To say that this is a busy long weekend would be an understatement! There’s so much happening in and around Ottawa over the next seven days—from studio tours and a lavender festival to Canada Day and a rural food fest—that it’s hard keeping up with it all. Read on for the details, and enjoy!
Catch a multicultural festival in Hawkesbury
From June 30 to July 3, the free Hawkesbury Multicultural Festival will draw people to stages across the community’s downtown for performances by dozens of world-music artists. There will be fireworks on Canada Day, too.
See illusionists in Smiths Falls
Do you believe in magic? Then you may well be interested in Outerbridge—Clockwork Mysteries, a show by illusionists Marion and Ted Outerbridge that opens at the Station Theatre (53 Victoria Avenue, Smiths Falls) on Friday, July 1. The pair will be performing sleight of hand at the theatre most Fridays and Saturdays (a mix of afternoon and evening shows) until Saturday, October 1. Tickets start at $34.95.
Browse for art in Kingston, the Rideau Lakes or the Eastern Townships
Artfest Kingston (July 1 to 3) brings together some 150 Canadian artists and artisans in City Park (near the corner of King Street East and Barrie Street in Kingston). Enjoy live music and theatre, take in a live art workshop or poetry reading, thrill to circus and dance performances, and fuel up with food truck treats in a pretty outdoor setting. Free admission. Open daily from 10am to 6pm.
The Rideau Lakes Studio Tour is also on this weekend (July 2 and 3). Admire the creativity of artists in Portland, Elgin, Newboro and Chaffey’s Lock, as well as the scenery along the rivers and lakes of the Rideau Canal system.
A bit further afield, the Circuit des arts Mephrémagog (July 2 to 10) is a popular studio tour in the Eastern Townships.
Planning ahead? Check out my extensive list of studio tours throughout the summer and fall.
See Theodore Too in Morrisburg
If you have young kids, you’re more than likely very familiar with Theodore Tugboat and his namesake Canadian TV series. The show is no longer in production, but the little smiling tugboat goes on tour every summer, providing endless selfie opportunities. On Sunday, July 3, Theodore Too will be at the public dock in Morrisburg, about an hour south of Ottawa, from 9am to 5pm. People can see the 20-metre (65 foot) boat and chat with the crew for free. (Disclosure: The Municipality of South Dundas purchased ads on the Ottawa Road Trips website to advertise this event.)
P.S.: Check out my guide to Iroquois and Morrisburg for tips on other things to see and do while you’re in the area. Families might particularly enjoy the area’s beaches and the South Dundas Tourism Pursuit app, a smartphone-based game that will guide you to interesting locations in Morrisburg and surrounding communities.
Enjoy jazz in Ottawa or Montreal
There’s still lots of time to groove to great music during this year’s TD Ottawa Jazz Festival (until July 3). Acts taking to stages all over downtown this week include the Jazz at Lincoln Centre Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis (Wednesday), Corinne Bailey Rae (Saturday) and Pink Martini featuring China Forbes (also Saturday). Prices and times vary; check the jazz festival website for details. And all festival shows on Canada Day are free!
Alternatively, you can head down Highway 417 to Montreal, where the TD Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (June 30 to July 9) features some of the same stars playing the Ottawa festival, as well as Ravi Coltrane, Bran Van 3000, Holly Cole, Al Di Meola, The Manhattan Transfer and many, many others. Again, dates, times and ticket prices are on the event’s website.
Celebrate Petawawa’s 25th birthday
Petawawa was amalgamated into its current form 25 years ago, and the town is holding a four-day 25th Anniversary Celebration (June 30 to July 3). Festivities in the Ottawa Valley community will include paintball, movies under the stars, lots of concerts, a hypnotist and comedian show, fireworks (on Canada Day), a craft show, carnival games, an antique car show, a craft beer event, picnics in the park, trail runs, a flower show and bingo—and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Many events are free; prices for others vary. Check the festival’s website for times, dates and locations.
P.S.: This is also the first week of this year’s Petawawa Container Market, a warm-weather pop-up show showcasing a changing roster of local vendors. It starts on Thursday, June 30, at the Petawawa Civic Centre (16 Civic Centre Road). On that day and in July and August, it will be open from 4pm to 9pm on Thursdays and Fridays, and from 10am to 3pm on weekends. In September and October, it will be open weekends only, from 10am to 3pm.
See fireworks in Montreal
Montreal’s huge fireworks competition, L’International des Feux Loto-Québec, kicked off on Saturday, June 25, and runs on Wednesdays and Saturdays until August 6. The show on Saturday, July 2, is a tribute to the music of Prince. Other displays throughout the next month or so include shows created by teams from Mexico, Hungary, Canada, Italy, Croatia and England. While you can see the fireworks from many places in the city, the La Ronde amusement park is a good place to appreciate the way the pyrotechnics are matched with the music. To watch the show there, you’ll need tickets, which range in price from $60.98 to $75.99 and include admission to the amusement park.
Shop for antiques in Perth
Looking for some vintage silver, china, art, textiles, tools, jewellery, art, furniture or decor pieces, or retro collectibles? You might have good luck at the Perth Antique Show and Sale (July 2 and 3) at the Civitan Club of Perth (6787 County Road 43), where dealers from Ontario and Quebec will be selling their finds. The show runs from 10am to 4pm both days, and admission is $7.
Eat ribs in Gananoque
As well as lots of ribs and pulled pork, the 1000 Islands Family Ribfest (June 30 to July 3 at the Lou Jeffries Arena, 600 King Street East, Gananoque) will amuse visitors with a craft show, kids’ zone, skateboard clinic, pie-eating contest, bike rodeo and rubber duck race, among other fun. There will be tons of live music, too. Admission is $2 for adults and free for kids.
Kick up your heels in Almonte
Almonte Celtfest will have the Lanark County town tapping its toes to Irish, Scottish and other Celtic tunes this weekend (July 2 and 3) in Gemmell Park (182 Bridge Street). Musical acts on stage will include Anna Ludlow, Morgan Toney, and Shane Cook and the Woodchippers. As well as concerts, there will be workshops focusing on a range of instruments (including bodhrán, fiddle, whistle and guitar), along with kids’ activities. Admission is free but donations are welcome.
Celebrate Canada Day all over
Communities large and small are celebrating Canada’s birthday on Friday, July 1 (and several are getting a head start on Thursday). I have the scoop on fireworks times and locations, as well as all the bouncy castles, bike parades and beer gardens you can handle, in my extensive guide to Canada Day celebrations across Eastern Ontario.
Nosh on local foods in Mississippi Station
Back Forty Artisan Cheese (1406 Gulley Road, Mississippi Station) is holding its annual Curds and Cooks Festival on Saturday, July 2, from 11am to 6pm. Listen to steel drum music as you sample food and drinks from small producers throughout Eastern Ontario—including KIN Vineyards, Stalwart Brewing, Perth Pie Company, Artizen Kombucha, Dairy Distillery, and Seed to Sausage. I’m intrigued by the promised deep-fried, beer-battered cheese curds. Free admission and free sampling.
Enjoy classical music on an island near Kingston
The Waterside Summer Series of classical music concerts on Amherst Island kicks off this weekend with a performance by Canadian pianist Sheng Cai on Saturday, July 2, starting at 3:15pm. Tickets to that show are $37, and tickets are still available for concerts by other performers on July 18 and August 16. All concerts take place at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church (1955 Stella 40 Foot Road, Stella). Amherst Island is a half-hour drive west of Kingston, and ferries to the island depart every hour on the half-hour.
Check out a festival in Rockland
The Clarence-Rockland Festival (June 29 to July 3) has a little something for everyone, whether you’re looking for movies under the stars (in French or English), bouncy castles, clowns, classic rock, skateboarding, French standup comedy, a car show or even afternoon tea with an etiquette expert. The festival will take place at Simon Park (1450 du Parc Avenue, Rockland) and just about everything is free. There will be fireworks on Canada Day.
Tiptoe through the lavender in Prince Edward County
Breathe deeply: Prince Edward County Lavender (732 Closson Road, Hillier) is holding a Lavender Festival this weekend and next (July 2, 3, 9 and 10). Pick your own lavender, see distilling demonstrations, visit food vendors, and enjoy kids’ activities and live entertainment.
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.
2 comments
Wow, so much to experience! I love these round-ups – I learn so much about the areas around me!!
Thanks so much, Chrisann–I’m really glad you enjoy them!