Hello Ottawa

STATISTICS OTTAWA

NUMBER

• 5:00 pm

• The time that many of the dozens of operating rooms in Ottawa hospitals close. Campaigners say that health care money is going to private clinics rather than being used to keep public services open longer.

• — Sabrina Bedford in the Ottawa Citizen

OTTAWANS (HONORARY) OF THE DAY

• Michael Love, Megan Dickie, Sora Park, and Tanya Busse

• The four artists were embedded with the Canadian Forces overseas in the United Kingdom, France, and Latvia between 2022 and 2023. Their resulting works are now on display at Beechwood Cemetery as  the Canadian Forces Artists Program Group 10 Exhibition.

• — Joshua Marano at CTV

QUOTE

“

• I would like someone to accept responsibility. We’re all adults

– Kanata resident Amanda Brown, whose car window was smashed by a stray softball presumably hit by a player in the Glen Cairn Ladies Softball League.

— Leah Larocque at CTV

SPORTS

Yesterday

⚾ FRONTIER Ottawa Titans 11 at Evansville Otters 1

🏒 NHL Ottawa Senators 1 at Toronto Maple Leafs 6 (preseason)

🏒 NHL Toronto Maple Leafs 4 at Ottawa Senators 2 (preseason)

PLEASE SUPPORT THE OTTAWAN

WHAT’S GOING ON AT CITY HALL

WHAT OTTAWA IS TALKING ABOUT

THE DAILY POLL

Do you subscribe to a newspaper (print or online)?

🔘 Ottawa Citizen

🔘 The Globe and Mail

🔘 National Post

🔘 New York Times

🔘 What’s a newspaper?

• 
  Previously in THE OTTAWAN polls:

• Do you think Trump Avenue should be renamed?

  • 71% Yes, it’s embarrassing having a street named after someone who is deliberately creating such havoc on Canada

  • 13% If we really wanted to insult the US president, we’d rename Carling to Trump Avenue

  • 7% If we’re going to rename streets when people go out of favour, we should just number them all instead. Until math goes out of favour

  • 5% No, City Council should not be dealing with national and international affairs

  • 4% Are we even sure the street was named after Donald Trump?

Commentary

▪️ “Let’s use names from Science Fiction for our streets!”

▪️ “Street names matter. Let’s choose someone or something that actually deserves the honour.”

▪️ “Let’s tear down some more statues that we don’t like while we are at it.”

▪️ “Should NEVER have been named that! Finally some good news that it will be renamed! Why not pick a name with a positive Canadian person like Michael J Fox ... call it Fox Avenue!”

▪️ “As an American, I support the renaming whether it was named after DJT or some other unfortunate with that last name. It will forever be tainted by association.”

▪️ “Name it Lake Ontario Way.”

▪️ “This city has so many problems; spending 20 seconds on this would be a waste of time and money.”

▪️ “I’m glad my last name isn’t Trump - I would not get a job in this city.”

HISTORIC OTTAWA LOGO T-SHIRTS

Talisman Motor Inn T-Shirt The Beachcomber Room tiki bar at the Talisman Motor Inn was where Ottawa swingers could be found in the early 60s. Help support THE OTTAWAN by buying one of our historic logo T-shirts. Shop for T-shirts

THE ROLLING THREE DAY CALENDAR

Is there an event we should know about?
Please use our easy event submission form

✳️ Means change from previous edition

THURSDAY

• ✳️ It’s India Weekend at the One World Bazaar in Manotick. Discover the food, culture, crafts, furniture, and one-of-a-kind items for your home and wardrobe. Continues until Sunday at 6110 Mitch Owens Road.

• Kitigan Zibi Anishinaabeg artist and writer Jay Odjick’s new work Odāwā Yesterday: Odāwā Chinàgo will be displayed on the gallery’s Cube façade at Mackenzie King Bridge as part of Ottawa 200 programming Thursday September 24 to Sunday September 27. The animation ‘follows waterways as pathways of movement, trade, and connection, exploring the ways people have travelled to and through this region and the relationships and stories that continue to shape its past, present, and future’. During the same period, a companion projection will light up the National Arts Centre’s Kipnes Lantern.

• The Wabano Centre for Indigenous Health Grand Gathering Space will open its doors to the collaborative performance Walking Through The Fire featuring First Nations, Métis, and Inuit artists and Sultans of String.

• Habitat ReStore’s DIY Repairs Workshop will teach you tips and tricks for getting things done around the house. (Stittsville)

• The 50th Ottawa International Animation Festival and The Animation Conference continue.

• TotoToo Theatre opens Alanis Morissette, Glen Ballard, and Diablo Cody’s Jagged Little Pill  musical at Great Canadian Theatre Company.

• The 2026 Carp Fair is a go with agricultural demos, showcases, parades, family activities, a midway, beer gardens, and live entertainment.

• Be at Bank and Waverley at 8:30 pm to see Ottawa-based Japanese taiko drumming ensemble Oto-Wa Taiko perform both traditional and contemporary styles. (Centretown)

• Metcalfe Plaza welcomes Amashowza x ConcepThursday for an evening of indie and alternative anthems. (Centretown)

Cinema

• ByTowne Cinema: Ottawa International Animation Festival screenings

• Mayfair Theatre: The Salt Path, 40 Years of Fuckin’ Up, Tony 

Gigs

• The Friends of Fiddlers Green. Red Bird

• The Floyd Hutchinson Group. The Robo Lounge

• Helena Deland and Hana Stretton. FONO

FRIDAY

• ✳️ The Fifty-Five Plus Lifestyle Show is back at Cohere Centre, Hall 3. Continues tomorrow.

• Franco-Ontarian Day 2026 begins with a flag-raising ceremony at Saint Paul University (Old Ottawa East). The University of Ottawa will host a celebration of Franco-Ontarian culture with author Michèle Vinet from 10:00 am to 11:00 am. (Downtown). Across town, the celebration and activities by Vanier Community Association run from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm.

• Little Jo Berry’s brings the Vegans Who Snack Food and Art festival back to Parkdale Market from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Expect nothing but the most delicious plant-based treats, both sweet and savoury, from more than 60 vendors. Small dogs on leash welcome. (Parkdale)

• The Ottawa Chinatown Mid-Autumn Night Market brings authentic food and performance to Somerset Street West between Bronson Ave and Bell St.

• As the Ottawa International Animation Festival continues, The Animation Conference’s Art + Biz Day presents speakers and content about the practical business side to animation professionals (for pass holders only). Elsewhere, the schedule includes Meet the Filmmakers: Short Film Competition 2, a drop-in workshop on moveable sculptures, screenings for animation-curious teens, a feature competition, the Animators’ Picnic at Strathcona Park (which includes pumpkin carving), and lots more. (Various locations)

• The 2026 Carp Fair continues with an antique tractor parade, dairy and goat shows, the Four Horse Hitch Series Finals, plus the usual agricultural demos, showcases, family activities, midway, beer gardens, and live entertainment.

• This weekend sees the return of the Ottawa Latin Jazz Conference at the National Arts Centre, featuring workshops, panels, networking, and of course performances.

• Seek clarification with a quick tarot reading at Art House Cafe.

Cinema

• ByTowne Cinema: Ottawa International Animation Festival

• Mayfair Theatre: Late Fame, The History of Concrete, The Rocky Horror Picture Show 

Gigs

• Drag Bingo. Beyond the Pale (ByWard Market)

• Hannibal Buress. Bronson Centre

• Spencer Krug, Elbow Kiss. Rainbow Bistro

• The Ed Lister Group, Patrick Smith. The Robo Lounge

SATURDAY

• The Ottawa Humane Society’s annual Wiggle Waggle Walk & Run has a new venue: Hog’s Back Park.

• It’s Family Day at the Stadium at TD Place as Ottawa RedBlacks play the Calgary Stampeders (The Glebe).

• Ottawa Senators face Montréal Canadiens at Canadian Tire Centre (Kanata).

• Check out the art on the New Edinburgh Studio Tour, today and Sunday.

• The Cheerfully Made Fall Market brings Canadian sellers of handmade and vintage goods to Bell Sensplex. (Kanata)

• Dress the kids in costume to visit the Metcalfe Halloween Farmers Market. The market will offer trick or treating, free superhero and princess character meets, a special visit by the Rhino McQueen car, and shopping from the regular vendors of local produce and goods.

Cinema

• ByTowne Cinema: Ottawa International Animation Festival screenings

• Mayfair Theatre: 9 to 5, The History of Concrete, Bad Lieutenant, Saturday Night Sinema

Gigs

• Tim Joyce & The Radapaw Ramblers. Motel Chelsea

• Kellylee Evans. The Robo Lounge

• Sabaton. History Ottawa

• Karaoke. Hintonburg Public House

Ottawa 200

• Ottawa residents and visitors will find Ottawa 200 events all over ByWard Market, Confederation Park, and other iconic locations throughout the city. Tonight, Nuit Blanche Ottawa’s 12 hour, all night party begins at 7:00 pm. Meanwhile, Pique music and art festival is free to experience at Arts Court. 

• Ottawa 200 programming extends to the Thirteen Strings ‘Celebration!’ concert tonight at Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre, with soprano Myriam Leblanc and conductor Clemens Schuldt.

• FREE The Ottawa 200 Block Party in the Marion Dewar Plaza at Ottawa City Hall is all ages and promises music, art, food, and surprises.

• 🆓 The Plaza Bridge takes a final journey into the Soundscape Immersive Music and Art Festival. Tonight’s lineup is epic: Hollered, Bytown Sea Shanty Collective, Layla Staats, Randy Kakegamick, Amanda Fox, Ryan Stec, Lucas Verreman, and SpiritWolf Singers. It’s free, but there is limited access, so get there early. Doors open at 6:30 pm.

Festivals

• Peter Knippel Garden Centre becomes an Oktoberfest Fall Market destination today, with vendors, sales on perennials (25 per cent off), the Craft Biergarten, and great food. (Gloucester)

• DreamFest is a whole day of family fun to raise funds in support of Dreamers Walk Canada’s programs and services for those living with disabilities. (Barrhaven)

• The screenings and workshops continue at Ottawa International Animation Festival. 

• You’ll literally pay in sweat at the 7th annual Carrot Fest at Ottawa Farm Fresh, as guests will help out with the harvest. However, you’ll also enjoy lunch, live music, and ice cream. (Gloucester)

• Saunders Farm’s Pumpkinfest launches its annual season devoted to all things pumpkin and harvest, with activities, puppet shows, mazes, hayrides, and lots to eat and drink. (Munster)

• At Proulx Farm, the 32nd annual Pumpkinfest is a family-friendly rural experience with face painting and other activities for kids, wagon rides, and a pumpkin patch where you can pick your own. Saturdays and Sundays (and Thanksgiving Monday) until October 31. (Cumberland)

JUST ANNOUNCED

• Canadian folk singer-songwriter and multi-JUNO award nominee Basia Bulat will play the Bronson Centre on Thursday December 3. Tickets are on presale now.

SHARE THE OTTAWAN

BUT, ONE MORE THING ...

Reuters regularly has an online feature about how to be a local in cities around the world. This week it is Ottawa’s turn. A tip we learned from the article: if you want to look like a local, ‘pick up a tuque (pronounced “tuke”)’.

RAPID RESPONSE QUALITY CONTROL

THE END

THE OTTAWAN is written and edited every weekday by Martha and Darren. Is there something that Ottawa should know about? Email us at hello@theottawan.com. We read every single email.