Hop on your bike, grab your yoga mat or round up your craft supplies—I have lots of ideas for fun in and around Ottawa this week! From an online class for kids with the Vanier Museopark to night markets, artists’ studio tours and the CityFolk music festival, there’s a little something for everyone. Enjoy!
Cycle for poutine in McNab Braeside
Here’s a bargain: for just $5, you can sign up for the 24-kilometre Tour de Poutine bicycle tour in McNab-Braeside Township (near Arnprior) on Saturday, September 18. Your registration fee includes your reward for finishing: poutine and a drink at Betty’s Chips. Registration starts at Red Pine Bay at 10am (or you can register in advance) and the ride starts at 10:30am.
Take a studio tour in Ottawa or Central Ontario
During three studio tours this weekend, artists will be inviting visitors to their premises to shop for pieces and learn about the creative process. In Ottawa, the West End Studio Tour is taking place outdoors—in yards and on porches—on two weekends, September 18 and 19, and September 25 and 26. On the same weekends, you can also meet 11 artists a few hours west of Ottawa during the Bancroft and Area Autumn Studio Tour. Just south of Bancroft, the Apsley Autumn Studio Tour runs this weekend only.
Also this weekend only is the Art in Portland show, which condenses the usual early summer Rideau Lakes Studio Tour into two locations in Portland.
Do you love studio tours? Here’s my list of most of the big artist studio tours in Ottawa and within a few hours in many directions.
Enjoy a night market in Metcalfe, Kemptville and Perth
The Metcalfe Farmers’ Market is hosting its last evening market of the season at the Metcalfe Fairgrounds on Wednesday, September 15, from 5pm to 8pm. This one takes place both indoors and out, and features live music. And you can bring your leashed dog! The event will run rain or shine.
The monthly outdoor Night Market returns to the Kemptville Campus this week on Thursday, September 16, from 4:30pm to 8pm. Browse the stalls of local vendors selling everything from art to veggies, and enjoy live music along the way.
And on Saturday, September 18, you can check out the Perth Night Market, which features local vendors and entertainers. Many shops will be open late and numerous restaurants are participating in the fun. It all starts at 5pm.
Eat ribs in the park in Pembroke
Ribfest at Riverside Park in Pembroke (September 17 to 19) will be a bit different this year—it’s a drive-through event! The vendors of all that sticky, yummy, barbecue goodness will bring your ribs right to your car. Then you can enjoy them at a picnic table in the park, or anywhere else you choose, really. Cash payment is preferred but debit is also accepted.
Do yoga all day in Kemptville
During the Surya Yoga Festival (Saturday, September 18), you can choose from 15 yoga classes offered from dawn to dusk, shop for yoga-related products, learn about meditation, eat healthy foods and more. It’s all taking place outdoors at the Kemptville Campus in Kemptville.
Invite your friends and family to Ottawa
Help support our tourism economy and local small businesses and #Invite2 friends or family to Ottawa this year! ???? https://t.co/p7x7GaNqo7 #MyOttawa #Invite2 @OttawaRoadTrips pic.twitter.com/pVzeVPLYVB
— Ottawa Tourism (@Ottawa_Tourism) September 11, 2021
Ottawa Tourism is currently running a campaign encouraging everyone in town to invite two friends or relatives to come stay in the city for three nights and experience everything Ottawa has to offer. They estimate that if every household in Ottawa did that, it would pump $500 million into the local economy and help support the hospitality industry, which has been hit particularly hard by the pandemic.
The organization has lined up a whole bunch of local bloggers (including yours truly, as you’ll see in the video above) to promote the idea far and wide. Check out the Ottawa Tourism website for lots of #Invite2 ideas and the chance to win a trip to the city for two of your out-of-town guests! (Disclosure: I have received payment from Ottawa Tourism to participate in this campaign.)
See Shakespeare in a cemetery
Love From Afar—a Shakespearean mashup produced by A Company of Fools that riffs on themes of love—will be staged this week at Ottawa’s Beechwood Cemetery (September 16 to 18). The show moves to other locations throughout the region until September 25.
Do online crafts with your kids
The Vanier Museopark is running another online craft class for kids this weekend as part of its CreActivity Club, and it’s free. This month’s class, on Saturday, September 18, starting at 10am, will show kids aged three to 10 how to make an ear of corn on the cob. Check out the supplies list online in advance, then log in on Facebook Live.
Enjoy live music at Lansdowne Park
The definition of “folk music” is pretty elastic at this year’s all-Canadian CityFolk festival—stretching from country star Dean Brody to rockers Our Lady Peace (see video above)—but it’s a crazy time and we all have to be flexible, right? The event runs from September 16 to 18. Day passes and weekend passes are available.
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.