🍃  The City is considering licensing landscapers to reduce bylaw violations. There have been recent stories of homeowners needing to pull up lawns and pathways due to bylaw infractions. The proposal came up in the City’s Landscaper Regulatory Review. – Katie Griffin at CTV

🛤️ A man in Alexandria has been arrested for ‘surfing’ on top of a VIA Rail train. The 23 year-old was charged with ‘mischief and enter on land on which a line work is situated’. 

Darren recalls his grandfather telling him about doing the same in the 30s as he looked for work during the depression. – Natasha O’Neill at CityNews

🏒  Residents near Riverside Drive and West Hunt Club Road worry that the recent fatal plane crash has tainted wells and harmed wildlife. While the Province says less that 100 litres of fuel was spilt, a resident says there is a ‘particular smell in the air that still remains’. The  small Grumman AA-5A plane crashed July 31, killing the pilot and injuring two passengers. – Arthur White-Crummey at CBC

FRIDAY

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  ✳️ Don’t miss the Russell Fair  and  Vankleek Hill Fairs’ thrilling midway rides, demos, farm animal competitions, and general fun for the whole family.

• ✳️ The Carp Book Fair at St. Paul’s United Church is offering 1000s of books, LPs, CDs, DVDs, and puzzles at incredible prices. Go treasure hunting at St. Paul's United Church (3760 Carp Road) today until 9:00 pm, tomorrow (Saturday August 16) from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm,  and next week. 

• Having launched last night, Metcalfe Plaza continues its opening weekend with Amashowza & Afroteo, DJs Obu and Coco, and lively Afrobeats from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm.

• Join in or witness the awe-inspiring spectacle of Ottawa Swing Dance Society as it celebrates what would have been Canadian jazz legend Oscar Peterson’s 100 birthday. Be near the corner of Elgin and Albert, in front of the Oscar Peterson Statue, to see dancers performing. 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm. What it’s all over, everyone will stroll to the usual Friday night Summer Swing Night at 174 Wilbrod St. 

• Capital Pop-Up Cinema screens Stand By Me at Churchill Seniors Centre. 

• Fighting Back: Wrestling with Cancer events have raised more than $600K for the Canadian Cancer Society since 2011. Help C*4 Wrestling raise even more and see top notch fighters at Wrestling with Cancer 2025.

• Ontario Youth Choir starts its Peace, Nature, & Our Time tour with a stop at St. Joseph’s Church (174 Wilbrod St). 

• There are sessions for kids and adults at the Th3rd Fridays: Final Summer Battle in the heart of the ByWard Market. Presented by Moov Ottawa Dance. 

• Expect an "intimate night of music, emotion, and connection" at Ottawa recording artist Rëa's EP Release party at Art House. 

• Visit Lee Valley Tools today or tomorrow for expert advice on choosing the right tools for the job. The Woodworking and Hand Tools Event runs today and tomorrow (Saturday August 16). 

• 🆓 Watch as top rated athletes from Indigenous communities around the world compete in the Masters indigenous Games (today through Sunday).  

• 10 days of rides, entertainment agricultural experiences, and local eats now stretch before us at Capital Fair in Gloucester. 

• Tungasuvvingat Inuit and Inuuqatigiit Centre presents its annual 2SLGBTQI+ Pride Coffee House at Anina’s Cafe in Vanier. 

• Pride Week kicks off with Born This Way with DJ Le Hartt (27 Club, 10:00 pm onwards). 

• ByTowne Cinema: Souleyman’s Story, It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley, CFI 90th Anniversary – Sane Inside Insanity: The Phenomenon of Rocky Horror, Starship Troopers 

• Mayfair Theatre: My Mother’s Wedding, Shook, The Rocky Horror Picture Show 

  Gigs

• Jim Bryson. Mallards Milk Bar, Arnprior

• The Rambles, Hartlet, Blank Notion. Rainbow Bistro

• 90s Dance Party (vol. 2: Summer is Magic Edition). SAW Centre

• For One Hate, Klobber, Wasteland, Qwan. Dominion Tavern

• The Last of the Duke St Kings (Bruce Springsteen and Melissa Ethridge tribute band). LIVE on Elgin

• Mixtape. Brew Revolution

• Alaskan, Biipiigwan, The Dark Plains. House of TARG

• Rory Taillon. Stray Dog Brewing Co. 

• Garvies, Robb Kerr, Mike Bassett. Avant-Garde Bar

SATURDAY

• ✳️ Broadway Bar & Grill Central rolls out the red carpet for the first of this year's GreekFest After Parties. $10 per person gets you all the music and dancing your heart desires. 

• ✳️ 🆓 Carp Farmers’ Market celebrates 35 years and the humble Allium sativum in all its fine forms at the Carp Garlic Festival today and tomorrow). 

• ✳️ Road Trip: The Cornwall Chaos music festival supports Cornwall’s Carefor Hospice. $25 per day or $40 for the weekend.

• ✳️ As Ottawa Craft Beer Week continues, Orléans Brewing Co is pairing its latest release – TAHI New Zealand IPA – with traditional New Zealand meat pies made here in Ottawa.  

• 🆓 Mayor Mark Sutcliffe’s annual Community BBQ in Barrhaven is fun and festive and you'll need to register. 

• There's another Ottawa Wildflower Seed library Plant Exchange / Giveaway this weekend.

• It’s the grand finale of Les Grands Feux. 

• Enjoy a real East Coast Kitchen Party with Dram and A Draw, who are visiting all the way from New Brunswick. 

• Odyssey Theatre’s The Girl With No Hands, a the world premiere retelling of the Brothers Grimm folk tale, plays under the stars in Strathcona Park Tuesday through Sunday until August 24. 

• Metcalfe Plaza - details for Saturday.

• Stroll Wellington West from Parkdale West to Bayswater in the Heart of Hintonburg Sidewalk Sale. 

• 🆓 It’s all about the stuffed tortilla at the 19th Festival Salvadoreño de la pupusa. Savour the Salvadoran culture and food all day in Brewers Park. 

• It’s House Night at the Metcalfe Plaza Outdoor Party.

• The 50th annual Ottawa Greek Fest continues.  

• There’s only one more Vpop market in Summer 2025, and it's this weekend. Shop from an impressive lineup of vintage vendors selling collectibles, second-hand clothing, and treasures for your home. 

• 🆓 Watch as top rated athletes from Indigenous communities around the world compete in the Masters indigenous Games (today through Sunday).  

• One of today’s Ottawa Craft Beer Week highlights has got to be Covered Bridge Brewing Co's Rock 'N' Hops At the Brewery. Listen to live music and wash down BBQ Bison burgers from White Pine Bison with locally made craft beer. #ocbw2025  

• The Big Summer Vpop at Next Door (today and tomorrow) 

• There’s more shopping and good times at the Pride Night Market at Parkdale Market. 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm. 

• ByTowne Cinema: Golden Age: Shanghai Express,. Soleymane's Story, Restoration: High and Low, Boys Go To Juplter 

• Mayfair Theatre: Shook, My Mother’s Wedding, Punch-Drunk Love, Saturday Night Sinema 

  Gigs

• Fandango. Hard Rock Café

• Close Enough. Avant-Garde Bar

• Micheal Benn. Hard Rock Casino Council Oak Stage

• The Oscillators, Tenenbaums, Thee Soreheads. House of TARG

• Cowboys From Hell (Pantera Tribute). Brass Monkey

• Comedian Trevor Thompson. Yuk Yuk's Ottawa West

• Nick Adema. Irene's Pub

SUNDAY

• Four drams with chocolate pairings are waiting for you at Deacon Brodies’ latest whisky tasting from 4:00pm to 6:00 pm. You must register to take part. 

• 🆓 Check out the antique firefighting vehicles and equipment as the Bytown Fire Brigade Historical Society pulls up to 2880 Sheffield Road. 

• The Barrhaven Classic Car Show will raise funds for CHEO. If you need more feel good factor, bring your ice cream money for the Merry Dairy Truck, which will be on site from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. 

• One of the fave foodie festivals, Ottawa Greek Fest, turns 50 this year.  

• 🆓 There's no cover charge at Teknobo Dance :Party at City At Night. 

• Road Trip: It’s day two of the Cornwall Chaos music festival in support of Cornwall Carefor Hospice. 

• Hamilton ends its run at the  NAC.  

• 🆓 Watch as top rated athletes from Indigenous communities around the world compete in the Masters indigenous Games (today through Sunday).  

• Stray Dog Brewing Company continues its new Sunday Blues series with a free performance from Mark Green. 
  
  ↪ Related: check out what's happening in the final day of Ottawa Craft Beer Week 

• The Big Summer Vpop market continues at Next Door. 

• 🆓 Carp Garlic Festival continues.  

• Pride Market brings vendors from the LGBTQ+ community to York St. 

• This is not a brunch alert: The Soca Kitchen is running a Mexican Buffet with All You Can Eat Tacos from 4:00 pm today. $28 per person. 

• ByTowne Cinema: Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse, Hola Frida! Restoration: Ikiru, Detour: Heat 

• Mayfair Theatre: Funny Face, My Mother’s Wedding, Breathless  

  Gigs

• The Sunday Night Revue. Irene’s Pub

• Legendary Sunday Afternoon Blues Jam. Rainbow Bistro

• EmmersonHALL, Mr. Power, Modevile. Rainbow Bistro

• Lou Barlow. Club SAW

• Zoe & Dani Live. LIVE on Elgin

MONDAY

• The Barley Mow on Merivale is hosting a Stand-Up Comedy open mic. Are you brave enough to get up on that stage? 

• Wayward Improvised Theatre’s Wheel of Whatever improv event gets underway this evening in the group's new home, Southmister United Church. 

• ByTowne Cinema: Sorry, Baby, Detour: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Eddington   

• Mayfair Theatre: My Mother’s Wedding, Funny Face, Breathless  

  Gigs

• Karaoke Mondaze. Atomic Rooster

JUST ANNOUNCED / NOW BOOKING

• Neko Case is coming back to Ottawa on Friday January 9 2026. Do not miss the chance to see the legendary singer/songwriter/producer/visual artist live.