OTTAWA FOODIE CHALLENGE
Spend your Sunday racing around the city to prove your foodie smarts (stopping now and again to taste a morsel or two). The Ottawa Foodie Challenge raises money for the Food Bank through a fun competition that has you racing against other foodies to prove your food smarts in a scavenger hunt. See how many points you can accrue, gain bragging rights, and help the Food Bank. The scavenger hunt list is released online and at the opening party on Sunday, Nov. 13 at 9 a.m. at urban element. You and your team have until 6 p.m. to see how many items you can check off. The cost is $50 per team.
260 FINGERS (FREE!)
Although the group is one member short this year, you won’t want to miss 260 Fingers. This annual display features 25 outstanding ceramic and clay artists from Eastern Ontario and West Quebec. While mugs and vases are definitely part of the show, you might be surprised at the more eclectic offerings: the curious figures of Diane Black provide a healthy dose of irony; Tim Storey‘s work ranges from historical to hysterical. Nov. 11. 6 p.m, Nov. 12 and 13 10 a.m to 5 p.m. Glebe Community Centre, 690 Lyon St. www.260fingers.ca
SHIRLEY BEAR AND MARK TRUSCOTT IN THE A B SERIES
Sit back, relax, and listen to the spoken word and poetry of Shirley Bear and Mark Truscott. The two Canadian writers and published authors perform this weekend as part of the ongoing A B Series. Shirley Bear expresses herself through not only her writing and poetry, but also through visual arts and multimedia; the First Nations activist, who was recently named to the Order of Canada, has contributed to a number of anthologies and is the the author of Virgin Bones. Mark Truscott’s work in poetry explores boundaries and the limits of language; the Torontonian is the author of Nature and Said Like Reeds or Things. Saturday Nov. 12. 7:30 p.m. $7, $5 for students. Gallery 101, 301 ½ Bank st. www.abseries.org
CELEBRATING 35 YEARS AT THE OTTAWA FOLKLORE CENTRE
Folkies can satisfy their ears with the sweet sounds of Jesse Greene, Doug McArthur, and harmonica sensation Marc Seguin, along with a heap of other musicians on the line-up at this concert, which celebrates the legacy of the Ottawa Folklore Centre. For 35 years, the OFC has been a meeting point, classroom, and lots more for the grassroots community. Part of the proceeds will go towards the Hospice at Maycourt. Sunday, Nov. 13. 7 p.m. $20 in advance (available online or at the OFC, 1111 Bank St.) or $25 at the door. Mayfair Theatre, 1074 Bank St. www.ottawafolklore.com
GREGORIAN CHANT AND CHORAL MUSIC CLASSES (FREE!)
If you’ve always dreamed of being the next Canadian idol, Lawrence Harris, the director of a local Gregorian choir, might be able to help you out. An ancient form of Christian chanting, this class in Gregorian chanting is aimed at bringing participants out of their shells, boosting vocal confidence, and, of course, making music. While it may seem a far reach from today’s pop music, Gregorian chanting has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years: a group of monks recently recorded with Universal Music, and a chant forms the soundtrack to the Xbox game Halo. Sunday Nov. 13, 3 p.m. Dominican University College, 96 Empress Ave.
PETS WITH PERSONALITIES FUNDRAISER (FREE!)
Local photographer Sean Sisk captured local personalities with their pets for this calendar, which supports the Ottawa Humane Society. Pick up a copy of the 18-month Pets with Personalities calendar ($25) for a striking collection of images, featuring such local icons as JW Jones, Eugene Haslam, and Kelly Prescott. Check out the Facebook page for more event details. Music line-up includes Prescott, John Allaire, The Bush Pilots, and Down in Ashes. Sunday, Nov. 13. 1 – 5 p.m. D’Arcy McGee’s, 44 Sparks St., 613-230-4433.
SEA MONSTERS 3D
Here’s one for the young (but not too young) set. The Museum of Nature has recently launched Sea Monsters 3D, a 20-minute film that journeys back in time to the late Cretaceous period when a vast inland sea divided North America in two, and giant turtles, enormous predatory fish, and fierce sharks roamed the deeps. The movie is playing four to seven times per day from Thursday through Sunday for the next four months. Cost is $4 over and above the price of admission to the museum. Canadian Museum of Nature, 240 McLeod St., 613-566-4700.