It’s a short-and-sweet list this week, but there’s a little something for everyone—from an art exhibition and an ATV treasure hunt to camping and virtual fireworks. Enjoy!
Have some virtual Canada Day fun
It will be a July 1 like no other: no buskers entertaining crowds, no live music on Parliament Hill, no fireworks. But that doesn’t mean there will be no fun! Here are some ways to safely celebrate Canada’s 153rd birthday.
- The federal government is shooting off virtual fireworks at 10pm in each time zone across the country. You can download an app so you can point your phone or tablet skyward for a 3D fireworks experience (wow, there are intriguing things coming out of this whole COVID-19 experience).
- The feds are also hosting two nationwide virtual concerts: a daytime one (1pm to 2pm in Ottawa) featuring Pierre-Yves Lord, Serena Ryder, Paul Brandt, Julie Nesrallah, Burnstick, Sarahmée and many others; and an evening one (8pm to 10pm in Ottawa) with Alanis Morissette, Corneille, Avril Lavigne, Alan Doyle, Natasha Kanapé Fontaine, The Sheepdogs and more.
- Juno-winning singer/songwriter Connie Kaldor and her family—husband Paul Campagne, and sons Aleksi and Gabriel—will be giving a virtual happy-hour concert at 6pm on Canada Day. Tickets are pay-what-you can; the Westboro Folk Music Lovers group, which is promoting the show, suggests $20 per person if you can swing it.
Try an ATV scavenger hunt south of Ottawa
ATV riders, here’s an adventure for you: the Nation Valley ATV Club and Johnstown ATV Club are cooperating on Treasure Hunt: Socially Distant Adventure. Between Saturday, July 27, and Sunday, July 5, you can hunt for eight treasures hidden across the two clubs’ trail systems. Take a photo with the item, put it back and submit the photographic proof, and you could win a prize. The fee is $10 per person; details are in the link above (which takes you to a Facebook page).
Hit the beach in Ottawa
Starting tomorrow (and water-quality levels permitting), three City of Ottawa beaches—Westboro, Mooney’s Bay and Petrie Island—will have lifeguards and will be open for swimming daily, from noon to 7pm. And (you know I’m going to say this): If you go to the beach, keep your distance from other groups! Pretty please. ????
Pitch a tent in the Outaouais
Wondering where you can camp in West Quebec? A recent blog post from Outaouais Tourism has the scoop on spots in Gatineau Park, the Papineau-Labelle Wildlife Reserve and other campsites.
Check out a new art exhibition in Chelsea
An exhibition by artist Richard Austin is opening next week at La Fab Arts Centre in Chelsea—but, like everything else these days, it will be a bit different. You can see his large landscape paintings in the Dreamscapes show whenever the gallery is open (Wednesday to Sunday; hours are on the gallery’s website). However, instead of attending a traditional one-day “meet the artist” vernissage, you can email him to reserve a half-hour time slot between 2pm and 4pm on any weekend in July! Only five visitors will be allowed in at a time. The show runs from July 2 to August 2. (Information updated to correct previous errors—sorry about that!)
Enjoy a virtual street festival in Brockville
Downtown Brockville is holding a Virtual Street Festival on Saturday, June 27. Follow that link to sign up for the event’s Facebook page, for alerts about the buskers, musicians, retail deals and more fun happening that day. Up to $2,500 in prizes will be up for grabs, too.
For more ideas, make sure to check out 25 great Eastern Ontario road trips you can do right now and re-opening dates for Ottawa-area tourist spots and activities.
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