BUTTERFLY SHOW (FREE!)
Hey, if it’s still raining (and there seems to be a never-ending supply of the wet stuff on weekends) this is a great option for frazzled parents. Carleton University’s two display greenhouses are filled with exotic tropical butterflies during its annual butterfly show. Great way to combine fun and education! Get there early — it gets very busy. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Sat., Oct. 2 to Oct. 11. Nesbitt Biology Building, corner of University Drive and Raven Road, 613-520-3513. http://tinyurl.com/27jypud
ARTISTS IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT (FREE!)
Spread over two weekends, this studio tour lets you interact with artists and craftspeople in their creative environments. More than 22 artists display paintings, pottery, sculptures, jewellery, photography, furniture, and more. Check out Louis Rompré’s vibrant hand-dipped candle demonstrations, John Barkley’s stunning abstract oil paintings, and Robert Moeller’s nature-inspired creations (left). Oct. 2 and 3 and 9 to 11. A printable version of the route map is available on the website and copies of the brochures are available en route. Chelsea and Wakefield, 819-459-3233. www.tourcw.com
FESTIVAL X POTLUCK SLIDESHOW
Get creative with art and food. Festival X’s potluck slideshow (or SlideLuck PotShow as the organizers prefer to call it) starts with a fantastic potluck dinner followed by a photographic slideshow set to music. Photos are submitted by local and international photographic artists. Admission is free for those who submit work or bring a dish for the potluck. Sat., Oct. 2. Dinner starts at 6 p.m.; slideshow at 8 p.m. www.festivalx.ca/slideluck_en.html
RENDEZ-VOUS DES SAVEURS
Three days of foodie heaven await at the Casino Lac-Leamy. There is much tasting to be done at this annual gastronomic food and wine showcase as more than 50 exhibitors — mostly from the Outaouais — showcase their wares. Got kids? New this year is a “mini academy” for kids aged three and up, with crafts, games, and workshops. Sign them up while you attend the show. Oct. 1 to 3. Day pass $10, three-day pass $15. Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Casino Lac-Leamy. www.rendezvousdessaveurs.com
BATTLE OF THE BALLOTS: THE CIVIC ELECTION STORY
The signs have popped up on people’s lawns and there’s new dirt everyday in the media; with all the election talk going on, you should check out this exhibit at Billings Estate National Historic Site. Get the lowdown on the civic election system in Ontario, the political careers of past mayors, and discover issues that were important to Ottawa from 1850 to 1950. Heck, it might even help you make your decision when you head out to the polls. Exhibit runs until Oct. 3. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. $6, seniors $5, children $3.50, children under five free, families $15. 2100 Cabot St., 613-247-4830. www.ottawa.ca/museums
BIRDWATCHING AT PINHEY’S POINT
Embrace the autumn air, and bone up on your birding skills, during this 90-minute hike through Pinhey’s Point Historic Site. With the help of expert guide Tony Beck, spot some of the fine feathers flying through our region on their annual migration. Local birders have reported sightings of warblers, kinglets, rusty blackbirds, and scarlet tanagers (the latter in their more demure fall plumage). So get out your field guides, binoculars, and hiking boots and join in the search. 10 a.m. $6, pairs $10, families $15. Pinhey’s Point Historic Site, 270 Pinhey’s Point Rd., Dunrobin. 613-832-4347. www.ottawa.ca/museums
SILENTS IS GOLDEN: FAUST
The Silents is Golden Film Festival, which presents nine silent films with live music, debuts with the classic story of Faust, accompanied by music by Ottawa’s The Flaps. The 1926 film tells the legendary tale of Dr. Faustus, a successful scholar who nevertheless becomes bored with life and sells his soul to the devil in exchange for unlimited power and worldly pleasures. The original deal with the devil, when set to retro-instrumental music and enjoyed with a McAuslan beer or a fine Ontario wine, is a perfect fit for a moody autumn evening. Oct. 2. 7 p.m. $15, seniors and students and members $10. The Mayfair Theatre, 1074 Bank St. 613-730-3403, www.mayfairtheatre.ca