22 events you won’t want to miss this weekend in Ottawa

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Christmas is here!! The first three events in this list are big holiday traditions in Ottawa! Immerse yourself in the awesome holiday spirit and have fun!! Let’s have a look at what we have this last weekend of November in Ottawa!

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1. Ottawa Christmas Market

It will run for 5 weekends until Christmas. There will be vendors, live music, workshops for kids, beautifully lit decorations, and the tallest Christmas tree in town. Where: At Lansdowne. From November 25. FREE. Check out: ottawachristmasmarket.com

2. The Museum’s Christmas Market

Over 80 vendors await you at the Grand Hall of the Canadian Museum of History. Shop Christmas decorations, woodcraft, gourmet foods, handcrafted jewelry, fashion accessories, and more! Nov 24-27. From 11am to 8pm Thursday and Friday, and from 9am to 5pm Saturday and Sunday. FREE admission. 100 Laurier Street, Gatineau, QC. Check out: historymuseum.ca

3. Santa’s Parade of Lights

This parade is organized by the firefighters with the goal of collecting toys and cash to bring Christmas gifts to children in need. The parade starts at 6pm on Nov 26 from Youville with St Joseph Boulevard in Orleans. Check out: paradeoflights.org

4. Freewheeling Craft Holiday

Come at the atrium of the National Arts Centre to shop for goods made by local artists, artisans, and creators. Nov 27 from 11am to 5pm. Address: 1 Elgin St. FREE. Check out: @freewheelingcraft

5. Aylmer Christmas Market

This market has been a tradition in Aylmer since 2014 and draws big crowds. It takes place at the Memorial Park, at the corner of Principale St and Park St. It will run on two weekends: Nov 25-27 and Dec 2-4. FREE. Details: paradehohoho.com

6. World Multicultural Festival

Live multicultural performances, multicultural fashion shows, workshops from various cultures, multicultural cuisine, and more. At the Horticulture building, Landsdowne Park. Nov 27 from noon to 11pm. FREE. Check out: worldmulticulturalfestival.com

7. Children’s Storytelling Festival

This festival returns for its 28th edition. Join it for some great stories by fabulous storytellers, online and in person. Nov 21-28. Various venues. FREE. Check out: ottawastorytellers.ca

8. Vintage Market

Vintage market with over 30 vendors, poutine, drinks and a DJ. At the Hub Studio, 43 Eccles St. Nov 26 and 27 from 11am to 5pm. FREE. Check out: @therealflymarket

9. Ottawa Rock N’ Gem Show

An interesting exhibition of minerals, crystals, fossils, and gemstones, which start at $1. Nov 24-27 At the EY Centre. Check out: canadagemshows.com

10. 67’s vs Sudbury Wolves

The local junior hockey team faces the Sudbury Wolves on Nov 27 at 2pm at TD Place. Tickets from $20.

11. SPAO Open House

The School of Photography Arts Ottawa will have an Open House with an exhibition, reception, live music, and a holiday sale. Nov 25 from 5pm to 9pm. Address: 77 Pamilla St. FREE.

12. Idle’s Hands Art, Craft and Vintage Sale

This is an indie sale featuring local independent businesses, artists, crafters and vintage wares. Over 50 vendors from Ottawa, Toronto, and Montréal. Admission: $5. Nov 24 from 10am to 5pm. Where: 523 St Anthony  St.

13. Holiday Market at Vignoble Domaine Perrault

20 local vendors, BBQ and mulled wine for the attendees! Nov 26 from 11am to 4pm. FREE. At Domaine Perrault, 1000 Perrault Road. Ottawa.

14. Bell Corners Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

Free Santa Photos, food and hot chocolate, fire pits, face painting, bouncy castles and more. Nov 27 from 3pm to 7pm. Bring a donation for the Food Bank. Address: 31 Northside Road.

15. Richmond Market Christmas Edition

A Christmas themed market in the upstairs hall at the Richmond Memorial Community Centre. Nov 27 from 10am to 4pm. Address: 6095 Perth St, Richmond, ON.

16. Winter Night Market

Over 50 vendors, a heated patio and hot chocolate. Every Wednesday from Nov 16 to Dec 21. 5-9pm. FREE. At Gloucester Centre. Address: 1980 Ogilvie Road.

17. Glebe Craft & Artisan Fair

Nov 26 from 10am to 5pm, and Nov 27 from 11am to 4pm. At the Glebe Community Centre, 175 Third Ave. FREE.

18. Christmas Farmer’s Market

Nov 26 from 10am to 2pm. At The Log Farm, 670 Cedarview Rd. Free admission.

19. Watson’s Mill Christmas Market

Nov 19-20 from 10am to 4pm. At 5525 Dickinson St, Manotick. Free admission.

20. Indigenous Holiday Market

Nov 26 from 10am to 4pm. Free admission. Address: 338 Somerset St W, Ottawa.

21. Holiday Pop Up Shop

Nov 25 to 27 from 10am to 4pm. At Hellenic Events Centre, 1315 Prince of Wales Drive, Ottawa.

22. St. Andrew’s Scottish Tea & Christmas Bazaar

Nov 26 from 1pm to 3:30pm. At St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 82 Kent Street, Ottawa. Book a spot at eventbrite.ca

Enjoy!!

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Five years living in Ottawa and still finding new spots I've never heard about before! I wouldn't imagine that in the middle of the Vanier neighborhood there would be a park with a Sugar shack there and where Maple syrup is produced. Sugar Shacks are usually found on the outskirts of the city or in the countryside. So, they say that makes the Vanier Sugar Shack the only one in North America located in the middle of a city. So worth a visit! And this weekend is the perfect occasion because they are running their Sugar Festival with lots of activities for the visitors. First, they will be offering Sugar Shack meals, you know, the classic scrambled eggs, sausages, pancakes and maple beans, and Maple Taffy, (the sweet made right on the snow). There will be a First Nations area, axe throwing, a lumberjack competition, indoor playing for toddlers, inflatable games, a mini petting farm, pony rides, sled dogs, beer tasting and musical performances. Have an awesome weekend!! The spring vibe invites us to go out and enjoy the longer days. If you don't know what to do this weekend yet, check out this list of events and share it with your friends. If you know about other events happening this weekend, feel free to share them in comments. 😊 How refreshing it is to take a stroll around downtown and Parliament Hill! I don't know if it's just me but I love it!! 😍 I love the architecture of those amazing Parliament buildings. I love to see the Peace Tower framed against the blue sky on a sunny day!! And I love to see people, probably tourists, at the Centennial flame taking pictures or throwing coins into the fountain. I feel their enthusiasm and I feel like a tourist or a newcomer, even though I've been living in Ottawa for 5 years. 😄 If you are a newcomer to Ottawa, or to the eastern part of Canada, you may want to experience the spring tradition of the Sugar Shack. The Sugar Shack season happens usually between March and April when the Maple tree sap begins to rise. It's the start of Maple syrup production. The Maple farms open their doors to visitors and offer delicious meals where the star is the Maple syrup. These meals usually are pancakes, 🥞 scrambled eggs, sausage, potatoes wedges, and baked beans. Then you can enjoy Maple taffy on the snow, go on wagon rides, visit the petting farm, and of course visit the shacks where Maple syrup is made. My family and I went today to Stanley's Olde Maple Lane Farm, and we had a great time! We loved the food, and my daughters enjoyed watching the animals at the farm: cows and their newborns, horses, chickens, ducks, turkeys, peacocks, pigs, and goats - so many animals! The wagon ride around the farm was nice too. ☺️ We are in that part of the year where it's not winter but it doesn't look like spring yet, and we can even have some surprises like the snowfall that has been forecast for today. The winter sports season is almost over, the snow is melting, the brownish dead grass is visible, it's muddy, and it rains a lot. It's the ugly first part of spring. 😏 The bad news is that it usually lasts a whole month in Ottawa, from the end of March to the end of April. 🙄 The time passes very slowly this time of the year, or it seems to when one is impatient to see colours!! At least I saw a Robin yesterday. Canadians know that this bird appears in spring. That's the first signal, a sign of hope! But so far, that has been the only one for me. What spring signals have you got? Birds chirping? Tree buds? Wildflowers maybe? None? 🤔 If you're a newcomer, you might have heard that spending summer weekends in a cottage by a lake is for many people a big part of the Canadian lifestyle. My family and I tried that our second summer in Ottawa and it was amazing!! We loved it!! ❤ But what we hadn't tried before was going to a cottage in the winter until last weekend. Definitely it had a different vibe but was equally awesome and enjoyable!! ☺️ We have arrived at the last weekend of March and the first one of spring! 😃 Do you feel your moods are changing? Do you feel like going out? Check out this list of events and share it with your friends! EXPECTATIONS VS REALITY: We'll have to wait a bit longer for the spring colours to arrive in Canada. 🙁 But the worst has already passed! We're almost there, hold on! Did you really think that by the end of March winter was going to finally end? 😁 Tomorrow March 20, spring officially starts. Just the thought of this makes me so happy! 😃☺️ However, the reality is that it will be another month or so before we start seeing the spring colours, trees budding, and flowers start to bloom. What? Did you think that spring started at the end of March?? No way!! This is Canada, my friends! Canada's weather doesn't necessarily follow any official calendar. Sorry to disappoint you. 🙁 It's totally different here. So, if it follows what I have seen the last 5 years in Ottawa, we'll see one last snowfall in April. But you know, spring is in the air no matter what, even as we still see snow everywhere. Probably you are going to hear birds singing one of these mornings and your heart will feel joyous! 💗 That's the magic of spring! You feel it in the soul! I'd never experienced this in my country. It's a gift Canada has given me, and I love it! 😍 Welcome spring!! 🌸💐🏵🌺 We were waiting for you so badly!! If you are a newcomer and you have experienced your first winter in Ottawa or Canada, how are you feeling about spring? Are you impatient? Are you feeling the change in your moods?

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