With a night market in Kemptville, Atlético Ottawa’s home opener at TD Place, a demolition derby in Navan, an outdoor concert in Wakefield, and an elegant evening of hats and art in Perth, there truly is something for everyone to enjoy in the Ottawa area in the next seven days. Wherever your travels take you, have fun, stay safe and hydrate!
Browse a night market in Kemptville
You can shop and dine outdoors on Thursday, August 12, during Kemptville’s monthly outdoor night market at the Kemptville Campus. Admission is by donation. Browse for food and other products from local vendors while enjoying live music. You can also pre-order a farm-to-table meal from Catered Affairs, to nosh on at a patio table. The market runs from 4:30pm to 8pm.
Catch a concert in Cornwall, Killaloe, Spencerville or Wakefield
Free concerts at Lamoureux Park in Cornwall return this week with a show by Grace and Eric Willison on Wednesday, August 11, and a performance by the Steve Gravel Band on Thursday, August 12. The concerts start at 7pm (weather permitting).
The free concert series at Station Park in Killaloe is also back. On Friday, August 13, you can enjoy music by John Yaskolski, Kenny Peplinski and Lawrence Beanish. The show runs from 6pm to 8pm.
On Saturday, August 14, singer-songwriter Amanda Keeley (see video above) will be giving a drive-in tailgate concert at the Spencerville Fairgrounds, sponsored by Little Sisterz restaurant and the Spencerville Fair. You’ll need to buy tickets in advance ($15 per person), and guests are encouraged to pre-order food from local restaurants to enjoy during the show. The gates open at 5pm and the show starts at 7pm. All profits go to the entertainer and the fair.
And looking ahead to Monday, August 16, the Musical Mondays series on the outdoor stage at the Fairbairn House Heritage Centre in Wakefield will feature singer-songwriter Rebecca Noelle, whose music is an eclectic blend of jazz, blues, electronic and other influences. The show starts at 6:30pm.
Cheer for soccer players at TD Place at Lansdowne Park
On Saturday, August 14, Atlético Ottawa takes to the pitch at TD Place at Lansdowne Park for its home opener, and admission is pay-what-you-want. The brand-new pro soccer team will be facing Halifax’s HFX Wanderers FC, starting at 3pm. Atlético Ottawa is part of the Canadian Premier League and is affiliated with Spain’s storied Atlético de Madrid football club.
Have a stylish night in Perth
A Midsummer Night in Perth on Saturday, August 14, sounds utterly unique. Organized by the Katherine Muir Miller Gallery and Queen Bee Millinery, it’s billed as “an evening of landscapes interpreted through Art & Fashion.” It will also include canapés from Gather and wines from KIN Vineyards. And hats. Colour me intrigued. (P.S.: You’ll need to buy timed tickets online in advance.)
Marvel at murals in Montreal
The Montreal Mural Festival is back—a few months later than it normally runs, but it’s here! From August 12 to 22, you can watch mural artists at work on and near St. Laurent Boulevard (AKA The Main), painting enormous artworks on the sides of buildings. Muralists include Ottawa-raised Cryote, underground Montreal artist June Barry and Toronto’s Waxhead. You can also book a guided mural tour, take an art workshop (there are classes for both adults and kids) or catch a concert. The website has an interactive map and lots more details on the program.
See a parade or a demolition derby in Navan
The whole Navan Fair isn’t scheduled to happen again until 2022, but on Saturday, August 14, you can enjoy versions of two of its most popular annual events, both at the Navan Fairgrounds.
First, from 10am until noon, the upside-down parade features stationary floats created by community members. Instead of standing on sidewalks to watch floats pass by, spectators will drive by the parked floats and admire them from their cars. Admission is free, but financial donations to the Cumberland Township Agricultural Society and food donations for the local food bank will be gratefully accepted.
Next up is the 2021 demolition derby. To attend, you must buy tickets in advance and complete an online COVID screening. The gates open at 1pm, the smash-em-up action starts at 2pm, there will be food trucks onsite (to serve food, not to be demolished) and it all ends “until the last car stops running” (I quote from the website)—probably around 6pm.
Enjoy film tunes by candlelight in Ottawa
Tickets are still available for performances this Friday and Saturday of Candlelight: Film Scores and Hollywood Epics. This series of concerts at First Baptist Church in downtown Ottawa, happening on various dates between August 13 and October 1, features a string quartet playing famous TV and movie music by candlelight. The program isn’t finalized yet but may include pieces from Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, West Side Story and more.
Try some new takeout food in Arnprior
Popular Arnprior fine food shop Bee Savvy is launching a new product this week: takeout lunches. The tasty-sounding options include a bagel with house-cured trout; a smoothie bowl packed with fruit, chia seeds, hemp hearts and more; and a ham, brie and pear baguette. If you’re lucky, you might be able to snag one of the store’s shaded outdoor seats. (Here are lots more tips for things to see and do in and around Arnprior.)
Watch interviews with Outaouais artists
Episode 11 of Outaouais Live!, an online, English-language series about the West Quebec cultural scene, debuted on YouTube on Monday, August 9. This week’s episode (see video above) profiles Rémi Bertrand, who has opened a new restaurant/music venue in Fort Coulonge called Café Downtown; Shawville country/folk singer Robert Wills; and Chelsea ceramic artist Paula Murray. You can see all of the available Outaouais Live! episodes on the 100 Mile Arts Network’s YouTube channel.
Celebrate the arts in Long Sault
The Lost Villages Museum in Long Sault, just west of Cornwall, is hosting the Arts in the Park festival on August 14 and 15 (from 10am to 5pm on both days). Check out an art sale, meet local authors, take a chair-caning lesson, enjoy live music and nosh on barbecue treats. The museum itself—a collection of heritage buildings reclaimed from communities intentionally flooded during the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway—is also well worth exploring, while you’re there. (Check out this post for all sorts of other things you can see and do in Long Sault, Morrisburg and Iroquois.)
Check out a new festival in the ByWard Market
The Ooh Music, Art and Streetwear Festival (August 14 and 15) is one of the newest events in Ottawa’s ByWard Market. Vendors will be on hand from 10am to 6pm both days, tempting browsers with sneakers, vintage clothing, food, art and more. From noon until 9pm both days, you can also enjoy live music, chef demonstrations and other fun.
Looking for more ideas for fun in Ottawa, Eastern Ontario and beyond? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or buy my new guidebook, Ottawa Road Trips: Your 100km Getaway Guide.