Ottawa 
Weekend Events & Festivals in Ottawa – Sept 11 to 13, 2026
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.
Before You Travel:
- Weather:
- Ottawa Road Conditions/Traffic/Road Closures: Details
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Events & Festivals: Things to Do in September
I. Family & Kids Activities
Cirque Du Soleil’s Luzia
September 10 – October 18, 2026
Laurent Shopping Centre, 500 Coventry Rd, Ottawa
$67 & up
Ottawa Asian Festival Night Market
The Ottawa Asian Fest Night Market is BACK! Join us at Tanger Outlets Ottawa for incredible street food, live vibes, and non-stop fun. The Night Market highlights the very best in Asian culture and cuisine from across Ontario. Details
September 11 to 13, 2026
Tanger Ottawa, 8555 Campeau Drive, Ottawa
Free
Kanata Multicultural Dance, Music and Food Festival
Join us for two exciting days packed with multicultural performances, live music, kids’ activities, delicious food, and plenty of fun for the whole family! Explore a vibrant marketplace featuring local vendors, businesses, artisans, handmade products, and food from around the world while enjoying a full weekend of culture, entertainment, and community celebration. Details
September 12 & 13, 2026
Tony Graham Park, 100 Charlie Rogers Place, Ottawa
Free
Open NCC
Join us for a day of discovery at various sites in Ottawa and Gatineau. Explore the work of the NCC and its partners in architecture, urban planning, landscape design, environmental revitalization, species-at-risk protection, and much more. Details
Saturday, September 12, 2026, from 10 am to 3 pm
Various Venues, Ottawa & Gatineau
Free
A Taste of Manotick
Local businesses will line Main Street, showcasing all that the Vibrant Village of Manotick has to offer, from fantastic specialty/gift stores, stylish clothing and many other services. There will be tasting, samples, draws, and demonstrations. The restaurants will be open to serve you a variety of menus as well as offer excellent service. Come out and enjoy live music, entertainment and food at its best. Details
Saturday, September 12, 2026 | 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Village of Manotick, 5556 Manotick Main Street, Ottawa
Free
Almonte Fair
Come out to see the traditional fair exhibits in the Agricultural Hall, check out the farm education stalls and pet or pigeon shows, join the horseshoe tournament or children’s games, try your luck at Cow Plop Bingo or Baked Beans Cook-Off, watch the Demolition Derby and Heavy Horse Show, enjoy the live music at night and have fun at the Midway! Details
September 11 to 13, 2026
Almonte Agricultural Fairgrounds, 195 Water Street, Almonte
$20
Evenings at Zibi: An Interactive Night Experience
Looking for something different to do on a Saturday evening? Join us for Evenings at Zibi, a unique interactive night experience taking place at Head Street Square in the beautiful Chaudière Falls district. Set against one of Ottawa’s most scenic waterfront backdrops, Evenings at Zibi brings together creative experiences, local artists, makers, food vendors, live DJs, and interactive activities for an evening designed to explore, discover, and connect. Details
Saturday, September 12, 2026 | 5-10PM
Zibi Head Street Square, 310 Miwate Private, Ottawa
Free
Fall Fun on the Farm
The corn maze will be open for those who want to try their skills at finding their way through the maze. Wagon rides will be returning to our Fall program. There is a designated area where the wagon leaves from and it runs throughout your sessions, so if it is busy just come back to it later. Details
September 3 – November 1, 2026
The Log Farm, 670 Cedarview Road, Ottawa
$15.46
Fall Fun at Cannamore Orchards
Enjoy fall at Cannamore Orchards. If you want activities for those late-summer and autumn weekend days, then bring the children for a visit to Cannamore Orchard! Activities include apple/pumpkin picking, family activities, and our famous Acres of Terror Halloween Haunts! Details
Saturday and Sunday | 11AM to 4PM
Cannamore Orchard, 1480 County Road 32, Crysler
$16
Ouimet Farms Adventure
Located in the heart of Vankleek Hill, Ouimet Farms Adventure is a unique place where fun, family, and farming come together. Our 7 acres corn maze will get you hunting for the hidden mailboxes through the maze. Details
through October 31, 2026
Ouimet Farms Adventure, 63 Main St W, Vankleek Hill
$17.70 + tax
At the library
Ottawa Public Library offers plenty of free activities for all ages, including toddler storytimes. Plan to attend some of the free activities during weekends:
Details and link for registration.
By City of Ottawa Recreation – Programs
Cineplex Family Favourites: Visit participating Cineplex theatres near you and watch a favourite family film each week for only $3.99 plus applicable taxes.
II. Live Music
Cranium Festival
September 9 to 13, 2026
Various Venues, Ottawa
Varies
Mt. Joy 2026: Celebrating 10 Years Of Mt. Joy
Since forming in 2016, the Philadelphia native indie-rock band — comprised of Matt Quinn (vocals, guitar), Sam Cooper (guitar), Jackie Miclau (keys, piano), Sotiris Eliopoulos (drums), and Michael Byrnes (bass) — has put in their 10,000 hours preparing for this very moment Details
Friday, September 11, 2026 | 7:00 PM
Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Ottawa, 4837 Albion Road, Ottawa
$72 & up
Riverside Festival
The Riverside Festival is now considered the largest electronic music festival in Quebec having welcomed more than 40,000 festival-goers in its last 10 editions. Riverside is also one of the most central urban festivals in the country! 2026 Lineup – Marshmello, Steve Aoki, Excision Details
September 11 to 13, 2026
Canadian Museum of History, 100 Laurier Street, Gatineau
$87 & up
Black and Bluegrass Fest
The stacked lineup features Bosko Baker, Screamin’ Sins, Revenant Dan & The Murder Crows, Bastards and the Buzzards, Santosh Lalonde, Smoke Spell, Brackets, The Dirty Shwa, Old Man Grant, Mickey Moon, Black Creek Killers, Canette, Ryan Macdonald and the Rambler, Big Bad Jug Band, and Pablo Euphoria. Details
September 12, 2026 | 1 PM to Late
Rideau Pines Farm, 5714 Fourth Line Road, North Gower
$50
SOS – The Abba Experience
The buzz is real – and it’s coming your way! Whether you sang every word with us last time or you’re about to experience the magic for the very first time, this is a night you won’t want to miss. SOS – The ABBA Experience takes the Algonquin Commons Theatre by storm on September 12, 2026, and you do not want to miss it! Details
Saturday, September 12, 2026 | 7:30 PM
Algonquin Commons Theatre, 1385 Woodroffe Ave, Nepean
$49.50 (plus fees)
The Pretty Reckless – Dear God Tour
With Paris Jackson, Doug. The Pretty Reckless brings its Dear God Tour to the stage in support of the band’s fifth studio album, Dear God, released June 26, 2026. Fronted by Taylor Momsen, the rock group is known for its hard-edged sound and emotionally charged songwriting. The 2026 world tour includes North American dates before continuing through Europe and the United Kingdom. Details
Sunday, September 13, 2026 | 7:00 PM
History Ottawa, 47 Rideau Street, Ottawa
Varies
Candlelight Concerts
Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Ottawa. Details
Tribute to Taylor Swift – Saturday, September 12 | 7:00 p.m.
Tribute to Queen – Saturday, September 12 | 9:00 p.m.
Knox Church, Ottawa
$34 & up
Live from the Booth
Kick off your Saturday nights at Drop the Beat on Sparks, a weekly outdoor DJ series bringing the best of Ottawa’s electronic music scene to The Booth on Sparks Street. Details
Saturdays, June 6 – October 10, 2026 | 8pm-10pm
The Booth on Sparks Street
(between Elgin St & Metcalfe St), Ottawa
Free
III. Live Theatre
The Great Gatsby
September 8 to 13, 2026
Southam Hall, 1 Elgin, Ottawa
$79 & up
Rough Crossing
This light-hearted Stoppard play takes place aboard a luxury liner at sea. Set in the 1930s, successful Hungarian playwrights Sandor Turai and Alex Gal set sail from Cherbourg to New York, to present their latest musical comedy, The Cruise of the Dodo. They are accompanied by their young French composer, Adam Adam—a former actor forced to end his stage career after contracting a strange speech impediment brought on by the return of his terrifying mother from prison. Details
September 9 to 19, 2026
Ron Maslin Playhouse, 1 Ron Maslin Way, Kanata
$30.00
Beautiful Scars
Inspired by the book Beautiful Scars: Steeltown Secrets, Mohawk Skywalkers and the Road Home by Tom Wilson. The Electrifying Canadian Rock Musical Revealing a Long-Buried Family Secret Beautiful Scars, tells the story of Tom Wilson, of the band Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, and his search for truth and identity when a long-held family secret comes to light. Details
September 10 to 19, 2026
Babs Asper Theatre, 1 Elgin St, Ottawa
$33.00 – $72.00
Come From Away
Presented by Suzart Productions in collaboration with Maple Leaf Theatre Productions, Inc, Come From Away is a moving, true-story musical about the small town of Gander, Newfoundland, which welcomed 7,000 stranded airline passengers after 9/11. Through heartfelt songs, humour, and ensemble storytelling, it celebrates kindness, community, and human connection, showing how strangers can become friends in the most unexpected and life-changing ways. Details
September 10 to 19, 2026
Meridian Theatres at Centrepointe, 101 Centrepointe Drive, Ottawa
$45 plus taxes and fees
Beechwood’s Annual Living Library
Join us at Beechwood Cemetery for the Annual Historical Tour, a unique event that brings history to life. This year, we celebrate the incredible stories of those who helped build Bytown. Presented as a living library, this immersive experience features performances by the Ottawa School of Theatre. Details
September 13, 2026 | 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Beechwood National Memorial Centre, 280 Beechwood Ave, Ottawa
Oh Canada Eh? Dinner Show
Come be serenaded by our singing Mountie, hockey player, Anne of Green Gables, Klondike Kitty, and many other special guests. This high-energy, family-friendly production features over 70 songs from Canadian artists, including Paul Anka, Celine Dion, Shania Twain, the Barenaked Ladies, Avril Lavigne, Justin Bieber, and many more. Details
Various Dates
Oh Canada Eh? Dinner Theatre, 330 Kent Street, Ottawa
$27.95 to $99.95
IV. Sports/Outdoor Activities
IWBF Wheelchair Basketball Championships
September 9 to 19, 2026
The Arena at TD Place & Carleton University Raven’s Nest, Ottawa
$10 to $35
NHL Prospect Challenge
The Ottawa Senators will host the Winnipeg Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Montreal Canadiens in September for the NHL Prospect Challenge. This is a unique opportunity to see the NHL’s future stars and watch the next generation of talent in action. Details
September 12 & 13, 2026
Slush Puppie Centre, 500 Bd de la Cité, Gatineau
$20
Light at Night Kayaking
Join us for an enchanting “Light at Night” kayaking experience in downtown Ottawa. This 2.5-hour, 5.5km paddle along the Rideau Canal offers a perfect blend of history, scenic beauty, and camaraderie. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced paddler, this leisurely-paced tour is an excellent opportunity to meet other paddling enthusiasts while exploring one of Ottawa’s most iconic waterways. Details
Until September 20, 2026
Rideau Canal, 524 O’Connor St, Ottawa
$99 – $198
NCC Weekend Bikedays
Every weekend from May to October, the NCC opens parkways in Ottawa exclusively for active use, morning and afternoon. Whether you’re biking, walking, running or skating, this program is for you! These car-free roads are a great way to experience the beauty of Canada’s Capital Region in a fun, safe and environmentally friendly way. Details
Weekends and Holiday Mondays, May 9 to October 12, 2026
Various Venues, Ottawa
Free
General Activities
- Scenic Lookouts: 15 Scenic Lookouts In and Around Ottawa
- Waterfalls: 15+ Waterfalls to Visit in and Around Ottawa
- Hikes: 25 of the Best Hikes in and Around Ottawa
- Family Hikes: 20 Family Hikes and Walks in and Around Ottawa
- Nature Areas: 25 Must-Visit Nature Attractions and Nature Hotspots in and Around Ottawa
V. Festivals & Other Events
Spencerville Fair
September 10 to 13, 2026
Spencerville Fairgrounds, 22 Ryan Street, Spencerville
$5 to $15
Renfrew Fair
The fair is an exciting five days with ample amount of activities such as: Livestock Shows, Beef & Dairy Shows, Heavy & Light Horse Shows, 4-H & Interclubs, Swine & Lambs, many more Livestock events, Exhibits, Art, Domestic Science, Women’s Institute Displays, Floriculture, Fruit, Vegetables, Junior Classes, Needlework and so much more. Details
September 10 – 13, 2026
115 Veterans Memorial Blvd, Renfrew
$7 to $12
Renfrew Fair
The fair is an exciting five days with an ample amount of activities such as: Livestock Shows, Beef & Dairy Shows, Heavy & Light Horse Shows, 4-H & Interclubs, Swine & Lambs, many more Livestock events, Exhibits, Art, Domestic Science, Women’s Institute Displays, Floriculture, Fruit, Vegetables, Junior Classes, Needlework and so much more. Details
September 10 – 13, 2026
115 Veterans Memorial Blvd, Renfrew
$7 to $12
Le Cordon Bleu Student Soirée: A Culinary Journey
Intermediate Cuisine students, under the guidance of Chef Vincent Koperski, will present a canapé-style soirée, where masterful French technique elevates the rich terroirs of Ontario and Quebec. Through seasonal ingredients crafted with bold creativity, each creation becomes a bridge between the Old and the New World narrative told through flavours and textures. Details
Friday, September 11, 2026 | 6 – 8 PM
Le Cordon Bleu, 453 Laurier Ave E, Ottawa
$123
Kanata Craft Beer Festival
Join us for a fun, laid-back outdoor festival celebrating craft beer, cider, cocktails, delicious food, and live entertainment. Whether you’re coming with friends or checking it out for the first time, it’s the perfect way to enjoy a fall evening in Kanata. Details
September 11 & 12, 2026
Kanata Community Hub, 400 March Road, Ottawa
$25+fees
AfroFest Ottawa
AfroFestival Ottawa is a free annual Music and Arts Festival that showcases the very best of African culture and entertainment in Canada’s Capital Region. This festival provides all Canadians with an opportunity to experience the beauty, diversity, and richness of African culture through music, dance, art, food, fashion, storytelling, and cultural exchange. Now entering its 7th year, AfroFestival Ottawa has become one of the fastest-growing cultural festivals in Canada. Details
September 11 to 13, 2026
Mooney’s Bay Park and Beach, Riverside Drive, Ottawa
Free to $22.90
Orléans Ribfest & Poutine
RIBFEST MEETS POUTINEFEST for the Best 2 Food Groups Festival. Join us for best in Ribs, Chicken, Pulled Pork and Poutine featuring a new Bevvy Gardens, Live Music, Mini Donuts, Fresh Lemonade, Market Village and PoutineFest. PoutineFest featuring over to 50 kinds of Poutine from Smokin’ RRs, Bash’s Food Truck, Northern Bites, Spring Chips, Great Canadian Poutinerie, and Lou Fast Food. Details
September 11-13, 2026
255 Centrum Blvd, Ottawa
Free Admission
Ottawa ComicCon
Over 40,000 enthusiastic sci-fi, horror, anime, gaming and comic book fans from Canada and abroad will converge at the EY Centre for the seventh edition of the Ottawa Comiccon. The epic pop culture convention has become one of the nation’s capital most talked-about events, where visitors rub shoulders with an ever-growing roster of celebrity guests from various entertainment fields. Details
September 11 to 13, 2026
EY Centre, 4899 Uplands Drive, Ottawa
$15 to $59
Urban Art Collective Summer Night Market
Discover local vendors, handmade goods, and seasonal treats at our monthly summer night markets. Details
Saturday, September 12th, 5-10PM
Head Street Square, 310 Miwate Pvt, Ottawa
Free
Butter Tart Festival Market
Saturday, September 12, 2026 | 10 AM – 2 PM
5870 Abbott St E, Stittsville
Free
Ottawa Bonsai Society Annual Show
Come admire around 40 of the most beautiful bonsais in the region! Ottawa Bonsai Society members will be available to answer all your questions. Dozens of species of trees, some can be 100 years old, will be on display. Demonstrations daily on the art of using special techniques to grow dwarf trees in containers. The show is free and is an excellent activity for the whole family! Details
September 12 & 13, 2026
Embassy of Japan, 255 Sussex Drive, Ottawa
Free
Thai Festival Ottawa-Gatineau
The Royal Thai Embassy in Ottawa invites everyone to celebrate 65 years of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Canada at Thai Festival Ottawa–Gatineau 2026, featuring exciting new experiences this year. Join us for a one-day celebration packed with delicious street food, vibrant performances, and a lively artisan market. Details
Saturday, September 12, 2026 | 11 AM to 5 PM
Gatineau City Hall, 25 Rue Laurier, Gatineau
Free
Almonte Fibrefest – A Festival of the Fibre Arts
Come out to the Friendly Town of Almonte for the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum’s 28th Annual Fibrefest. Local guilds will demonstrate spinning, knitting, weaving, rug-hooking, lacemaking, smocking, and quilting, while our vendors will be selling finished fibre goods and textile supplies from across the province, including quilt shops and alpaca farms. Details
September 12 to 13, 2026
Almonte Community Centre and the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum, Almonte
$5
Perth Night Market
Wander the streets and encounter entertainers and artisans, and dine and imbibe under the stars at our delicious restaurants and pubs. Shop as you stroll while surrounded by our beautiful heritage buildings, with many shops open late. Details
Saturday, September 12, 2026 | 5:00 PM – Late
Downtown, Perth
Free
Mosaic of Nations Festival
Celebrate culture. Embrace diversity. Build community. Join us for a vibrant day of music, dance, art, food, and connection. Experience the beauty of cultures from around the world and celebrate what brings us together — with live performances, a vendors and food court, a kids’ zone, and a community village. Details
Sunday, September 13, 2026 | 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Alexander Grove Park, 10 Warner-Colpitts Lane, Ottawa
Free
UA FEST 2026 (Ukrainian Fest Lanark County)
Free Ukrainian cultural festival at Riverside Park, Carleton Place – Ukrainian food, live music and dance, craft market, children’s zone, art workshops, and the North American Premiere of the Rushnyk of Unity: a 160.5-metre embroidered cloth stitched by 120+ people across 13 European countries, certified as a European Record in Tallinn in May 2026, shown outside Europe for the first time. Details
Sunday, September 13, 2026 | 12:00 PM – 08:00 PM
Riverside Park, 137 John St, Carleton Place
Free
Pop Up Cinema
Capital Pop-Up Cinema has been bringing the magic of movies to unexpected places across the Ottawa region for over a decade—and this summer. Gather your friends, grab a blanket, and settle in for a sunset screening in one of the city’s most scenic waterfront spots. Details
September 11 | 7:30 PM – Legally Blonde @ Westboro Village, Churchill Seniors Community Centre
September 12 | Cool Runnings @ Sparks Street
Various Venues, Ottawa
Free
U-Pick Flowers
Green Corners has planted snapdragons, cosmos, calendula, and sunflowers for you to pick this summer season. Pick your own flowers to make a bouquet of seasonal blooms! Flower varieties change throughout the season, but there will always be a variety of colours and flowers in bloom. Details
July 12 to September 18, 2026
Green Corners, 1259 York’s Corners Road, Ottawa
$7 to $25
High Tea on the Veranda
Parks Canada invites you to enjoy High Tea on the historic veranda at Laurier House National Historic Site. Wear your best tea attire and join us for scrumptious treats and delicious teas, as the breeze floats over the historic setting on the veranda. Details
June 4 to September 25, 2026
Laurier House National Historic Site, 335 Laurier Ave. East, Ottawa
$68+fees
Le Petit Chef
In “The Beginning,” the world’s smallest chef takes you on his very first culinary adventure. Watch as your tabletop transforms into a fascinating 3D landscape, and cheer him on as he battles oversized ingredients with humor and passion to prepare an exquisite multi-course meal. A charming, nostalgic, and captivating dining experience. Details
Various Dates Through September
Tulip Restaurant and Bar, 361 Queen Street, Ottawa
$129 & up
Ottawa City Rafting – Guided River Tour
From the sweep of the river, the Ottawa looks as majestic as when Champlain rediscovered it four centuries ago. This one-of-a-kind trip has everything, right in Canada’s capital – fun, education and just enough excitement to be thrilled at the end of the run. It’s perfect for adventure seekers, families, schools and corporate groups. Details
June 6 – Mid-September
Britannia Beach, 102 Greenview Ave, Ottawa
$94 to $109
Humanics Sanctuary and Sculpture Park
Come and experience this hidden jewel just outside Cumberland Village in Ottawa. Discover sculptures carefully placed in a natural setting at this nine-acre wooded ravine with walking trails and quaint bridges over a meandering creek. The Humanics sanctuary and sculpture park is a unique multi-cultural, multi-religious and multi-generational Canadian Institution focused on promoting principles of non-violence, human development, justice and peace. Details
May 16 to October 31, 2026
Humanics Sanctuary and Sculpture Park , 3468 Ch. Old Montreal Rd, Ottawa
$7-$10
Nepean Night Market
Nepean Night Market brings amazing vendors, fantastic live music, fabulous food trucks, and the most awesome fun luvin’ summer nights!! Details
Sundays, May 17 to October 18, 2026 | 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Mr.Lube parking lot, 1442 Baseline Road, Ottawa
Free
Discover the Capital – Historical Highlights Tour
Various Dates
89 Sparks Street, Ottawa
Pay What You Want Public Tour
Whitewater Rafting with OWL Rafting
Experience the great Canadian river trip – this is a travel-path forged by First Nations, traversed by fur traders since the 1600’s and fostered by foresters at the turn of the last century. An introduction to whitewater is a full day natural roller coaster where you’ll paddle as a team – your experienced guide steers from the stern – all you have to do is listen for directions, join in and have fun. Details
May 16 – September 7 | various start times
40 Owl Lane, Foresters Falls
$85 & up
Faith Fyles: In Full Bloom
This exhibition explores the intersection of art and science through the life and work of Faith Fyles (1875 – 1961), the first woman to be appointed as a botanist with Canada’s Department of Agriculture. The exhibition traces her distinctive dual careers at Ottawa’s Central Experimental Farm (CEF): first as a botanist and then as an artist, with both roles often merging in one project. Details
March 7 to September 27, 2026
Ottawa Art Gallery, 50 Mackenzie King Bridge, Ottawa
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.
To add events to this list – Submit Event.
What about events geared to young adults with autism
Hi, just drove out to Petrie Island and the Carivibe fest was only yesterday and not today as you have written.
@Various Venues — https://www.todocanada.ca/city/ottawa/event/carivibe-beach-food-festival/
me and my buddy are going next weekend. I cant wait for updated list. lots of fun items to do in Ottawa
Great resource. Thanks a lot!
Thank you
Hello
Does subscribe work?
tried twice, always an error (nothing in my inbox or spam)
thank you
Does subscribing still work? I have checked my spam folders and nothing.
Great site, I look at it almost every week to get ideas on what to do with the kids.
Just to note, there’s a fair with carnival rides this weekend (Aug. 20-22) at the Earl Armstrong Arena. You can see it from the costco parking lot.
Here’s the address for those interested:
Earl Armstrong Arena
2020 Ogilvie Rd, Gloucester, ON K1J 7N8
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!
Wow wish I had found this site much sooner. So many great events happening in Ottawa this weekend. Thanks for providing this list.
Thanks for the list!!! It really helps me plan my activities with my kids on the weekend.
Great listings! Thanks!
Thanks for including the Ottawa Canadian Film Festival http://ocanfilmfest.ca/ocanfilmfest2018
Useful. Thanks for sharing.
Why is it that the “Subscribe to our newsletter” – on the right hand side of this newsletter/webpage…
https://www.todocanada.ca/things-ottawa-weekend/
… does not include Ottawa in the “Select City News letter list”?
Boom