Welcome to the first weekend of December! The cold weather is here to stay, and it seems like everyone has the holiday season on the brain. There is lots going on around town, especially if you’re looking to get festive. If you’re interested in holiday markets, I can’t promise that I’ve tracked all of them down, so check out our Holiday Market guide here.
All Weekend
BEING Studio is holding their annual Snow Day Shop from Wednesday to Sunday at their location in the Bronson Centre. BEING Studio is a non-profit organization that supports local artists with developmental disabilities who are working in visual art and creative writing. Explore an impressive array of paintings on canvas, prints, sweatshirts, t-shirts, tote bags, works on paper, zines and more for unique gifts this year.
What would December be without The Nutcracker? This holiday classic is a staple in performing arts centres across the world, and this weekend it’s at the NAC. The Royal Winnipeg Ballet is touring with a revival of their 1991 version, featuring classic Canadian touches in the sets and costumes. Read all about it here, including an interview with principal dancer Alanna McAdie.
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Ottawa Little Theatre open their latest production, A Christmas Carol: Scrooge and Marley this weekend. Tickets are selling quickly, so if you’re looking to catch this classic show, follow this link immediately. The show, which runs until Dec. 16, promises to be a classic retelling of the iconic story, featuring local talent for all ages. Tickets are $26 for students and $30 for adults.
The Gladstone is hosting an entirely different kind of show, one that must be seen to be believed. Husband? What Husband? presented by Amplitude Theatre is an original radio play, running from Thursday to Saturday this weekend only. There aren’t tons of details about radio plays, but this sounds like a fascinating experience! The story follows two sisters who are living together after losing their husbands to jail and death. Shockingly, both husbands arrive back home and chaos ensues! Tickets are still available at $26 for students and $41 for adults.
Prison Dancer, a unique musical journey, is ending its run at the NAC this weekend in the Babs Asper Theatre. The show was inspired by one of the very first viral videos—back in 2007, now with nearly 60 million views—of Filipino prisoners dancing to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”. What unravels from that story sounds like an incredible ride. Our in-house musical experts reviewed the show here, and tickets are selling quickly!
Thursday
From 1–7pm, the Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition (OAC) will bring together Indigenous service organizations for a career fair at the Ottawa Conference and Event Centre on Coventry Road. It will also include an additional 30 organizations and businesses looking to employ Indigenous and other community members in Ottawa. There will be workshops on resumé writing and working in Indigenous organizations. The mobile van from Wabano Centre for Aboriginal Health will be outside to provide flu shots.
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Friday
If you need an excuse to get out of town this weekend, try Almonte on Friday evening for their annual Light Up the Night event. The outdoor event features food and drink vendors, Almonte’s classic main street shops, an outdoor concert, Santa Claus and fireworks! (Fireworks! In the winter!) The vendors open at 6:30pm and the live music kicks off at 7pm. The evening is free to attend.
Join the FILMharmonic Orchestra on a journey to a galaxy far, far away and experience a live-to-projection performance of Star Wars: A New Hope – In Concert, Thursday, Nov. 30 and Friday, Dec. 1, at TD Place arena. The famous score by John Williams will be performed live by 78 musicians of the Orchestra while the movie plays. Tickets are still available for both performances, which start at $144 on Ticketmaster.
Saturday
If you’re in the market for a real tree this season, on Saturday morning you can get your tree and support a great local cause. The 38th Royal’s Annual Christmas Tree Sale kicks off at 10am at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre. All proceeds of the sale of Nova Scotia balsam firs go towards activities supporting client comfort and care at The Royal. Trees begin at $65 for a 5-7 foot tree, and the lot usually sells out in a week. The sale will be open every day after Saturday until trees run out. The event is entirely run by volunteers and plays an important part in the Royal’s fundraising efforts.
The Ottawa 67s are home this weekend, with back-to-back games. Saturday at 3pm they take on the Flint Firebirds. Sunday afternoon they face the North Bay Battalion. Both teams are doing well in their divisions, so these could be close games for sure. Get your tickets online.
For all things gaming, you can find Gamer Con at the Nepean Sportsplex Saturday from 10-4. Gamer Con is a convention dedicated to everything game related. There will be over 80 tables of video games, board games, RPG, trading cards, action figures, toys and miniatures, as well as game-related art. Admission is $5 and children under 12 are free.
The 3rd annual Pibòn (Winter) Festival at Mādahòkì Farm on Hunt Club Road in Nepean promises authentic Indigenous programming, an Indigenous Makers and Farmers’ Market, interactive creative workshops, a taste of Indigenous winter comfort meals and a chance to meet the rare Ojibwe Spirit Ponies. The free event is happening Saturday and Sunday, with horse-drawn wagon rides, throat singing, workshops and dance.
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Saturday, from 9am to 3pm, you can meander around Cumberland Village (in the east end of Ottawa, past Orleans) to take in their annual Christmas Market. Spread over four venues in town, the market will have over 100 vendors from the area, selling all manner of treats and gifts for the season. The market is free to attend, but be sure to bring cash, since not all vendors have cashless payment.
Even MoD Night is going festive! Saturday’s edition of MoD Night at LIVE on Elgin will still spin the best funk and soul of the 60s, but with a holiday twist. Doors open at 10:30pm, and the DJ starts spinning at 11pm. Get your tickets online ahead of time, and bring ID. The event is 19+.
Local rock band GOOD2GO play their last live show of the year at the Atomic Rooster on Saturday night. The show starts at 6pm and there’s no cover charge.
Sunday
Check out the Bytowne Cinema for their latest installment of High Tea Cinema, Sunday at 12pm. If you haven’t been yet, High Tea Cinema includes hot tea, a scone from Scone Witch and a showing of a classic period piece film for a truly satisfying afternoon. This weekend they are celebrating the 30th anniversary of Martin Scorsese’s The Age of Innocence starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Winona Ryder and Michelle Pfeiffer. Get your tickets well in advance and get there early! Tickets are $21.50 for non-members.
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Sunday afternoon, beginning at 1:30pm, you can enjoy the music of the Coro Vivo choir at Robert Plante Greenhouses (near Navan) as you browse. Whether you’re looking for holiday decorations, or it’s just time to swap out some house plants, they are promising a variety of holiday songs to accompany your wander through the *heated* greenhouse.
Looking for a night out that isn’t Christmas themed? Lavender Grill in the market is hosting live jazz by the Ottawa Pocket Jazz Band. There is no cover charge for the entertainment, but it’s the perfect excuse for a tipple or two.
613Christmas, presented by 613flea, returns to the Fieldhouse at Carleton University on Saturday, from 10am until 5pm and Sunday from 10am until 4pm. The Fieldhouse will be filled with 200 curated vendors drawn from the ranks of the highly popular 613flea marketplace. Admission is free; no food, drink or dogs will be allowed into the Fieldhouse.
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