Unbelievably, this weekend marks the arrival of June! With it comes blue skies, sunshine, and a whole lot to get out and do around town! The weekend is chock-full of fun, so without further ado, we give you the Weekend Roundup!
All Weekend
There is not one, but two Asian night markets happening this weekend in Ottawa. The first is the Ottawa Chinatown Night Market, happening this Friday through Sunday on Somerset, between Bronson Avenue and Bell Street. A “celebration of culture, community, and culinary delights” there will be tons of delicious street food, traditional lion dances, martial arts demonstrations, live music, and an artisan market.
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For the second, Ottawa Asian Fest will be celebrating 10 years of Asian Night Market at Tanger Outlets Ottawa in Kanata. This Night Market also runs Friday through Sunday. There you will find foods such as bubble waffles, cotton candy animal art, and spicy squid on a stick. There will also be entertainment such as K-pop performances, and acrobatic glowing lion dance.
Ottawa Ribfest takes over Sparks Street this weekend. Nine different pitmasters from across North America will be bringing their best ribs for you to enjoy. In addition to ribs, there will be corn, pulled pork, some delicious desserts, and more.
City of Om, Ottawa’s largest yoga and wellness festival, takes place at Lansdowne this weekend. There will be over 35 different classes, teaching a variety of yoga styles. There will also be workshops, speakers, and vendors.
Doors Open Ottawa celebrates its 22nd year this weekend. You can check out over ninety different buildings; from Chaudière Falls, to the CSS building, the Diefenbunker, Enriched Bread Artists Studio, Ingenium Centre, the Ottawa Humane Society, the Supreme Court of Canada, and more. Some places do require advance registration for viewing, so be sure to check out the listing online ahead of time.
Le Grand PoutineFest arrives in Gatineau this Thursday and will be there all weekend long. There are all kinds of poutine, from the tried-and-true cheese curds and gravy, to ones you’ve likely never tried before; like poutine tzatziki, lobster poutine, and Asian meatball poutine. The event takes place in the Promenades Gatineau parking lot. There will also be musical performances to entertain you while you enjoy your poutine.
The weather looks perfect to get out and enjoy the NCC Weekend Bikedays this Saturday and Sunday. Both westbound lanes of the Kichi Zībī Mīkan, from Vimy Place to Carling Avenue and the Sir George-Étienne Cartier Parkway from the Aviation Parkway to St. Joseph Boulevard will be closed to vehicular traffic from 8am to 4pm. Queen Elizabeth Driveway will be closed from 8am to 8pm, from Fifth Avenue to Somerset Street.
Thursday
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The Hintonburg Night Market’s second season kicks off this Thursday night in the Urban Art Collective parking lot. There will be food, drinks, DJs, a kids’ zone, and – of course – a dozen plus vendors with all sorts of handmade goods!
Friday
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The Vegans Who Snack Food and Art Festival is happening at the Parkdale Market this Friday, from 5pm to 9pm. Here you will find over 60 businesses offering everything from vegan snacks and treats, to home goods, art, and more. There will also be live music by Unsociably High, DJ del Pilar, and The Collective.
Get your dancing feet ready, because there is an awesome 80s Dance Party with DJ Remi Royale and the Underground happening this Friday at House of Targ. The evening promises singalongs and lasers—need I say more?
Saturday
If Friday night wasn’t quite enough Remi for you, or if you were not able to make it out, Saturday night brings yet another opportunity to indulge. Remi returns to House of Targ for Remi’s Dance Floor Time Machine. He will be playing the best dance hits from every decade, so be prepared to get your groove on!
Another flavour of dance party is taking place this Saturday night with Mod Nite: 1960s Rock & Soul Dance Party happening at Live on Elgin. DJ Emmett will be spinning some tunes by Aretha Franklin, Etta James, The Marvelettes, James Brown, and many more.
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DJ Jose Palacios will also be joined on the decks by some of his Loose Joints pals this Saturday night at Ten Toes Coffee House and Laundry on Somerset, from 7pm to 11pm.
If you missed out on the Great Glebe Garage Sale last weekend the Riverside South Community Garage Sale is happening this Saturday with over 200 houses. Be sure to check out the list of houses participating online ahead of time and plan out the route of your treasure hunt!
Arts Court will be hosting an Open House on Saturday. Come check out all the many local arts organizations that call Arts Court home. There will be performances, screenings, activities, and exhibitions taking place all over the building. There will also be an art market with all kinds of cool stuff.
Sunday
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Head to TD Place this Sunday to see Athletico Ottawa take on the Halifax Wanderers in what is sure to be an exciting soccer game.
If baseball is more your thing, the Ottawa Titans will be playing the Windy City Thunderbolts in a family friendly game this Sunday afternoon at the Ottawa Stadium on Coventry. If you don’t know much about Ottawa baseball, you can learn all about the Titans here.
Latin Hub Canada is hosting Fiesta Cubana Fest this Sunday at Lansdowne Park. A celebration of all things Cuban; there will be musical performances, dancing, literature, and food and drink.
In celebration of the 75th anniversary of their parish, the Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral is hosting a Borscht Cook Off, this Sunday at noon. Come taste the different kinds of borscht from different parts of the Ukraine and buy some of your favourites to take home and eat later.
