This week’s roundup of Ottawa road trip ideas is nothing if not diverse! For shoppers, I have art, craft, book, fashion and garage sales—and two home shows. For outdoors lovers, there’s a nature hike and a canoe race. From ballet in Montreal and guitar music in Morrisburg to art exhibitions in Chelsea and Almonte, there are lots of great reasons to hit the road. And, with luck, it will stop snowing! Happy travels.
See otters and a classic stage musical in Brockville
Creative Commons photo of North American river otters (Lontra canadensis) by Dmitry Asovtsev.
This will be a busy weekend in Brockville! The St. Lawrence College Music Theatre—Performance Program is presenting Jesus Christ Superstar at the Brockville Arts Centre (April 12 to 14). And the Aquatarium—where you can learn about the ecology of the St. Lawrence River and see all sorts of aquatic creatures, including the ever-popular otters—is offering free admission on Friday and Saturday.
Browse for treasures in Ottawa, Bourget or Almonte
Saturday, April 13, will be a big day for craft sale and garage sale fans. The second annual Vendor Sale and Community Garage Sale is happening in Bourget, from 10am to 4pm. The North Lanark Regional Museum is hosting its Spring Cleaning Garage and Bake Sale from 8am until noon. The Ottawa Artisans Guild is holding its Spring Craft Show at Lester B. Pearson Catholic High School in Ottawa from 10am to 3pm. And the Spring Fever Craft Show at Parkdale United Church in Ottawa will feature more than 50 local vendors, live music and a snack shack.
Hear great guitar music in Morrisburg
Photo courtesy of Preston Reed.
Acclaimed guitarist Preston Reed—whose percussive style has been influenced by jazz, rock, blues, funk, neoclassical and Middle Eastern music—will be in concert at the Upper Canada Playhouse in Morrisburg on Saturday, April 13, as part of the St. Lawrence Acoustic Stage series. He’ll also be giving a workshop for keen guitarists on Sunday.
Catch a funny play in Cobden
No one suspects the charming older husband and wife who run the Cider Mill Inn of anything suspicious—until a few unlucky guests discover that the innkeepers are actually sophisticated con artists. That’s the premise of What Is Susan’s Secret?, a comedy that the Cobden Community Players are staging at the Cobden Agricultural Hall from April 12 to 14. Two nearby churches are serving roast beef and chicken dinners before the show.
Take a nature walk in Osgoode
Illustration of an eastern skunk cabbage from an 1893 book called How to Know the Wild Flowers courtesy of the Biodiversity Heritage Library.
It might not have the most appealing name, but the skunk cabbage is actually quite pretty (see the vintage illustration above) and it’s a harbinger of spring. The Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club will be leading a hike to look for skunk cabbages in Osgoode on Sunday, April 14, weather permitting. (The walk has already been rescheduled once due to snow, so please check the web link provided before heading out.)
View a new art exhibition in Chelsea or Almonte
Artist Stéphane Hébert’s new show, A Sense of Whimsy, opens at the La Fab Arts Centre in Chelsea on Thursday, April 11, and runs until Sunday, May 5. It features a selection of Hébert’s abstract paintings, inspired by the MewithoutYou song “In a Sweater Poorly Knit,” and you can meet the artist at the vernissage on Saturday from 2pm to 5pm.
Also this week, artist Tania Love’s show Pathways comes to the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum in Almonte. Opening on Saturday, April 13, and running until Saturday, June 15, it features a wide range of works exploring themes of water, including the role of the Mississippi River in the evolution of Almonte and its historical textiles industry. Love will be at the exhibition’s vernissage on Saturday from 2pm to 4pm.
See a classic ballet in Montreal
Les Grands Ballets is performing Giselle—the classic tale of a young woman who is seduced by a dastardly duke, dies of a broken heart and then gets her revenge by haunting him—with live orchestral accompaniment at Place des Arts in Montreal from April 11 to 14.
Paddle the Raisin River in St. Andrews West
The arrival of spring means many canoeists are keen to get their paddles in the water. One of the first opportunities of the season is the Raisin River Canoe Race, happening in St. Andrews West (just north of Cornwall) on Sunday, April 14. You can register online before 11:59pm on Thursday, April 11, or in person on the day of the race. The event includes a pre-race breakfast in St. Andrews West and a post-race dinner in Williamstown.
Discover new-to-you wines in Kingston
Photo by Matthieu Joannon on Unsplash.
Corks and Forks is a brand-new wine and food festival coming to Kingston this weekend (April 12 to 14). Events include wine tastings, a wide range of winemakers’ dinners at local restaurants, a vintners’ brunch and more. (Watch my Instagram for photos from the festival, as I’ll be there!)
Learn about electric vehicles in Ottawa
Curious what it would be like to drive an electric car or e-bike? Then drop into the free Electric Vehicle Day at IKEA on Iris Road on Sunday, April 14, to take a test drive, learn about incentive programs or take a workshop. Bring a bag, because Ecology Ottawa will also be giving away trees!
Eat pancakes in Maberly
Photo of pancakes by Skitterphoto on Pixabay.
The Maberly Fair is hosting its 27th annual Pancake Brunch and Bake Sale at the Maberly Community Hall from 10am to 1pm on Saturday, April 13. Mmmm, pancakes…
Get summer inspiration in Ottawa and Renfrew
Dreaming of afternoons sitting in the sunshine in a Muskoka chair, sipping something cold? Aren’t we all? If so, you could check out the Ottawa Cottage Life & Backyard Show at the EY Centre this weekend (April 12 to 14). Vendors will be on hand selling everything from water toys to barbecues.
A little further afield, the Renfrew and Area Home, Garden and Leisure Show comes to the Ma-Te-Way Activity Centre in Renfrew on April 12 and 13.
Indulge in some retail therapy in Montreal
The Montreal version of the Big Fashion Sale by Quebec Designers is happening this week (April 11 to 14). It is just what the name implies: a huge event with dozens of fashion and accessories designers gathered all in one place. (If you want to catch it closer to home, it’s coming to Gatineau next weekend, from April 18 to 20.)
Admire fibre art in Kingston
Flickr/Creative Commons photo of an ort loom by Nic McPhee.
Art Threads, the Kingston Fibre Artists’ annual show and sale of new works, opens on Monday, April 8, at the Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning and continues until Thursday, May 5. An opening reception with the artists will take place from 2pm to 4pm on Saturday, April 13.
Shop for used books in Ottawa
All those people madly following Marie Kondo’s decluttering advice have to take their old books somewhere, right? That’s why you’ll probably find thousands of used volumes on sale at the Mutchmor Public School Book Sale in the Glebe from April 11 to 14.
Dance at the world’s largest foam party in Albany
Billing itself as the “world’s largest foam party,” Foam ‘n’ Glow Albany on Friday, April 12, is the place to be for electronic dance music fans. There will be top DJs and lots of bands. There will be contortionists and ultraviolet dancers. There will be CO2 shows. And there will be foam. Party on, my millennial friends.
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2 comments
You can also go down to Martintown to watch the paddlers in the Raisin River race go through the dam, which is quite entertaining.
That’s cool–I didn’t know that! I’d rather be on shore than close to the water in this cold weather. 😊