🧊 Ottawa weather disables the O Train for a second day. OC Transpo hasn’t said exactly what happened, but the freezing rain damaged portions of the overhead catenary system, which had to be replaced. The R1 replacement bus service continues between Lyon and Blair stations.– CBC

🔨 The $200 million plan to revitalize ByWard Market has been approved by City Council. Plans include:

• the rehabilitation and re-imagination of 55 ByWard Market Square to unlock its full potential as a vibrant, accessible, food-focused civic anchor that supports local vendors, community programming, and year-round activity.
• rebuilding the municipal garage at 70 Clarence Street, with a potential cultural and arts hub with active ground-floor uses, potential residential units, and integrated parking solutions with the option of maintaining a parking facility on-site
• York Street Plaza (between Sussex Avenue and William Street) would be transformed into a flexible, people-centred civic plaza, capable of supporting daily use, cultural programming, winter amenities, and major events, while improving safety, accessibility, and connectivity – City of Ottawa

🚨 The Alternate Neighbourhood Crisis Response programme will expand into more neighbourhoods this year. Also known as ANCHOR, residents in ByWard Market, Lowertown, Sandy Hill, Lees Towers, Vanier, and Overbrook areas will soon be able to call 211 instead of 911 when a person is in distress but a police visit is not necessary. ANCHOR currently operates in Centretown. – Ted Raymond at CTV  

 

💲 City Council has approved a settlement with insurers over the 2016 sinkhole near the corner of Rideau Street and Sussex Drive. The City was seeking $131 million but the actual settlement remains confidential ‘as they relate to litigation and are protected by solicitor-client privilege and settlement privilege’. – Arthur White-Crummey at CBC   

FRIDAY

• ✳️ It’s a Shamrock Shindig at Craft Beer Market Friday March 13 through Tuesday March 17 (The Glebe)

• Entry is by donation at the Pure Havana Dance Studio Dance for Cuba: Fundraising Social. 

• Teens aged 13-18 (Grades 8 through 12) are invited to hang at OPL Nepean Centrepointe branch for the Teen Takeover. 

• Day three of the International Film Festival of Ottawa is enhanced by the Film Club event at the Albion Rooms (33 Nicholas Street, 9:00 pm to 11:30pm). As for screenings, today’s program at Ottawa Art Gallery begins with I Lost Sight of the Landscape (Canada, 2025) with the short film Ramón Who Speaks to Ghosts (Spain, Canada and Mexico 2025), followed by A Useful Ghost (Thailand, Germany, France, Singapore, 2025), and Mārama (New Zealand, 2025). Meanwhile, Jimpa (Australia, Netherlands, Finland 2025) plays at the ByTowne Cinema with the short film Same Time Next Year (Ontario, 2025). 

• Around the Clock Cover Band plays dance/pop/rock favourites from the 70s through today at the Carleton Tavern. (Parkdale) 

• Orléans Legion is launching Family Feud Night with teams pulled randomly from willing audience members. $2 entry fee. (Orléans)   

• All Elite Wrestling’s The Blade appears alongside other AEW stars and favourites at the Preston Event Centre (Little Italy) 

• Blood Relations continues at the Gladstone Theatre (Little Italy)  

• Jesus Christ Superstar continues at Meridien Theatres @ Centrepointe (Nepean)  

Cinema

• ByTowne Cinema: Calle Málaga, Hamnet, International Film Festival of Ottawa: Jimpa, Drunken Cinema: Friday the 13th Part IV: Jason Lives 

• Mayfair Theatre: All That’s Left of You, Pillion, The Room  

Gigs

• Friday the 13th Horror Event at DOM! Dominion Tavern

• Birds of a Feather. Hard Rock Ottawa

• Justin Duhaime and Friends. Night Oat

• No More New. Avant-Garde Bar

SATURDAY

🍀 St Patrick’s Day Events

• The Barrow Gang bring the St Paddy’s Day party to the Carleton Tavern, where the cover is $5. (Parkdale) 

• Reserve your table at Broadway Bar & Grill Prince of Wales’s St Paddy’s Saturday, where Nate Hardy (during the afternoon) and The Lewis Boys (7:00 pm to 10:00 pm) will be playing.  

• Get in the mood for St Patrick’s Day with East Coast Experience. Live East Coast, Irish and Celtic Canadiana music will put the jig in your step. (Bronson Centre)  

• The Shamrock Shindig continues until Tuesday March 17 at Craft Beer Market (The Glebe) 

• Ukrainian Soul Roots will bring traditional foods like perogies, hot cabbage rolls, and European-style Beef Cutlets to the St Patrick’s Day Market at the Johnny Leroux Arena/ (Stittsville) 

• Road Trip: Wear your green to the Anrprior Life St. Paddy’s Party. Choose from 1:00 pm or 8:00 pm start times. (Arnprior)

• Road Trip: Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, Perth Brewery is launching its new Lights Out Stout alongside a stein lifting competition, live Celtic music, BBQ, and prize draws. (Perth)

 

• If you’ve registered your team in the Pride Capital Volleyball Tournament (March 14 and 15 at uOttawa and in Orléans) you’ll automatically receive seven tickets to the Midnight in the Guilded Garden Soirée tonight. If you're not registered to play you can still buy a ticket to the soirée. (Lansdowne) 

• It’s Round 3, Best of 5 and Manotick Mariners are currently tied 1-1 with North Dundas Rockets. (Manotick) 

• There are still a few tickets for the Pysanka Workshop at Ukrainian Orthodox Hall. (Carlingwood) 

• Come alone or bring friends to the Drop-in Board Game Night at Studio Staja (Downtown). 

• Meet the incredible team behind Holly’s Haven Rescue at Critter Jungle (Carling) 

• The West Carleton Garden Club and Horticultural Society, Stittsville Goulbourn Horticultural Society and Kanata-March Horticultural Society present Carp Seedy Saturday. Admission is $2, which will be donated to West Carleton, Stittsville, and Kanata Food Banks. (Carp) 

• Help Little Jo Berry’s celebrate 10 years in the vegan treats business. They’ll be holding a pop-up at 70B Beech St. (Little Italy) 

• More than 20 vendors will bring vintage wares in sizes XL and up to Vintage Plus Pop Up (Little Italy) 

• If you miss the nightlife but you can’t keep your eyes open past 11:00pm, try the Bed By 10pm event by 30+ Daytime Clubbing. (ByWard Market)  

• Watch talented people do amazing things with bikes at the Ottawa FMX World Tour & Xtreme BMX show. (Lansdowne) 

• Grab your last chance to see Blood Relations at the Gladstone Theatre (Little Italy) 

• Jesus Christ Superstar continues at Meridien Theatres @ Centrepointe (Nepean)

Cinema

• ByTowne Cinema: International Film Festival of Ottawa: The Track, Calle Málaga, Hamnet, Pillion

• Mayfair Theatre:  Marty Supreme, Nash the Slash Rises Again! Saturday Night Sinema 

Gigs

• Jennifer Noxon Album Release. Motel Chelsea

• Funk Night featuring Smelloship. Irene’s Pub

• The New Hires Talking to the Walls Tour. Club SAW

• Skizzly Adams, Braden Foulkes, Curtis Jones. Rainbow Bistro

• Steve Merriner. Red Bird

• Alicia Kaley Trio. Hard Rock Ottawa

JUST ANNOUNCED / NOW BOOKING

• Dirty Dancing in Concert at National Arts Centre 

• Classic Albums Live: Madonna at the NAC