Ottawa 
Weekend Events & Festivals in Ottawa: February 28 to March 1, 2020
A weekly digest of what’s on this weekend in Ottawa including free fun family & kids’ activities, live music, theatre & performing arts, sports and exhibitions.
You may like:
I. Family & Kids Activities
Quebec March Break Activities
Saturday February 29 to Sunday March 8, 2020 | 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Bank of Canada Museum, 30 Bank Street, Ottawa
Free
KIDSFEST Ottawa
KIDSFEST Ottawa is the National Capital Region’s Kids show and expo, promoting fun, creative, and educational activities for parents and children alike. Expect to be amazed by award winning performers on the main stage, interactive demonstrations throughout the show, informative exhibits from local organizations, and the opportunity to meet popular superheros and princesses. Details
Saturday February 29th | 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sunday March 1 | 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
EY Centre, Hall 2, 4899 Uplands Dr, Ottawa
$10 – $45
Kids Concert with the Dad Jokes Duo
Music and Comedy Kids Love and Parents Don’t Hate Based in Ottawa, Ontario, The Dad Jokes Duo was created by two musician dads who were tired of The Wiggles and wanted to hear music they enjoyed when their kids were being entertained.The resulting act is a combination of music and comedy made for families. Songs and skits are written with both the child and parent in mind. Examples of this include covers of songs parents will know such as Wagon Wheel by Darius Rucker, with the lyrics changed to something kids love and engages them to participate. Details
Sunday, March 01, 2020, 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Stray Dog Brewing Company, Lacolle Way, Orléans
$10 per child. Adults are free!
Llama Llama Live!
Anna Dewdney’s Llama Llama book series is one that many snuggle down under the covers to read before bed. The famous book recently became a Netflix original series, and it’s now coming to the Meridian Theatres at Centrepointe stage as a live show! The show starts at bedtime which has never been so exciting! It’s the end of the day for the Llama family. After a long day of adventures at the school and the store, Baby Llama can’t wait to put on his red pajamas. Details
Saturday, February 29, 2020 | 2:00 PM
Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe, 101 Centrepointe Drive, Ottawa
$20 to $25
Sugarbush at the Log Farm
Visit to the historical farm site, where you can see how the Bradley family lived in the 1860’s. The farm house is set up to depict what life for a family would have been like during this period. At the sugar bush, you can not only see how the pioneers would have collected and made maple syrup (it was very important to them) but you will also see maple syrup being made with modern wood fired equipment. Details
Weekends February 29th – April 5th | 9:30 AM -4 PM
The Log Farm, 670 Cedarview Road, Nepean
$6
Olde Maple Lane Sugarbush
Join us for a sleigh ride, visit the sugar shack, and watch the sap to syrup process unfold while enjoying taffy on the snow and a pancake brunch at the Pancake House or join us for our Easter Egg Hunt. Group bookings can also be accommodated throughout the week. Easter Egg Hunt: Children and adults alike delight in meeting the Easter Bunny’s Helpers and helping them find their lost eggs! Details
February 29 to April 12, 2020.
Stanley’s Olde Maple Lane Farm, 2452 York’s Corners Road, Edwards
Free
Maple Fest
Proulx Maple & Berry Farm, a 3rd generation in the production of the real maple syrup and farm entertainment! Come for a fun day in the country… just minutes from the city!! Go on guided tour on the collection and production of maple syrup, Enjoy Play parks, giant slide, double slide, and play structures, Petting farm, touch, feed, learn, Sugar bush, Maple production shack, Farm boutique (maple, honey, and homemade jams), Sleigh ride from the farm to the sugar bush and back. Details
Sunday, February 23rd to Easter Monday, April 13th, 2020
Proulx Maple & Berry Farm, 1865 O’Toole Rd, Ottawa
$5.53+HST/person
Wheelers Pancake House, Sugar Camp & Museums
Come enjoy a meal, browse our Maple Heritage Museum and Forest & Farm Museum, look around our sugar camp, hike/snowshoe/cross country ski our nature trails, and buy our beautiful organic Maple Syrup! Details
open everyday from 9 AM – 3 PM
Wheelers Maple Products, 1001 Highland Line, McDonalds Corners
FREE
Fulton’s Winter Magic & Spring Harvest
Nestled between the picturesque communities of Almonte and Pakenham, Ontario and less than 1 hour from Ottawa, Ontario, Fulton’s Pancake House and Sugar Bush is one of Lanark County’s best-loved and well-known sugar camps. Bring the whole family for delicious pancakes and sweet maple syrup. Fulton’s 2020 Winter Magic & Spring Harvest season kicks off with our annual “2 for 1 Meal” on Saturday, February 15th. Bring the whole family for delicious pancakes and sweet maple syrup. Tempt your tummy with the most delicious maple desserts! Details
Saturday, February 15 – Sunday, April 19, 2020
Fulton`s Pancake House, 399 Sugar Bush Rd., Pakenham
Free Admission
Snowshoe under the Stars
Take an evening snowshoe hike with a Friends of Gatineau Park nature interpreter, and learn how plants and animals survive the many challenges of winter. This interpretation hike will cover approximately 3 km, starting with a short presentation and ending with hot chocolate by the wood stove, in the Sugarbush Shelter. Details
Fridays, January 10 to March 13 | 7 PM to 9:30 PM
Visitor Centre, 33 Chemin Scott, Chelsea
$7 to $20
Animal Tracking on Snowshoes
Take an evening snowshoe hike with a Friends of Gatineau Park nature interpreter, and learn how plants and animals survive the many challenges of winter. This interpretation hike will cover approximately 3 km, starting with a short presentation and ending with hot chocolate by the wood stove, in the Sugarbush Shelter. Details
Weekends, from January 11 to March 15, 2020 | 10:30 AM
Visitor Centre, 33 Chemin Scott, Chelsea
Free
General Activities
At the library
Ottawa Public library offers plenty of free activities to choose from for all ages including toddler story times. Plan ahead to attend some of the free activities in the following weekends:
Details and link for registration.
2.By Ottawa Recreation – Drop in Programs
3. Movies
Family friendly movies to see during winter season
Cineplex Family Favourites: Visit participating Cineplex theatres near you and watch a family favourite film each week for only $2.99.
Landmark Theatres — Every Sunday, kids can get out of the house, a movie ticket and Snack Pack (popcorn, drink, choice of candy treat)
4. Rideau Hall Historic Skating Rink
Enjoy a unique skating experience on Rideau Hall’s historic skating rink, from December 7 to March, 2020 @ Rideau Hall, Sussex Drive, Ottawa
5. Rideau Canal Skateway
Rideau Canal Skateway is open for its 5oth season. To celebrate the 50th skating season, the NCC is offering a range of special activities on the Skateway. Details
More To Do
II. Live Music
Weekday Concerts/Concert Tours
- Theory of a Deadman – Say Nothing World Tour 2020 on Monday, February 24, 2020 | 7:00 PM @ Bronson Centre Theatre
- The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Adonis Rose on Tuesday, February 25, 2020 | 8:00 PM @ Shenkman Arts Centre
- While She Sleeps on Wednesday, February 26, 2020, 7:00 PM to 10:30 PM @ The Brass Monkey
- Murray McLauchlan on Wednesday, February 26, 2020 | 7:30 PM @ Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe
- Jaryd Stanley Live on Thursday, February 27, 2020 8:00 PM @ The Burbs Pub & Eatery
- Renée Landry & The Cool with Special Guest Danielle Allard on Friday, February 28, 2020 | 9:30 PM @ Irene’s Pub Restaurant
- Royal Tusk on Friday, February 28, 2020 |7:30 PM to 10:30 PM @ The 27 Club
Marvellous Mozart
Qigang Chen is a musical chameleon whose compositions are filled with echoes of his youth in China, alongside vivid textures inspired by later life in France. His incandescent composition for string orchestra, L’éloignement, is filled with beautiful expressions of traditional Chinese folk music, suggesting the loneliness of his years in confinement for “ideological reeducation” during China’s Cultural Revolution. Details
February 26 – 27, 2020 | 8:00 PM
National Arts Centre, 1 Elgin Street, Ottawa
$31.00 and up
Fred Penner: The Cat Came Back 40th Anniversary Tour
4 time Juno award winner Fred Penner is a gentle giant with an undeniable ability to make you feel good about yourself. This musical master brings 40+ years of commitment, consistency and depth to a career that blends the many genres of performing and communication. Details
Friday, February 28, 2020 | 6:00 PM
Algonquin Commons Theatre, 1385 Woodroffe Avenue, Ottawa
$21 – $35
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles Concert
Embark on a journey with The Ottawa Brass Initiative as we take you on a musical adventure with transportation themed tunes. Founded in 2016 by tubist Tristan Whalen-Hughes, The Ottawa Brass Initiative is a collective of brass musicians dedicated to inspiring a passion, particularly among youths, for music and brass instruments through high quality performances and educational outreach in the National Capital Region. Details
Saturday, February 29, 2020, 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM
St. Thomas the Apostle Anglican Church, 2345 Alta Vista Drive, Ottawa
$10.00 – $15.00
The Barrel Boys
The band includes: Nathan Smith (Fiddle); Rob McLaren (Banjo); Ben Wright (Guitar); Kyle Kirkpatrick (Dobro); and Tim O’Reilly (Bass) A staple of Toronto’s vibrant acoustic music scene, The Barrel Boys have spent the past six years crafting their distinctive sound that balances innovation and tradition. Details
Saturday February 29, 2020 | 7:00 PM
Manotick United Church, 5567 Manotick Main St, Manotick, Ottawa, Manotick
$10 to $20
Mark Godfrey Quintet
Bassist Mark Godfrey is quickly becoming one of the new faces in Canadian jazz. Hailing from Southwestern Ontario and currently living in Toronto, he has established himself a mainstay in this national community and was named the 2019 Emerging Jazz Artist by the Toronto Arts Foundation. Composing and performing for many years with his contemporary jazz group, Pram Trio, Mark’s work as a co-leader, bassist, and composer has garnered international recognition. Details
Saturday, February 29, 2020 | 8:30 PM
National Arts Centre, 1 Elgin Street, Ottawa
$19.00 and up
III. Live Theatre & Related Events
The Assembly – Montreal
February 25 – March 7, 2020
National Arts Centre, 1 Elgin Street, Ottawa
$41.00 and up
Le désert mauve
Fifteen-year-old Mélanie is driving through the Arizona desert, circling the motel where she lives with her mother. Thirsty for the absolute, beset by existential questions, the young woman is desperate to escape boredom and discover who she is in a world gradually losing its humanity. Nicole Brossard writes about adolescence in all its defiance and intensity, and has published some 40 titles since 1965. Details
February 27 – 28, 2020 | 7:00 PM
Salle Jean-despréz, Maison Du Citoyen, 25 Rue Laurier, Gatineau
$35.00 and up
Shaun Majumder – The Hate Tour
He’s back! Newfoundland native, Shaun Majumder is ready to wow the Ottawa crowd once again. Known for his roles on “This Hour Has 22 Minutes”, “Harold and Kumar go to White Castle”, and the host of the “Just for Laughs Comedy Festival” TV series, his stand-up show is one not to be missed! Details
Friday, February 28, 2020 | 8:00 PM
Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe, 101 Centrepointe Drive, Ottawa
$20 to $55 +charges
Philippe Laprise – Je m’en occupe
Four years after the release of his comedy show titled “Plus sexy que jamais” (Sexier than Ever), the stand-up comedian makes a strong comeback with “Je m’en occupe!” (Taking Care of Business!). In his early forties, Philippe Laprise has the good (or bad) habit of taking care of everything! Let’s hear him tell us how he takes care of his health, his appearance, his family and many other big and small life problems, although not always successfully. Details
Friday, February 28, 2020 | 8:00PM
Shenkman Arts Centre, 245 Centrum Boulevard, Ottawa, Orléans
$21 to $41
Dorrance Dance
Michelle Dorrance is one of the tap world’s luminaries. With her award-winning New York-based company she at once honours tap dance’s history while also pushing the art form rhythmically, technically and conceptually. In her ensemble piece Myelination, 11 dancers layer on and build up the rhythm with rapid-fire footwork to a live original jazz score by Prawn til Dante. Details
Saturday, February 29, 2020 | 8:00 PM
National Arts Centre, 1 Elgin Street, Ottawa
$31.00 and up
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
In 1960s San Francisco, the values of liberal, open-minded parents are put to the test when their daughter arrives home with her fiancé, Dr. John Prentice – handsome, wealthy, brilliant…. and black. The comic tensions multiply when John’s parents arrive to discover his fiancée is white! This new stage adaptation brings fresh dimension and wit to the 1968 Oscar-winning movie starring Hepburn, Tracy and Poitier. Details
February 12-29, 2020
Ottawa Little Theatre, 400 King Edward Avenue, Ottawa
$14-$29
IV. Sports, Related Events and Festivals
Ottawa Senators
vs. Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, February 27, 2020 | 7:30 PM
vs. Detroit Red Wings on Saturday, February 29, 2020 | 7:00 PM
Canadian Tire Centre, 1000 Palladium Drive, Ottawa
$19.36 + charges & up
Ottawa 67’s
OHL
vs. Oshawa Generals on February 28, 2020 | 7:00 PM
vs. Barrie Colts on February 29, 2020 | 3:30 PM
The Arena at TD Place
$23 & up
ROCKSTAR ENERGY CLASSIC
Snowcross races. PRO Snowmobile, Snow Bike and UTV racing.
February 28 & 29, 2020
Rideau Carleton Raceway Casino, 4837 Albion Road, Ottawa, Ontario
$25
IV. Exhibitions, Festivals & Other Events
You may like:
Modern and Contemporary Art in the Dominican Republic
From February 21 to March 4, the Embassy of the Dominican Republic, in collaboration with the Cultural Heritage Foundation of the General Directorate of Customs and the Ministry of Tourism for the DR will present the ‘Modern and Contemporary Art in the Dominican Republic’ Art Exhibition for the 1st time. Details
Friday February 21 to Wednesday March 4, 2020
Ottawa City Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa
Free
- Ottawa Pinball Arcade FREE PLAY Wednesday on Every Wednesday Night from 6:00 PM to Close @ The Ottawa Pinball Arcade, 2559 Baseline Road, Ottawa
Capital Catwalk 2020
Saturday, February 29, 2020 | 7 PM – 10 PM
Horticulture Building, 1525 Princess Patricia Way, Ottawa
$25 – $40
Salon du livre de l’Outaouais
To celebrate the 41 th edition of the Ottawa Book Fair, we invite readers and future readers. The tests, novels of adventure, detective stories, testimonies of life, poetry and children’s literature, among others, will take possession of our three scenes in a festive atmosphere. An essential literary event in the heart of winter, the SLO is bathed in the inhospitable beauty of this season spiced with snowy weather and polar light, in the heart of downtown Gatineau, a few steps from hills of the Outaouais. Details
February 27 to March 1, 2020
Palais des Congrès de Gatineau, Boulevard Maisonneuve, Gatineau
$5 to $10
Ottawa Improv Festival
The Ottawa Improv Festival is back! Prepare to laugh and have fun as you witness hilarious comedy created on the spot! This annual festival features improvisational comedy from some of the top performers from Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Guelph, Sarasota and Boston. We’ll also have workshops for those who have never tried improv before and those who want to hone their skills with some seasoned performers. Details
February 27 to 29, 2020
Arts Court Theatre, 2 Daly Ave, Ottawa
$18 to $36
The Leap Day Craft Market
Every 2 weeks, Square Lemon hosts a craft market. Shop Ottawa local crafters! Leap Day happens only once every 4 years! And that makes it weird and special. We have weird and special and amazing vendors at our Leap Day market, and their creations will make you so happy there is an extra day this year! Details
Saturday, February 29, 2020, 10:30 AM to 3:00 PM
Square Lemon Artistic Association, 877 Boyd Ave, Ottawa
Free
Maslenitsa Multicultural Eastern European Spring Festival
Multicultural Spring Festival that exposes Eastern European and Asian culture and traditions to Canadians. You will taste delicious Eastern European and Central Asian food, enjoy Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian, Moldavian, Kazakh folk songs and dances, buy unique handcrafts, art pieces and souvenirs at the Fair, and learn more about Canadian multicultural communities. Details
Sunday, March 01, 2020 | 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Horticulture Building,1525 Princess Patricia Way, Ottawa
Free
DINE & DRAG QUEENS With Bottomless Rose
Come and join us at our beautiful Venue every Friday evening where we will serve you with a bespoke set menu, stunning live performances with Ottawa & Canada’s most influential Drag Queens, astonishing dance routines, lots of laughs and a side of shade. Details
Fridays, February 2020 | 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
The Vanitea Room A Tea Salon & Eatery, 551 Somerset Street West, Ottawa
$10
Ghosts and the Gallows – Haunted Jail Tour
Let Ottawa’s supernatural history capture your attention on this ghost walk and tour of the Old Carleton County Jail. Alongside a costumed guide, visit haunted spots such as Canada’s last functioning gallows and Carleton County Jail—now a haunted hostel—and listen to terrifying tales of unlawful hangings, faceless ghosts, and infamous assassinations. Details
January 17 to December 31, 2020
46 Sparks St., Ottawa
$22.60 & up
Art Walk Tours
Join us Saturdays at 2 pm and select Wednesdays at 1 pm for a guided walking tour of the NAC, highlighting the Centre’s architectural highlights and visual arts collection. Built in 1969 and recognized for its outstanding design, the NAC is a designated national historic site of Canada and contains large-scale artworks by some of Canada’s best mid-century artists. Learn how this truly unique place came to be! Tours are free, approximately one hour long. Details
January 18 – June 27, 2020
National Arts Centre, 1 Elgin Street, Ottawa
Free
Hummingbird Chocolate Factory Tour
Our 45-minute tour takes you on a journey behind Hummingbird’s bustling operations, where you’ll take in the aromatic smells and sounds of the chocolate workshop, learn about Hummingbird’s founding story, and discover how chocolate is made from cacao bean to bar. Details
Saturdays | 10:30 AM – 11:15 AM
Hummingbird Chocolate, 9 Houston Drive, Mississippi Mills
$5
SPAO Presents Nadia Myre
SPAO Centre Gallery is honoured to present of the exhibition Meditations on Black Lake by internationally acclaimed Montreal-based artist Nadia Myre. As a member of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation (Maniwaki) Myre is interested in having conversations about identity, resilience and politics of belonging. Often working in an interdisciplinary nature, mixing sculpture and lens-based artwork, Myre pushes the boundaries of how craft and Indigenous histories are understood and positioned within wider Canadian context. Details
Friday January 17, 2020 to Friday March 6, 2020
SPAO – School of Photographic Arts Ottawa, 77 Pamilla St, Ottawa
Free
Luck and Lore Exhibition
When you toss a quarter in a fountain, lift a penny off the sidewalk or bake a nickel into a cake, you are taking part in rituals dating back hundreds or even thousands of years. Explore the spiritual, the ceremonial, the seemingly impractical uses we have for money. Details
Through Sunday November 1, 2020
Bank of Canada Museum, 30 Bank Street
Free
We do try to make the listings as accurate as possible, but there might be oversight errors/Events might be cancelled or postponed without any notice. Verify all details from concerned Event Websites/officials.
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Thanks for the list!!! It really helps me plan my activities with my kids on the weekend.
Wow wish I had found this site much sooner. So many great events happening in Ottawa this weekend. Thanks for providing this list.
To allay any confusion–when you click on “details” under “Shakespeare in the Park–A Midsummer Night’s Dream” there is an error suggesting that the play is “Cymbeline.” That was last year’s Bear production! This year’s show is, indeed “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Join us for one of our final three performances, Aug 2, 3, & 4!