Looking for fun activities in the Ottawa area? Check out these options over the next seven days, starting on Thursday, January 9. Be sure to verify details with the organizers as plans can change at any time.
The Ottawa Visitor Centre is the capital’s in-destination hub for visitors and is now open at 54 Elgin Street. Visit daily at the corner of Elgin and Queen streets to learn more about what to see and do in Ottawa.
For arts, culture and a good time…
- Thursdays | From 5 to 8 p.m, visitors to the National Gallery of Canada can enjoy seasonal refreshments and snacks to the sound of music by a local DJ.
- Thursday, January 16 | Catch Keith Pedro, a breakout comedian and writer known for his bold, in-your-face persona and razor-sharp humor.
- Fridays and Saturdays | Dance away at Club Aléa at the Hotel-Casino du Lac-Leamy with its lineup of talented DJs!
- Until Friday, January 17 | Dance in the enduring bright colours of family amidst social fragmentation as they keep the fire burning for generations. Qaumma, the Inuktitut word for light, is a sculptural theatre production that recounts the inspiring journey of Inuit women who, despite the disruption of colonization, carve out their own legacies through language, strength, and culture.
- Ongoing | Discover the hidden gem that is the Capital Art Fair Gallery & Boutique on Sparks Street, an artist-run space showcasing the work of over 30 local professional artists.
- Saturday, January 18 to Sunday, January 19 | Participate in a guided snowshoe hike along trail 60 to uncover animal tracks. Discover the strategies animals have to survive the harshness of winter. At Gatineau Park Visitor Centre. Snowshoes are provided. FREE!
- Until Saturday, January 18 | A selection of Franco-Ontarian artists will perform during Contact ontarois. Each performance will feature a 20-minute excerpt, followed by an interview to learn more about the artist. Held at the Shenkman Arts Centre.
- Saturday, January 18 to Sunday, January 19 | Immerse yourself in an extraordinary concert celebrating the legendary film scores of Hans Zimmer by Trevor Wilson in collaboration with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Held at Carleton Dominion-Chalmers Centre.
- Saturday, January 18 | Experience Howard Shore’s Academy Award®-winning score performed live to the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in HD. The 250 musicians on stage from the FILMharmonique Orchestra and Choir will transport you to the heart of Middle-earth in the quest of the Fellowship of the Ring. Held at TD Place.
- Sunday, January 19 | Explore over 85 local vendors year-round at the Lansdowne Farmers’ Market. FREE!
- Ongoing | Together in partnership, the Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG) and the National Gallery of Canada (NGC) present the exhibition Stories My Father Couldn’t Tell Me: Jeff Thomas Origin, on view at the OAG, delves into the critical and creative practices of acclaimed Urban-Iroquois photographer and cultural theorist Jeff Thomas.
- Ongoing | Bring your skates and glide on the historic Rideau Hall rink established in 1872. Weather permitting. FREE!
- Ongoing | Bring your helmet and skates and join in at the Museum Skating Rink, the Rink of Dreams and the Lansdowne Skating Court.
- For more inspiration, check out more free or nearly free winter activities in Ottawa!
For sports fans…
- Thursday, January 16; Saturday, January 18 | Cheer on the Ottawa Senators as they compete against the Washington Capitals and the Boston Bruins at the Canadian Tire Centre.
- Friday, January 17 | Cheer on the Ottawa Black Bears as they take on the Vancouver Warriors at TD Place.
