It feels like Labour Day was just yesterday, but here we are at Thanksgiving Weekend! When you’re not too busy chowing down on turkey, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie or enjoying that lazy Monday off, here are some things you can get up to this weekend. Give your in-laws a taste of the city (or just escape from family for an hour or two!) with these fun activities:
Ottawa Senators versus Buffalo Sabres
The Sens face the visiting Sabres in their final tune-up game before the official season opener on October 12th against the rival Toronto Maple Leafs. The Senators will likely have their full roster on display, after they sent seven fringe players back to Binghamton, including veteran defenseman Mike Kostka and promising prospect Nick Paul. Still with the club is defenseman Thomas Chabot, the team’s first-round pick from 2015. He will have one last make-it-or-break-it chance to make the roster, though he still has junior eligibility and can get a nine-game tryout in the regular season with no consequence to his long-term contract. Get your tickets from Friday’s tilt and get your chants and claps tuned for the regular season!
Ottawa Butterfly Show
The annual Biology Butterfly Show at Carleton University wraps up this weekend, so don’t miss your chance to see more than 1,300 butterflies representing 41 different species worldwide. This is a fantastic educational and immersive event for the whole family. Beautiful live exotic butterflies fly freely throughout the greenhouse. Tip: if you want to attract a butterfly or two, wear bright coloured clothing, and hold an orange or pineapple slice aloft and they will land on it for a snack. Admission is free, but donations are strongly encouraged to keep this event going in the future.
Great Hope Hootenanny
The “Great Hope Hootenanny Family Fun Fair” is a fall harvest fair taking place at the Lone Star Ranch on Saturday. Amazing food, great music, and lots of funds to the kids are just the start for this fundraiser in support of men and women at risk of losing fertility due to cancer treatments. Come support a great cause – tickets are just $20 for adults, $15 for kids, or $65 for a family of four.
Fall Rhapsody at Gatineau Park
Fall Rhapsody is a yearly event in Gatineau Park that celebrates the fall colours each weekend. From October 1st to October 16th, taste farm-fresh products, see animal demonstrations, admire the works of local artists, or just come for a picnic or hike and enjoy the picturesque views of the park. You can sign up for an Epicurean Dining Tour on Saturday, October 8, an unforgettable fall-to-table experience from Greenbelt farmers and ByWard Market restauranteurs – reserve your spot quickly. This weekend is also the Pontiac County Fair at Luskville Falls, a chance to discover the wonders of the region. Demonstrations, tastings, and even a nature interpretation kiosk!
Happy Thanksgiving, readers!
