– The number of meals delivered to the Caldwell Family Centre since Atlético Ottawa and Maple Lodge Farms partnered up on Community First Kits in 2023. For each special jersey sold, 30 meals are provided to the Centre.

The initiative has won Atlético the Partnership Activation of the Year from the Canadian Premiere League Business Awards. The team also won Top Single Match Sale Promotion (Tickets Sold) for its Célébration Franco-Ontarienne day and Top Group Sales Tickets (Tickets Sold) for 2024.

The three writers are the inaugural winners of the Lanark Lit Writing Competition, produced by Almonte Readers & Writers. An awards gala will be held at the Almonte Public Library, 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm December 8.

– Manager of Steve’s Music, Dan Sauvé. After 42 years, the shop is leaving Rideau Street because of problems with people involved in the opioid epidemic. The store currently keeps its door locked and lets customers in one-by-one. Steve’s has signed a lease for a new, but undisclosed, location.

▪️Mark December 6 on your calendar, as that is the day OC Transpo will announce the reopening date of the Trillium Line. And don’t call it a delaying tactic.

▪️The City’s new three-item garbage limit will be enforced starting Monday. As of September 30, residents are limited to three items of rubbish unless they buy a special yellow sack. Since then, the trucks have collected excess items but left a note behind warning of the error. Starting Monday, extra items will be left behind and also get the naughty note. 

▪️The water in Green’s Creek is murky because of runoff from the nearby Lafarge Canada quarry, says the City and the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. The creek in Blackburn Hamlet had been discoloured and smelled strange since last week. The City says runoff from washing cement trucks has entered the creek. The company says it is aware of the complaint.

▪️As the holiday season swings into gear, Ottawa Police warn that they are watching out for drivers who are a little too festive. The annual Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere programme launched last night, so expect random road checks throughout the City. Since 2018, drivers must provide a breath sample for alcohol testing if asked, even if the police officer has no suspicion of drinking.

▪️ Creative Mornings Ottawa presents Niqqi van der Aa, teacher of Sketching, Textiles and history Fashion at the Robinson Academy in Ottawa. 8:30 am to 10:00 am at Bayview Yards.  

▪️ Make it an old time-y festive season with the Cumberland Village Museum’s Vintage Village of Lights. Fridays though Sundays until December 22. 

▪️ Experience Upper Canada Village at Christmas with Alight at Night Festival, opening tonight and continuing on select evenings until December 26. 

▪️ Stop by the St. Paul’s Christmas Bazaar in Kanata for bargains, Christmas gifts, and more. The event opens today at 4:00 pm with a chilli supper, then continues tomorrow. 

▪️ Road Trip: The 4th Annual  White Lake Santa Claus Parade starts at 7:00 pm.

▪️ Ottawa’s own pro wrestling turns 17 this year. Experience the C4 Edge of Seventeen Anniversary Celebration at Preston Event Centre tonight. 

▪️ Road Trip: Do some in-person Black Friday shopping in Downtown Brockville. 

🆓 613Flea presents the 613Holiday Night Market, 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm tonight and every Friday until December 13. 

▪️ Manotick’s Christmas in the Village weekend begins tonight with a parade of lights down Main Street. 

▪️ You and the kids will never be bored at Saunders Farm’s A Country Christmas. Until December 30. 

▪️ Cocktails, new people, and Latin rhythms are all on the menu at Il Vicolo tonight. 

▪️ Urban Legends start the Friday night programming at Versefest’s mini Fall festival. Poets Apollo The Child, Billie Nest, and Playto Aka Panos take to the stage. Then, the festival continues with an evening of readings by former directors of ULPC. Hosted by Ben Ladouceur. 

▪️ Shop the Carp Farmers Market Christmas Market today from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm and tomorrow morning from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. 

▪️ Today’s European Union Film Festival screenings: A Hundred Sundays (Italy), Un Amor (Spain) 

▪️ Ottawa Black Bears vs. Toronto Rock lacrosse. 

▪️ ByTowne Cinema: Memoir of a Snail, The Outrun, Maria, Drawn In: Akira  

▪️ Mayfair Theatre: Blitz, Flow, The Room, Big Shark 

Gigs

▪️ Michael Dubue with Chime of Wrens. Irene’s Pub

▪️ Spitfire91. Aberdeen Plaza, Ottawa Christmas Market 

▪️ 80s Dance Party with DJ Remi Royale and The Start. House of TARG

▪️ Friday I’m In Love Indiepop Dance Party. The 27 Club

▪️ Journey to Boston. Overflow Brewing

▪️ Fever Pitch Hot Jazz. Art House Café

▪️ Road Trip: There’s free admission to the Peabody Farm 8th Annual Christmas Market, a nostalgic event with artisans, food vendors, baby donkeys, piggies, a bon fire, and more. 26 chemin Sullivan, Venosta QC J0X 3E0 

▪️ Road Trip: Take a drive to the old time charm of Almonte for the Cheerfully Made Holiday Market (today and tomorrow). Almonte Old Town Hall.

▪️ Also in Almonte: Shop for the bibliophiles on your list at the Mississippi Mills Public Library Christmas Book Sale.

▪️ The Kiwan Farms & Garden Centre Christmas Night Market has everything you need to decorate your table and home for the festive season. 

▪️ Next Door Market and Event Space becomes Gifty’s!, where you can shop for locally made jewellery, textiles and more as well as vintage eco-conscious gifts. 

▪️ It’s Day 2 of the St Paul’s Christmas Bazaar in Kanata. 

▪️ Gamer Con is everything game related, at more than 90 tables, all under one roof. Nepean Sportsplex today only. 

▪️ If you’ve been wondering where you’ll find your perfect tree, you just might find it at the Royal Mental Health Centre’s Annual Christmas Tree Sale. It kicks off today and if 2024 is anything like last year we can expect the collection of gorgeous Nova Scotia Balsam Firs to sell out within the week. 1145 Carling Ave. 

▪️ Road Trip: The Crate in Arnprior is a small town boutique with big time charm. Find something for everyone on your list at the Christmas at the Crate event. 

▪️ Find incredible locally made gifts and baked goods, a silent auction, and your choice of large and small tourtières at The Good Companions Craft Studio Sale & Christmas Bazaar. 670 Albert St. 

▪️ The opening concert of the Ottawa Bach Choir’s 23rd season focuses on Bach’s Weihnachts-Oratorium (Christmas Oratorio).

▪️ Make an afternoon of it at Calabogie Brewing’s Kanata showroom, where the Holiday Market will feature curated vendors, live music, and the chance to win a gift basket. 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm 

🆓 Visit the intimate Manx Pub for today’s Versefest closer. David O’Meara will host the poets Armand Garnet Ruffo, Chimwemwe Undi, and Erik Lindner. 5:00 pm. 

▪️ The European Union Film Festival closes with Icarus and the Minotour (Luxembourg), The Hardest Hour (Ukraine), and My Dad is a Sausage (Belgium). 

▪️ The Brass Monkey presents the return of Montréal pop rockers The Box. 

▪️ Savour bottomless mimosas and all the Taylor Swift and Florence + The Machine you can handle at the Red Lungs Drag Brunch at Bar Robo.

▪️ ByTowne Cinema: Maria, The Outrun, Memoir of a Snail, Drawn In: Akira 

Mayfair Theatre: Sunset Boulevard, Blitz, The Room, Big Shark 

Gigs

▪️ Good2Go. Atomic Rooster

▪️ Dwayne Gretzky. Bronson Centre Music Theatre

▪️ Any Good Reason. The Carleton Tavern

▪️ To mark World AIDS Day, MAX Ottawa presents free screenings of six new short films about the realities of living with HIV in the 21st century. 

▪️ Digital Art Resource Centre marks World AIDS Day with Day With(out) Art, featuring Red Reminds Me, a program of seven videos exploring the “emotional spectrum of living with HIV today”. The presentation runs on a loop until December 6. 

▪️ It costs just $2 to enter Geeking Out for the Holidays: Ottawa’s GEEKIEST Gift & Craft Show at Nepean Sportsplex. 

▪️ Give your pipes a workout with these singalong carol events: Come Sing Christmas - uOttawa Choir. Glory of Christmas with the Choir of St John the Evangelist Anglican Church.

▪️ Ottawa’s longest running indie craft sale, the 15th annual Idle Hands Art, Craft, and Vintage Market at allsaints Event Space is one day only. $5 entry. 

▪️ Road Trip: Cheerfully Made Holiday Market continues at Almonte Old Town Hall with 40 different vendors. 

▪️ Road Trip: Make a day of it at Petawawa’s Christmas in the Village. 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm 

▪️ Shop local from more than 60 vendors at the St Elias Christmas Market 

▪️ Cheer on Ottawa 67s as they take on London Knights at TD Place. 

▪️ ByTowne Cinema: The Outrun, Viral Interventions: World AIDS Day 2024, Maria, Memoir of a Snail 

▪️ Mayfair Theatre: The Room live script reading, The Room - with an appearance by Greg Sestero 

Gigs

▪️ Tyler Hilton. Club SAW

▪️ Sue Foley: One Guitar Woman. National Arts Centre

▪️ Oddeline. Rainbow Bistro

▪️ Sarah Church. LIVE on Elgin

▪️ Just for seniors: DIYers are invited to join the Origami Ornament Workshop (ages 55+) at the Ottawa Tool Library. 

▪️ Join the final Broadway Nights event of 2024 and sing your heart out. 

▪️ 100 Women Who Care meet at Milestones (Lansdowne) to support three charities. 

▪️ There are a couple of spaces left to reserve at the Ward 14 trivia night. 

▪️ ByTowne Cinema:  Maria, The Outrun, Memoir of a Snail 

▪️ Mayfair Theatre: Flow, The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone, Saturday Night 

Gigs

▪️ Jinglebones - Christmas for trombones - fundraiser for Parkinson Canada. Irene’s Pub

▪️ Karaoke Mondaze. Atomic Rooster

▪️ Giving Tuesday (December 3) Book your place at the Lunch Special at Chef Ric's

The Ottawa Mission’s social enterprise, Chef Ric’s, will be serving a special Giving Tuesday green-themed meal for anyone to purchase! The colour green symbolizes hope, health, and new beginnings—values that align with The Mission’s work to support those in need. 

What’s on the menu? A French-Canadian green pea soup as well as a spinach pasta with a creamy garlic parmesan sauce, served with garlic bread and a kale- spinach salad with a pear vinaigrette dressing. 

All proceeds from the special meal go to support The Mission. Plus, if you make an additional donation at the restaurant, you’ll get a free green cupcake! $6.99 for lunch. 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, Chef Ric’s, 384 Rideau Street

▪️ With any luck you’ll be ready for the big day by Saturday December 21. In that case, get your tickets for Christmas with Music and Beyond, and sit back and enjoy the music of the season. 

Many people can work up a gripe about OC Transpo, some can even write up a few hundred words for a blistering editorial. Riverside South resident Gio Petti has made a 43 minute documentary on the travails of Ottawa transit. The title? Dude, Where’s My Bus?