Foreign films? Local brews? Oysters, blues music and mechanical pony races? All that and more is on tap this weekend within an easy drive of Ottawa.
For the film buff
The 39th annual World Film Festival kicks off this Thursday (August 27) in Montreal and runs until September 7. The event will include 36 world premieres and screenings of films from 86 countries.
For the art lover
The second of three Last Saturday Studio Tours is happening on Saturday, August 29, from 10am to 4pm, in the Saranac Lake region of the Adirondacks. Meet a dozen local artists at work and see their work in a range of galleries. If you miss this one, the last one of the season is on Saturday, September 26.
For the beer connoisseur
Flickr/Creative Commons photo by Lindsey Gira.
You don’t have to drive far to enjoy Ontario’s largest craft beer festival, which rolls into Lansdowne Park this weekend. The Ottawa Craft Beer Festival (August 28 to 30) features more than 150 beers from 40 craft breweries, along with some local ciders and wines. Nosh on dishes served up by local chefs, then work it all off with a 5K run.
For the country fair devotee
Cobden is the spot to be this weekend (August 28 to 30) for the Cobden Fair, featuring a midway, demolition derbies, livestock shows, a pancake breakfast, mechanical pony races and much more. (If you can’t make it to this one, check out my roundup of 13 other fall fairs in Eastern Ontario.)
For belly laughs
The Comedy Country festival is set to have ’em rolling in the aisles—or amid the grapevines—across Prince Edward County this week (August 26 to 30). Performances include improv shows at Rosehall Run Vineyards (Thursday through Sunday) and a show by “This Hour Has 22 Minutes” star Cathy Jones on Saturday night at the Regent Theatre in Picton. On Saturday, a shuttle bus will start in Belleville and transport fans around the County for the rest of the day for $10 a person.
For the shellfish superfan
Flickr/Creative Commons photo by Alpha.
The Montreal Oysterfest brings bivalves galore to the Peel Basin in Old Montreal on August 29 and 30. Saturday is a quieter day and it’s free; the main mayhem is on Sunday, when thousands crowd the site to slurp down oysters, compete in shucking contests, shop for culinary swag and enjoy live music. With admissions starting at $45, it isn’t cheap—but, hey, neither are oysters. You can save $5 on most tickets by buying them in advance online by August 29.
For the blues fan
The Limestone City Blues Festival will have things grooving in Kingston late into the night this week (August 27 to 30). As well as the main stage in Confederation Park, clubs across the city will be hosting blues performances of all sorts.
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