🚨 Police have shut down an illegal after-hours joint on Rideau Street. The establishment, which has not been named, was located in the 100 block and resulted in charges laid against 10 people and two corporations. Police say they have been watching the ‘illegal bar’ since September.  – Ottawa Police Service 

🐿️ Councillors to debate creating a ‘don’t feed wildlife’ bylaw today. Orléans West-Innes ward councillor Laura Dudas brought the proposal to today’s Emergency Preparedness and Protective Services committee in the hopes that staff will make recommendations on how to ban feeding coyotes, squirrels, and chipmunks. Dudas says there would be exceptions for bird feeders.  – Joanne Laucius in the Ottawa Citizen

↪ Last week, approving a proposal by Rideau-Rockcliffe ward councillor Rawlson King, the City’s Environment and Climate Change Committee recommended that City Council request that Ottawa be designated a ‘Bird Friendly City’ by Nature Canada.

🐛 A bedbug was found at the Federal Willet Building near St Laurent Boulevard and Innes Road last week. Public Services and Procurement Canada says it was a ‘single’ bedbug and the organization took ‘appropriate measures to quickly address the situation’. Two hundred to 315 Canada Revenue Agency and Canada Border Services Agency employees work in the building.   – Matteo Cimellaro in the Ottawa Citizen

🗳️ Possible mayoral candidate Neil Saravanamuttoo has published his ‘Three Priorities for Restoring Ottawa’. They are ‘A city that makes life affordable, where only the city can act’, ‘Return control to the people’, and ‘Live up to our true potential’. Saravanamuttoo says he’ll run if he can get 1,000 people to support him.  – The 613

THURSDAY

• Join archivist Melissa J. Nelson and Artist Kwame Delfish for the World at War Series – Sankofa: Exploring Memory and Imagination at the Canadian War Museum. This special Black History Month event explores how art and remembrance shape our connection to then past, present, and future. (LeBreton Flats) 

• Ottawa School of Art is running the Making Paper From.. Wool! Workshop at the Orléans Campus. Today and tomorrow at 245 Centrum Blvd (Orléans) 

• Troupe Vertigo: Cirque Magique brings gravity-defying aerial moves to the Southam Hall stage, while the National Arts Centre Orchestra plays a live soundtrack of popular symphonic movie scores. Through Saturday (Downtown) 

• Get ready for the warmer months with the 50th Anniversary Ottawa Boat & Outdoors Show. 

• 🆓 National Gallery is free from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm every Thursday. 

Cinema

• ByTowne Cinema: Hamnet, Sirat, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 

• Mayfair Theatre: All That’s Left of You, Blades of the Guardians

Gigs

• Arkona, Malphas, Serene Dark. Overflow Brewing

• Friends Trivia. The Prescott

• The Offspring ‘Supercharged Worldwide in ’26’ tour. Canadian Tire Centre

• Erika Lashbrook. Night Oat

FRIDAY

• ✳️ Jazz quartet the Peter Cancurra Group plays Ottawa's newest venue the Robo Lounge. Tickets $20. (The Glebe)  

• The City of Ottawa Lansdowne 2.0 project team will be hosting a community pop-up to keep people informed about the latest developments 11:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Horticulture Building,  1525 Princess Patricia Way (Lansdowne).

• Learn from the best at Whisky Wonderland’s Friday Masterclass Sessions. The Stadium at TD Place (Lansdowne). 

• Kid in the Hall Bruce McCulloch (These are the Daves I know I know, Kathie with a C, and others) comes to Algonquin Commons Theatre on his The Dark Purple Slice Tour.  

• Complete the Making Paper from… Wool! Two day course from Ottawa School of Art. 

• Gamers, bring your own or select from the Wizard’s Tower collection of Board Games and Chess boards at the meet-up tonight from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm.  

• Get ready for the warmer months with the 50th Anniversary Ottawa Boat & Outdoors Show.

Cinema

• ByTowne Cinema: Hamnet, The Love That Remains, Kokuho, Sirat 

• Mayfair Theatre: My Father's Shadow, Hamnet, The Rocky Horror Picture Show 

Gigs

• 80s Dance Party. House of TARG

• Queers & Beers: February Chill. Queen St. Fare

• The Maple Blues Band. Babs Asper Theatre, National Arts Centre 

•  Zero State, Mortality Mirror, Moldead. Dominion Tavern

• Pimienta (spicy jazz). Art House Café 

SATURDAY

• After you've filled up at the Fitzroy Firefighters Pancake Breakfast, check out the Snowpitch Tournament, the Outdoor Hockey League, and the live entertainment at the Fitzroy Harbour Winter Carnival. 

• 🆓 Drop in to the RCMP stables for the Musical Ride Open House and Ottawa Food Bank Drive (Manor Park). 

• Rooted in Heritage, Rising in Unity: Experience vibrant performances, soul-stirring poetry, authentic African cuisine, and inspiring speeches from community leaders and elected officials at African Day On the Hill. (Cyrville) 

• Support the amazing community of Black micro-business owners at Bring it Black - Black Future Market at Next Door (Little Italy) 

• Celebrate the Year of the Horse in the Lunar New Year parade. (Chinatown)  

• 🆓 We’re in the middle of False Spring, so why not engage in some False Spring cleaning? Bring your broken small appliances, hole-y socks, jewelry with broken clasps, and any other sad little thing that needs some love to the Ottawa Tool Library Repair Café. The items will fixed by volunteers (or recycled if they're beyond repair). (Britannia Village) 

• 🆓 Get on your bike and meet at Whiprsnapr Brewing for the legendary Phat Fest through the Greenbelt.(Bells Corners). 

• Musicians: check out Making YouTube Work For You (The Glebe) 

• Raise a world-class dram at Whisky Wonderland, where the weekend menu includes top shelf whiskies from around the world alongside poutine and nacho stations, gourmet hot dogs and charcuterie, sushi, fresh fruit, baked treats, and more.(Lansdowne)  

• Shop with local farmers, pantry item producers, and sugar bushes at the Ottawa Organic Farmers’ Market, 3191 Riverside Drive (Riverside Park) 

• Get ready for the warmer months with the 50th Anniversary Ottawa Boat & Outdoors Show. 

• Catch a glimpse of more knees than you’ve seen all winter at the Great Canadian Kilt Skate. Bring a donation for Ottawa Food Bank. Kilts are optional, but ... why wouldn’t you? (Lansdowne)

• Road Trip: Follow Bank Street south to the Greely Community Center for the February Fresh Farmers' Market. 

• The Cumberland Winter Market brings farmers, food vendors artisans, and shoppers together at the RJ Kennedy Arena (Cumberland) 

Cinema

• ByTowne Cinema: The Love That Remains, Kokomo, Tone Cluster’s Cabaret Singalong & Fundraiser, Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie 

• Mayfair Theatre: My Father’s Shadow, Hamnet, City on Fire 

Gigs

• LMAOverflow comedy concert series. Overflow Brewing

• I, The Mountain. Stay Dog Brewing

• Emo Night. The 27 Club

• The Low Profiles. Night Oat

• Highway Sunrise. Hard Rock Ottawa Council Oak Stage

JUST ANNOUNCED / NOW BOOKING

• 🆓 Meet production companies and animation studios, explore post-secondary education programs, and consider career paths for new grads and experienced professionals. It's all happening at the Ottawa Film Office’s Career Fair, Saturday March 21 at the Alma Duncan room at Ottawa Art Gallery. Panels will discuss opportunities in a separate event at Club SAW. Reserve your free spot now (Downtown)