The thing about living in a climate like Ottawa’s is that we cram a whole year’s worth of festivals and cultural activities into four months. Here’s my list of things to do this weekend:
- Westfest (it’s free and Danny Michel is playing Friday night)
- Elgin Street Public School Book Sale and Silent Auction, all weekend
- 5th Annual Naked Bike Ride (Saturday at 3:00 pm at Confederation Park on Elgin Street)
- Pots in the Lot (Pottery exhibit and sale at Gladstone Clayworks (on Gladstone one block west of Preston), Saturday 10-8.
- CBBAG Ottawa Book Arts Show & Sale (Canadian Book Binders and Artists Guild – bookbinding, paper, calligraphy, prints, letterpress, engraving, books as art – Saturday, 10:30-4:00 at Library and Archives Canada, 395 Welllington)
- MSMF Indian Food Festival (11 am – 2 pm on Saturday June 13 at Andrew Haydon Park. Tickets: $12 per person and $6 for 6-12 year olds.)
- One-Day Trips to Monasteries of Quebec (Saturday June 13. Chorus Ecclesiae in a motor coach! Gregorian chant, music, liturgies, scenery, meals. Call 613-567-7729 for information and reservations.)
- Carnival of Cultures, June 12-14, also known as Ottawa’s International Folkloric Festival, at the outdoor Astrolabe Theatre at Nepean Point behind the National Gallery of Canad. Features over 500 artists including Sri Lankan, Venezuela, Filipinos, New Zealand, Lebanese, Mexican, Chinese, Scottish, Caribbean, Japanese, Colombian, Egypt, Latino, Inuit, Russian, Lebanese, Greek, Odyssey Dance Troupe, Modern jazz, and Ukrainian.
- Sit in your back yard drinking beer and watching your weeds grow.
Here are some things going on here in the Fort:
Germanfest – brats and beer!
Covington (shopping center) Art Fair
Jefferson Point (an upscale mall) Farmers Market
Northeast Indiana Area of Narcotics Anonymous Convention
Something for everyone!
And I’m having a garage sale in Westboro on Saturday. so you can come rifle through my crap if you are so inclined.
/shameless self-promotion.
Why is everyone forgetting about the Festival Franco-Ontarien? http://www.ffo.ca/. There’s food,music (Swamperella, Swing, Alpha Blondy reggae dude, Porn Flakes and a lot of Quebec-sexy singing guys), strolling buskers, clowns AND a ferris wheel. It’s on all weekend, only $20 for an entire weekend pass. And it’s right downtown at the market
You’re a hoot. Keep on.
Anybody want to try photoing the World Naked Bike Ride from the front this year…?
Across the street from the Elgin Street School book sale is the Minto Park Sale. There will be a BBQ, which will be run by one of the finest minds in town, or so I’ve heard…
- RG>
Self promotion: Apt613 is having their launch party at Raw Sugar on Saturday night. Adam Saikaley is playing and it’s a fundraiser for operation go home. How much fun is that? http://www.apt613.ca/2009/06/03/celebrating-apartment613-on-613-launch-party-june-13/
We are going to watch the medieval jousting at Upper Canada Village. Not that UCV was medieval, but if it HAD been, I am sure there would have been jousting. Also, Queen’s has its annual summer BBQ at Kingsmere at the Speaker’s house (Peter Milliken is an old Queen’s grad). We had such fun at the Mini U at Queen’s that we thought we’d take in the BBQ too this year.
I am going to the Montreal Botanical Gardens on a bus tour from Chelsea. Can’t do everything … unfortunately!
We are having seven 11 year old boys for a sleepover on Saturday night and then on Sunday to the Landsdowne Park Rally. http://www.friendsoflansdownepark.ca/
Think we’ll start the day at the Carp Farmers Market — the West Carleton Fibre Guild are doing demonstations of knitting, weaving and spinning. Sometimes there are alpacas!!! Will pick up some maple butter tarts and a giganto bag of the best salad mix in the city and then head to my sister’s cottage (new home) to help move furniture and garden.
I would have loved to get to Carp
Zoom, I saw you and GC at Westfest last night, but it was dark and I thought it might be creepy for a semi-stranger to jump out in front of you to say hi. So “hi”!
Wow, it’s a veritable embarrassment of riches out there this weekend! I wish I had a posse of clones so I could take it all in. Everything sounds like so much fun except possibly the seven 11-year-old boys.
Hi Laura! For future reference, if anybody who reads my blog ever spots me out and about, you can say hi if you feel like it.
I gave away a rocking chair and got some shoe racks and a garbage bin. I love give things away day!!!