (There’s a kids’ run on June 11, too.)
Revel in steampunk in Johnstown
It’s not every day that an event featuring parasol duelling and teapot racing crosses my desk. But you’ll find all that and more at the Fort Town Steampunk Festival in Johnstown (Saturday, June 11, 10pm to 6pm). So what is “steampunk,” exactly? It’s a blend of science fiction and old-time technology and fashion—think of whimsical Victorians brandishing gear-studded gadgets and you’ll get the idea. As well as the aforementioned duelling and racing, you can try your luck at a murder mystery challenge, a scavenger hunt and more. Tickets are $10 for adults (ages 14 and up) and $5 for youth aged 8 to 13; admission is free for children 7 or younger. Some activities have extra fees. It’s a fundraiser for the Greater Fort Town Area Charity, and it’s taking place at Windmill Brewery (5 Newport Drive, Johnstown).
Cheer for volleyball players at TD Place
Eight top men’s volleyball teams—including squads from Canada, Argentina, France and Poland—will be competing in the Volleyball Nations League tournament at TD Place (June 7 to 12). Adult tickets range in price from $20 to $80 and are good for all games on a particular day.
Enjoy a Victorian garden party in Gatineau
La Troupe Désinvolte is holding a Fête Champêtre at the historic Maison Fairview-Scott (100, rue Gamelin, Gatineau) on June 11 and 12, starting each day at 1pm. The comedic theatre troupe will be riffing on the lives and times of the home’s Victorian residents, Sir Richard William Scott and Mary Ann Heron Scott. The 90-minute French outdoor show, which will go on rain or shine, is suitable for audiences aged 12 and up. Tickets are $15 to $20 in advance, or $20 to 25 at the door, plus taxes.
Get artsy in the Glebe
The New Art Festival (June 11 and 12) will see almost 200 visual artists presenting their work for sale in Central Park in the Glebe. It runs rain or shine, from 10am to 5pm, and admission is free. You’ll find the park on both sides of Bank Street, between Patterson and Clemow avenues.
Go to a powwow in Smiths Falls
The Spirit of the Drum Traditional and Educational Powwow returns to Smiths Falls this weekend, with two days of Indigenous dancing, drumming and teaching. Each day begins at noon with a grand entry and continues until 4pm. It’s all happening at Turtle Island Park (8 Park Avenue).
Try new beers in Orleans or Kingston
For microbrewery fans, there are two beer fests to choose from this weekend. Close to home, the Orleans Craft Beer Festival (June 9 to 11) will highlight 30-some breweries, cider makers and more in Centrum Plaza. Further afield, there’s the YGK Craft Beer Fest at Fort Henry National Historic Site in Kingston (Saturday, June 11), with lots of live local music. For more details on these and other beer bashes throughout the summer, see my recently updated beer festival roundup.
Enjoy live music in downtown Ottawa, Osgoode, Chelsea, Shawville, Perth, Pembroke or Bath
Looking for live music? There’s a show for just about every taste this week. Here are some of the highlights.
- Songs from a Drunken Piano is a revue of the music of Tom Waits on Friday, June 10, in La Fab in Chelsea (8, chemin Mill; start time 7pm; ticket price $30.29).
- On Saturday, the Osgoode PorchFest is a free, family-friendly, community-wide event with lots of live music, along with a block party, a beer garden, an artisans’ fair, a show-and-shine car display, and two after parties (10am to 8pm).
- That night, the Little Red Wagon Winery in Shawville (well, technically in West Clarendon) is hosting an album release party for rootsy singer-songwriter Lynne Hanson (C-165, chemin Calumet; dinner available at 6pm, show starts at 7:30pm; ticket price $30).
- The Legendary Downchild Blues Band, with special guest Miss Emily, is playing the Festival Hall Centre for the Performing Arts in Pembroke on Saturday (401 Isabella Street; start time 7pm; tickets are $56.50, plus taxes and fees).
- Also on Saturday, at the MacKinnon Brothers Brewing Company in Bath, it’s an all-ages, outdoor ’90s Night with headliners Dwayne Gretzky, as well as a DJ spinning retro tunes (1915 County Road 22; doors open at 6pm, show starts at 8pm; tickets are $40, with bus transportation from Kingston for an extra $15).
- Saturday also sees Rock and Roll Never Forgets, a Bob Seger tribute band, on stage at Farrell Hall in Perth (186 Gore Street; doors open at 7pm, show starts at 8pm; tickets are $34 in advance or $39 at the door, plus fees).
- The Thirteen Strings Chamber Orchestra is performing Franz Schubert’s Death and the Maiden, along with pieces by Healey Willan and Carl Nielsen on Sunday, June 12, at the Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre in Ottawa (355 Cooper Street; start time 7:30pm; tickets from $10 to $35; livestream tickets available).
Hop on your bike in downtown Ottawa or the Adirondacks
The Capital Ward Bike Ride and BBQ on Saturday, June 11, is a leisurely, family-friendly ride from the Glebe to Old Ottawa South. It starts at Sylvia Holden Park (641 O’Connor Street) at 11am and winds up with a barbecue at Windsor Park (1 Windsor Avenue) starting at 11:30am. The event, put together by Capital Ward Councillor Shawn Menard’s office, is free. However, attendees are asked to register in advance so the organizers can get an idea of numbers. If it rains, the ride will be postponed to Sunday, June 12.
A bit further away, a bit more gruelling and also on Saturday, the Black Fly Challenge is a 64-kilometre “gravel grinder” bike race from Inlet to Indian Lake in the Adirondacks. (Gee, there’s a lot going on in the Adirondacks this weekend!) The entry fee is US$50 per rider. See the video above for a taste of the event.
Toast a garden centre in Smiths Falls
Gemmell’s Garden Centre is marking its 90th anniversary on Sunday, June 12, with live music in the afternoon, a car display, food for purchase from The Brockberry and free cake (11862 Highway 15 North, Smiths Falls, 10am to 4pm). (P.S.: If gardening’s your jam, don’t miss my big post about local gardens, greenhouses and gardening events.)
Get signed copies of my books
If you’re going to be at the Carlingwood Shopping Centre (2121 Carling Avenue, Ottawa) on Saturday, June 11, drop by the Coles bookstore and say hi! I’ll be signing copies of my day trips and weekend getaways guidebooks from 11am to 1pm. I’d love to meet you!
I write a “road trip roundup” post like this every week. Are you promoting an upcoming event you’d like to see in a future weekly road trip roundup? Please email me the details at least two weeks in advance of the event, and I’ll add them to my files. If you have a horizontal photo or two I could use, even better. Thanks!
Looking for more tips on things to see and do in Eastern Ontario, the Outaouais, northern New York state and beyond? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or order a copy of my book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your Weekend Getaway Guide.
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.