What to Do in Ottawa: Weekend Preview March 18-20

What to Do in Ottawa: Weekend Preview March 18-20

After a cold and rainy week, at least it won’t be rainy this weekend! Don’t worry, the warm days of spring are just days away. In the meantime, here’s what’s happening this weekend in Ottawa:

Ottawa Irish Festival

First, if you’re reading this on Thursday – Happy St. Patrick’s Day! If you’re reading any other day, don’t worry – the Irish-inspired celebrations continue all weekend thanks to the efforts of the Irish Society of the National Capital Region and others. The 34 annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Party takes place on Saturday. The parade start at Elgin/Laurier at 11 am and continues down Bank Street to Lansdowne Park. Bring the whole family! Non-perishable food items and cash donations are encouraged. Then the party kicks off at Lansdowne Park’s Aberdeen Pavillion until 9 pm. That event is sold out though, so unless you can get your hands on some tickets, why not hit up one of the great Irish-themed pubs and restaurants around the city?

Ottawa Senators versus Montreal Canadiens

To say the 2015-2016 NHL season has been a disappointment for both sides of the Battle of the 417 is an understatement. At the time of writing, the Ottawa Senators trail the Philadelphia Flyers by six points for the final wildcard spot (Philadelphia also has two games in hand), and the Canadiens are two points further behind. Both teams will likely have to win out in order to have any shot at making the playoffs this season. On the bright side: someone has to win on Saturday when these two teams face off at the Canadian Tire Centre. Ottawa is coming off an electric 3-2 OT win over the Minnesota Wild. Senators captain Erik Karlsson had the OT winner and 2 assists in the effort, setting a new career high for assists. Karlsson currently leads the NHL in the assists category (by a margin of 8 over Patrick Kane at the time of writing). If Karlsson leads the league in assists at season’s end, he will be the first defenseman do so since Bobby Orr. Karlsson is also 3rd in league scoring and continues to make a convincing case for this 3rd career Norris no matter how vocal the Doughty contingent gets. Anyway, game on Saturday, be there or cheer loud at home.

The Outdoor + Adventure Travel Show

Tired of the cold, wet weather? Escape for a day and plan your next adventurous getaway at The Outdoor + Adventure Travel Show. Running at the EY Centre on Saturday and Sunday (10-6),  this is your place to find the best gear and clothing for hiking, camping, fishing, hunting, canoeing, biking, rock climbing, ATVing, and so much more. You can also learn about adventure travel opportunities around the world – or practically in your own backyard. The 5th annual show is presented by two adventurous local magazines, Ottawa Outdoors Magazine and Fish, Hunt & Ride. Admission is $12 at the door (CASH ONLY), while kids 17 and under have free admission. You can also get discounted tickets online and be entered to in a draw for a whitewater rafting trip for two.

Ottawa Tibet Film Festival

The Ottawa Tibetan Community Association presents the 4th Ottawa Tibet Film Festival on Sunday, March 20 at the Mayfair Theatre. Learn a little more about the people, religion, and culture of Tibet, and gain a deeper understanding about life in modern Tibet. This year’s program includes a short documentary Singing in Diaspora, and Embrace, a ethnographic documentary about the “transcendental and inter-sentient dimensions of Tibetan sacred sites and of their ecological significance.” Pad yatra, A Green Odyssey is a documentary that tracks the adventure of 700 people trekking across the Himalayas and raising awareness for the climate plight of our globe’s “3rd Pole.” Sundance winner Kekxili, the Mountain Patrol is a “moving true story about volunteers protecting antelope against poachers in the severe mountains of Tibet.” Admission is $10 ($6 for Mayfair members).

Have a lovely weekend, readers!


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