I have to say, it’s a good thing there’s a deadline for this article because I could have kept going with event after event listing. Who says Ottawa is boring? There’s so much going on! Grab your friends and family and check out just some of the events below.
All Weekend
Take your friends out to the ball game! That’s right, the Ottawa Titans return with their home opener on Friday (and games all weekend).
The NCC Weekend Bikedays start this weekend. Check out the details as the times vary for each of the roads included.
All weekend and until May 22 is the return of the Tulip Festival including not only the beautiful flowers but also walking tours, movies, markets, sound and light shows and more. There’s also the Tulip Shuttle if you want to avoid traffic/road closures. If you don’t know the history behind this festival and why we are gifted thousands of tulips every year, it’s worth a quick read!
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Thursday
Hopewell, Ottawa’s eating disorders outreach program, is melding drag, performing, and visual arts at their outreach and awareness event Art of Hope at Orange Art Gallery.
As climate change continues to impact how we plan for our futures, what are the innovations and ideas breaking new ground today that will make tomorrow better? The Walrus Talks: It’s Happening Now brings together a range of speakers to share innovations currently underway that will make a difference in urban and environmental policy and planning, technology, journalism, and more.
Friday
Scroll back up to the events happening all weekend. 😉
Saturday
Ottawa’s 2SLGBTQIA+ choir Tone Cluster is excited to present their final concert of the 2022/23 Season. WE CAN’T BE STOPPED will be presented at Centretown United Church at 2 pm. It’s an eclectic program on the theme of hope and perseverance.
Rural artists Gary Blundell and Victoria Ward will be on hand with their exhibition Sourcing the Canal at the Bytown Museum from 1 to 3 pm. Their work explores landscapes transformed by industry and haunted by history.
Rewind the clock and hit up the Dance Mix 2007 party at House of TARG with DJs Phuzz & Miami.
Good2Go will be playing at the Atomic Rooster. It’s an early show that starts at 6 pm with three sets of original music plus some cover tunes. No cover charge!
Ottawa Valley-based artist Mimi O’Bonsawin released her new album Willow on March 3. She’ll wrap up the tour with a show at the NAC Fourth Stage. Mimi and her music partner/husband Ryan Schurman (drums, percussion) will be joined by Buffy Sainte-Marie’s guitarist Anthony King.
The Parkdale Orchestra presents Spring! with a wonderful array of classical music to celebrate the season.
Your chance at seeing future gems in the making is at the TACTICS Development series which is presenting workshops of new shows at LabO starting at 6:30 pm.
La Maison de la Francophonie is hosting a Eurovision Song Contest viewing party. In addition to the broadcast of the contest, you can participate in a musical quiz, an interactive voting session, and a karaoke contest with prizes offered by the Embassies participating in the event. Tickets are just $10 ($5 for Alliance Française members!)
If you’ve always loved fireworks but wondered how they work then you might want to check out the Outdoor Chemistry Magic Show at Carleton University. By donation of cash or non-perishable food items for the Ottawa Food Bank, Carleton’s science folks will show the inner workings of fireworks, spontaneous combustion, and things that glow in the dark.
The Mother’s Day edition of 613flea runs from 10 am to 4 pm at Aberdeen Pavilion at Lansdowne. It’s a great opportunity to support local and get that last-minute gift for the mom-like person in your life!
If you need to find more gifts, pop over to the Mamma Mia It’s a Craft Market on Third Ave for more local artists and makers.
The Ottawa Tool Library is running a Repair Cafe at Zibi La Ruelle from 10 am to 3 pm (item registration ends at 2 pm) and this is a great way to keep things out of the landfill when they just need a little help.
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Sunday
Ottawa-based jazz musician Kellylee Evans brings her album Nina, a tribute to Nina Simone, to the NAC’s Babs Asper Theatre Sunday evening. This album won the Juno for Vocal Album of the Year in 2011 and is sure to be a fantastic night of incredible music.
The Friends of the Farm Plant Sale takes place all morning rain or shine and is a great opportunity to start your gardening season with plants, gardening books and more. Plenty of vendors with a wide range for all your gardening needs this spring!
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