10 things to do in Ottawa this weekend – August 12-14, 2022

Championship Weekend

When: August 12-14, 2022
Where: The stadium at TD Place
What time: various times
Admission: From $55 • Click here for tickets

TD Place is where you want to be for all things basketball as the Ottawa BlackJacks host the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s Championship Weekend. Look forward to a celebration of basketball plus local culture featuring street festivals and music from artist FT. Baka Not Nice & Smiley and Haviah Mighty. Click here for the full schedule.

Photo: CEBL

Asinabka Film and Media Arts Festival

When: August 10-14, 2022
Where: Club Saw, Galery 101, Saw Gallery
What time: various times
Admission: Click here for times and tickets

Celebrating Indigenous arts in Algonquin Territory with film screenings, workshops, music, and more. Visit the Asinakba Film and Media Arts Festival website for the full schedule.

Photo: Brad Henry

Russell Agricultural Fair

When: August 11 – 14, 2022
Where: 1076 Concession Street, Russel
What time: Thursday, 4 pm – midnight; Friday – 9 am – 1 am; Saturday – 8:30 am – midnight, Sunday 8:30 am – 7 pm
Admission: From $12 for 13 years and over

The Russell Agricultural Fair has been celebrating rural roots since 1867. The weekend-long fair features all the activities you’ve come to expect from a country fair, including a demolition derby, talent show, truck and tractor pull, a midway, live music, and so much more. Click here for the full schedule.

Photo: Russell Agricultural Fair

Bytown Fire Brigade Pump Day

When: August 14, 2022
Where: 2880 Sheffield Road, Ottawa
What time: 9 am – 4 pm
Admission: Free

Join the Bytown Fire Brigade for a special day full of activities for the whole family. See Ottawa's largest collection of antique fire trucks and firefighting apparatus on display and watch a live pumping demonstration. 

Photo: Bytown Fire Brigade

Dear Evan Hansen

When: Until August 14, 2022
Where: National Arts Centre
What time: various times
Admission: From $65 • Click here for tickets

Based on the book by Steven Levenson with music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Dear Evan Hansen is a Broadway hit that won six Tony Awards and a Grammy Award in 2018. Dear Evan Hansen is a deeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live it. 

Photo: NAC

Capital Fair

When: August 12 – 21, 2022
What time: Friday 1 pm – 11 pm, Saturday and Sunday 11 am – 11 pm
Where: Rideau Carleton Casino
Tickets: via Capital Fair

Nothing screams midsummer in Ottawa more than the beloved Capital Fair! Enjoy ten days of midway rides, cotton candy, funnel cake, festival games, live music, and more, all taking place at the beautiful Rideau Carleton Casino grounds.

Photo: Capital Fair

Les Grands Feux du Casino Lac Leamy

When: Wednesdays and Saturdays until 20, 2022
Where: Canadian Museum of History
What time: The site opens at 6 pm
Admission: From $14  • Click here for tickets

Don't miss Mexico's fireworks show this Saturday—one of three performances remaining from this year's Les Grands Feux schedule. Take advantage of the free bicycle parking in front of the Maison du Citoyen every evening of FEUX, then use one of the two new entrances (Laurier-Victoria Entrance or Laurier-Alexandra Bridge Entrance) and let the immersive light pathway lead you to the event space behind the Canadian Museum of History.

Photo: Les Grands Feux

Mike Dambra at Yuk Yuks

When: August 11-13, 2022
Where: Yuk Yuks Ottawa, 100 Kent Street. Inside the Marriott Hotel
What time: 8 pm
Admission: From $15 • Click here for tickets

Known as the smart-ass king of comedy, Mike comes armed with the ability to adapt to, and interact with, any audience. Mike's interactive style has earned him rave reviews in every venue and festival he's played in, and he is known for having audience members come back more than once a week because the show is always different.

Photo: Yuk Yuks

Banksy 360°

When: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays until October 7, 2022
Where: The Aberdeen Pavilion, 1000 Exhibition Way
What time: 10 am – 8 pm (Timed entrance)
Admission: $23-$46 • Click here for tickets

The Aberdeen Pavilion at Lansdowne is home to the latest immersive art experience: Banksy 360°. Using cutting-edge projection technology crafted by renowned audiovisual designers, Banksy 360° creates an engaging journey into the work of the notorious graffiti artist.

Photo: Banksy 360

Ottawa Greek Festival

When: August 5 – 14, 2022 (weekends only)
Where: 1315 Prince of Wales Drive
What time: 4:30 pm to 10 pm
Admission: Free

The Ottawa Greek Festival's full outdoor festival is back for two weekends, OPA!! Get ready for delicious Greek food, live music, dancing, and of course – plate breaking! Don’t miss the nightly Zorba Show at 8:45 pm. Click here to see the full schedule.

Photo: Ottawa Greek Festival