From a musical revue in Cornwall and a kids’ storytelling event in Ottawa to a grape harvest in Mountain, you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to things to see and do in and around Ottawa this weekend. There are also three studio tours and art fairs, a theatre opening in Gananoque, two festivals in Montreal, and an interactive Halloween event at Lansdowne Park. It’s also getting close to your last chance this season to explore an illuminated trail at Parc Oméga, check out some local farmers’ markets or visit many Ontario provincial parks! Wherever the road takes you this week, enjoy. And Happy Thanksgiving!
Catch a play in Gananoque
I love the thought-provoking concept behind Serving Elizabeth, a play running at the 1000 Islands Playhouse in Gananoque from October 7 to 30. Most of the time, when the world thinks about the British royal family (if they do), they think about the glamorous clothes, the glittering jewels and the gilded carriages. But what about the people who clean those robes, polish those jewels and handle those horses? What do they think about the whole fandango? This play follows two fictitious people behind the scenes: a Kenyan activist asked to cook for the visiting Princess Elizabeth many decades ago, and a modern Kenyan-Canadian production intern working on a TV series about the royals. This examination of royalty and colonialism sounds like just my cuppa tea.
Enjoy music in Manotick or Cornwall
On Friday, October 8, Watson’s Mill in Manotick is presenting a concert by acoustic blues/roots duo The Blind and the Beautiful—AKA singer/songwriter/guitarist Lucas Haneman and vocalist Megan Laurence. Check out the video above to hear “Cobweb Blues,” the first single from their debut album.
Meanwhile, in Cornwall, the revue Sixth and Broadway (October 7 to 11) will feature a large cast of local singers and musicians performing songs from Annie, Hamilton, Les Misérables and other hit musicals.
See unique performances in Montreal
It’s hard to know quite how to classify Phénomena (October 6 to 22), an eclectic arts festival in Montreal. After hosting an all-virtual version in 2020, the festival is back to presenting “in real life” events this year, with eight indoor shows, eight outdoor shows and two exhibitions. Among the things you might see: Chaosmos, a “poetic and sonic performance…inspired by the logic of biodiversity” (October 7 to 9); L’An Verre, a two-person show presented in a shop window on St. Laurent Boulevard (October 7 to 9); and Le Cortège cosmique de l’adieu, a roving performance in Outremont inspired by the Latin American Day of the Dead festival (Sunday, October 10).
Shop for art in Lanark County, Brockville or Haliburton
The studio tour season seems to be winding down a bit, but there are still two to choose from this weekend. The Mississippi Mills Art Romp (October 9 and 10) combines several Lanark County events—the Crown and Pumpkin Studio Tour, the Maple Run Tour and the Art in the Attic show—that normally run in different months during non-COVID times. In Brockville, Art in the Yard (Saturday, October 9; rain date, Saturday, October 16) gives you the chance to stroll between multiple venues where you can meet artists and crafters, and buy their creations. And you can also catch the last two days of the Haliburton County Studio Tour (October 9 and 10) this weekend.
Explore a provincial park
If you’d like to visit an Ontario provincial park this year, you’d better hurry, as many of them are heading toward their usual seasonal closures. Here’s the info you need to know.
- Murphys Point Provincial Park near Perth and Voyageur Provincial Park near Chute-à-Blondeau are closing on Tuesday, October 12, for a couple of months. They will reopen in mid-December for winter day use.
- Bonnechere Provincial Park near Killaloe, Charleston Lake Provincial Park near Lansdowne, Fitzroy Provincial Park in Fitzroy Harbour and Sharbot Lake Provincial Park in Sharbot Lake are all closing on Tuesday, October 12, and will remain closed until spring.
- Bon Echo Provincial Park near Cloyne is closing on Sunday, October 17, and won’t reopen until spring.
- Sandbanks Provincial Park in Prince Edward County is closing on Sunday, October 31, and will be closed until spring except for the roofed accommodations, which are available year round.
- Rideau River Provincial Park near Kemptville and Silver Lake Provincial Park near Maberly are already closed until spring.
On the bright side, Algonquin Provincial Park and Frontenac Provincial Park remain open year round. Note that not all areas of those parks are open all year.
Admire fall colours in Eastern Ontario
Looking for a scenic route near Ottawa where you can enjoy the fall colours? I have a brand-new post outlining three leaf-peeping routes in detail, including one to the west (Pakenham, Almonte and Carleton Place), another further to the southwest (Perth, Westport and Merrickville) and a third to the east (Alexandria and Cornwall).
Thrill to spooky fun in Ottawa and Smiths Falls
The Sawmill (October 8 to 10, and October 15 to 31) is a fright-filled installation at Lansdowne Park organized by Saunders Farm. The concept? Lansdowne has been taken over by a lost colony of millworkers, who’ve been entombed alive under the southside stands for over a century; visitors will be in charge of making the stadium safe for humanity again. Act quickly if you’re interested in this haunted experience, as tickets for some dates are already 90% sold out.
In Smiths Falls, the Heritage House Museum is hosting multiple candlelit ghost walks this year, from October 6 through October 16. Follow costumed guides through the museum’s eerily lit rooms and learn about spooky local tales—everything from haunted houses to forgotten graves. Advance ticket purchase required, and the tours start at 9pm. (Private tours are also available.)
Check out a film festival in Montreal
I suspect very few of the films showcased at Montreal’s Festival du nouveau cinéma (October 6 to 17 in person; October 6 to 31 online) will be showing up on Netflix anytime soon, so catch them at this festival while you can. From Argentina, Moldova, Qatar and many other places, filmmakers have submitted everything from experimental animated films to documentaries. One film likely to generate some buzz is Days by Taiwanese director Tsai Ming-Liang, a feature film that tells a love story in 46 long takes. (See video above.) Over its 50-year history, the festival has presented films by all sorts of innovative directors, including Guy Maddin, Jane Campion, Atom Egoyan and Wim Wenders.
Take the kids on a story walk in Wellington West
All month long, families are invited to try the free Taste Adventure Story Walk in Wellington West. Using a smartphone to snap pictures of QR codes posted around the neighbourhood, you can follow chapters to discover neighbourhood sites and tastes. On Saturday, October 9, though, there’s a bonus: you can meet Timm Holmes, the Ottawa author and entertainer who created the adventure, and pick up a colouring sheet to enhance your journey. Holmes will be at Parkdale Park from 10am until noon.
Visit a farmers’ market before the season ends
Several farmers’ markets in our region—including markets in Almonte, Killaloe and Pembroke—are holding their last events of the 2021 regular season this weekend. So drop in now, or you may need to wait until next spring (some markets do hold holiday markets in December). Check my farmers’ markets list for details on which markets are currently open.
Look for fashion deals in Gatineau
La Grande Braderie de Mode Québécoise, a fashion sale showcasing items by dozens of Quebec designers, will be drawing fashionistas to the Hilton Lac-Leamy in Gatineau this weekend (October 7 to 9; Thursday for VIPs, Friday and Saturday for the general public). Designers are offering discounts of up to 70%.
Enjoy the Ottawa International Writers Festival online
The Ottawa International Writers Festival is presenting lots of online events with big-name writers this week, including Peter Mansbridge (October 5), Mark Critch (October 7) and Ruth Ozeki (October 8).
Explore Parc Oméga by night
This is the last weekend for Oméga by Night, the 1.5-kilometre illuminated nature trail at the Parc Oméga wildlife park in Montebello, Quebec. As well as immersing yourself in nature along the route, you’ll also encounter some multimedia magic. The trail is open Friday and Saturday night, and you must buy tickets online in advance. Even though this is the last weekend for the illuminated trail, don’t worry—there’s lots to do in the rest of Parc Oméga year round.
Harvest grapes in Mountain
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be a winemaker in Eastern Ontario, here’s your chance to learn a bit about it: Smokie Ridge Vineyard in Mountain is looking for volunteers to help with its grape harvest this weekend (October 9 and 10). Please RSVP on the winery’s website if you’re interested.
Looking for more tips on things to see and do in the Ottawa area? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or buy my guidebook, Ottawa Road Trips: Your 100-km Getaway Guide, from which this post is adapted.
Ottawa Road Trips acknowledges that its office, located in Ottawa, is on the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishnaabeg Nation.