Aug
26
5:00 PM17:00
Digi60 Film & TV Industry Mixer with Industry Leaders
Digi60 Film & TV Industry Mixer with Industry Leaders
Sponsored by ACTRA Ottawa
Aug
27
to Aug 28
43 Fest Vol. 1
Join RG43 and special guests for a night of live music, energy, and community at Club SAW on August 27.
43 Fest Vol. 1 is the first edition of a new live music series created by Ottawa artist RG43, bringing together some of the city's most exciting emerging artists for one night of live performances, community, and discovery.
Taking place on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at Club SAW in downtown Ottawa, the event blends alternative hip-hop, R&B, indie, and genre-bending live music in an intimate venue. The lineup features RG43, MJ the Scientist (Ottawa), Izzy Rose, and Third Avenue, with a DJ opening the night before the live performances begin.
Whether you're already tapped into Ottawa's independent music scene or looking to discover your next favorite artist, 43 Fest Vol. 1 is built to showcase local talent at a high level while creating an unforgettable live experience.
Aug
28
to Aug 29
Drag Me to Uranus
An out-of-this-world pride celebration!
Calling all gayliens, asstronauts, probing enthusiasts, and space creatures beyond the binary! Get ready to be beamed up and leave Earth behind you as we explore new queer frontiers!
We're being joined by the galactic icon Pythia (Canada’s Drag Race season 2, RuPaul’s Drag Race: Global Allstars season 1, and Canada’s Drag Race: Allstars season 1), along with local drag artists, DJs and vendors that will make you feel like you're really among the stars!
Not only will Pythia be performing on stage, you also have a chance to meet her and get your picture professionally taken. Spots are limited so get them while you can!
We heavily encourage folks to dress to theme and there will be a coat check to leave an extra items that hinder your outer space swag. Looking for ideas? Check out our mood board on our instagram!
Aug
30
7:00 PM19:00
STOMP 2!
back by popular demand 🐎🪩
STOMP! is coming back August 30 to @saw_centre to kick off the end of the summer ;) save the date! more details coming soon 🍒
Sep
2
5:30 PM17:30
Fund Your Vision: Equity & Inclusion in the Arts Fund Info Session / Financez votre vision : Séance d'information sur le Fonds pour l'équité et l'inclusion dans les arts
Fund Your Vision: Equity & Inclusion in the Arts Fund Info Session
Looking for funding to bring your creative vision to life? Join us for an evening of presentations, funding guidelines, and Q&A with City of Ottawa staff and community leaders.
📅 September 2
🕠 5:30 PM
📍 SAW Centre – 67 Nicholas Street, Ottawa
Featuring:
• Yasmina Proveyer – Cultural Funding Officer, City of Ottawa
• Sha – Event Curator & Community Builder, Hors Pair Social
🌐 Information will be available in English and French.
Whether you're an emerging or established artist, this session is a chance to learn how to navigate funding opportunities and ask your questions directly.
Financez votre vision : Séance d'information sur le Fonds pour l'équité et l'inclusion dans les arts
Vous avez un projet artistique en tête? Venez découvrir les possibilités de financement lors d'une soirée de présentation, d'explication des lignes directrices et de période de questions avec la Ville d'Ottawa et des leaders de la communauté.
📅 2 septembre
🕠 17 h 30
📍 Centre SAW – 67, rue Nicholas, Ottawa
Avec:
• Yasmina Proveyer – Agente de financement culturel, Ville d'Ottawa
• Sha – Conceptrice d’événements et mobilisatrice communautaire, Hors Pair Social
🌐 L'information sera offerte en français et en anglais.
Que vous soyez un·e artiste émergent·e ou établi·e, cette séance vous permettra de mieux comprendre les possibilités de financement et de poser toutes vos questions.
Sep
2
to Sep 26
UNION: World-building in Speculative Media
UNION, a speculative sci-fi narrative about two beings discovering their ancestral memories through the longing for touch and the rituals practiced in their post-apocalyptic wedding ceremony, is coming to the DARC Microcinema. It’ll launch with an artist talk discussing the world-building process behind the project on September 2 at 6:00pm, and the exhibition will be showcased on weekdays from then until September 26!
Sep
3
6:00 PM18:00
Ottawa Design Club #0022 - Build It Anyway
The Ottawa Design Club aims to create a strong community of creatives and highlight the amazing work in our city and beyond.
Build It Anyway - Event 0022
The opportunity you want might not exist yet. The room you want to be in might not have a door. Sometimes, you have to build it yourself.
Build It Anyway brings together three creatives who stopped waiting for permission and started creating their own opportunities. Through different paths, they’ve followed their ideas, changed direction, built communities and created space for the work they wanted to make.
We’ll hear what they learned from making the first move, trusting their vision and building before they knew exactly where it would lead.
Sep
4
to Sep 5
Funk Yo Self
FINALLY, the moment you've all been waiting for.
FUNK YO SELF, the album! After all these years, Funk Yo Self will release their debut album. Come enjoy the fruits of our labour with a night of music, featuring Jermaine Holmes and his quartet, with Trevor Walker on the 1s and 2s. Join us for an epic celebration of love, juice, and funk.
Sep
11
7:00 PM19:00
Dualitease
A burlesque and heels production where you experience two sides to every performer. Experience double the reveals in two vastly differing acts from each performer.
Sep
14
7:00 PM19:00
Delilah Bon
Delilah Bon is one of the most fearless and fast-rising voices in alternative music, blending nu-metal, riot grrrl rebellion, hip-hop, and punk into her self-coined “Brat Punk” sound. With unapologetic lyrics tackling misogyny, toxic masculinity, mental health, and empowerment, Delilah Bon has become a rallying cry for women, non-binary people, the LGBTQ+ community, and anyone who has ever felt unheard.
Sep
15
7:30 PM19:30
Clown / Acting workshop with Luzia artist Andrii Lytvak
DISCOVER YOUR INNER CLOWN
Interactive Performance Workshop with Andrii Lytvak
Cirque du Soleil Performer | Clown | Comic Character | Acrobat
Join Andrii Lytvak, a featured performer in Cirque du Soleil's LUZIA, for a fun, engaging, and highly interactive workshop exploring the art of clowning, stage presence, and authentic connection. With more than 15 years of professional performance experience, Andrii brings his unique approach to physical comedy, creativity, and play to Ottawa.
Who Can Attend?
Teens and adults (Ages 14+) No experience required. Open to complete beginners, performers, public speakers, and anyone looking to build confidence and creativity.
What You'll Explore
✅ Fun partner and ensemble warm-up games
✅ Building trust and connection
✅ Breaking the "fourth wall" and engaging an audience
✅ Presence, focus, and believability on stage
✅ Improvisation techniques
✅ Q&A with a Cirque du Soleil artist
Why Attend?
Whether you're interested in circus arts, theatre, public speaking, or simply stepping outside your comfort zone, this welcoming workshop offers a playful environment to develop confidence, spontaneity, and creative expression.
📅 Date: Tuesday, September 15
🕢 Time: 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
📍 Location: LBO2201, 10 Daly Avenue, Ottawa, ON
Registration $65+tax, AerialsOttawa.com
Come play, connect, and discover the performer within!
Sep
17
to Sep 19
Series Dance 10 #56 / O.Dela Arts - Olivia Davies
SERIES DANCE 10 #56 presents the premiere of STRAIGHT, NO CHASER by Olivia C. Davies at Ottawa Dance Directive.
Supported by The National Arts Centre (Le français suit - ce spectacle est présenté en anglais seulement)
Straight, No Chaser
Length: 90 minutes, no intermission, strong language
Weaving together dance, theatre, and storytelling, the solo follows River, a former party girl with mixed heritage and shady past, as she hosts a kitchen party celebration to mark her transformation into motherhood. Through a series of scenes that jump across time and place, River shares what it was like growing up adopted and dispossessed of the knowledge of her own family’s matriarchal lineage, navigating coming of age in the rave days of the late 90s, and eventually confronting the intergenerational traumas passed down to her.
Written and performed by choreographer, Olivia C. Davies, this biomyth monodrama reflects the creator’s own lived experiences, and asks how does a mother pass down lessons she was never taught? How does she provide her unborn child with answers to questions she had growing up even as she continues to search for them herself? How do we right the wrongs of our past and make a better future for the seven generations who will come after us?
Credits and collaborators
Written, choreographed and performed by Olivia C. Davies
Produced by O.Dela Arts
Aimee Bailey, Cultural Consultant
Diane Roberts, Director
Olivia Shortt, Composer
Andy Moro, Visuals
Sarah Uwadiae, Costume
Echo Zhou, Scenography
Graham Price, Lighting and Scenography
Sephora N'Kosi, Assistant Lighting and Visuals
Laura Wheeler, Stage Manager
Originally conceived and written with Raïna Von Waldenburg
Natasha Eck, Project Manager
Olivia C. Davies (Anishinaabe) creates and collaborates across multiple platforms including choreography, creative writing, film, improvisation, and sound design. Her body of work spans two decades with choreographic explorations of the emotional and political relationships between people and places, and an ever-deepening curiosity into past, present and potential futures where matriarchal systems open new pathways to experience and understand the worlds we inhabit. After attending York University's dance program, Davies built her early choreographic career in Toronto before transplanting to Vancouver in 2011. She mentored with Raven Spirit Dance and Dancers of Damelahamid, and trained with theatre practitioners Diane Roberts (Arrivals Legacy Project) and Raïna Von Waldenburg (I Am One Who / Grotowski Method). Davies is the Managing Artistic Director of O.Dela Arts, and creator and curator of Matriarchs Uprising, a platform she founded in 2019 to centre Indigenous women nurturing the art of Contemporary Dance.
Recent choreographic works by Davies include Maamawi: Together Through the Fire, a virtual reality immersive experience and live performance retelling the Anishinaabe 7 Fires Prophecy through the lens of Indigenous Futurism, created in collaboration with Peppers Ghost New Media Collective; Where You Go, a duet on love and loss created in collaboration with the vocal ensemble musica intima; and Straight, No Chaser, Davies' first full-length solo set to premiere September 2026 that recounts the choreographer's memories of home and the lessons passed down to her by her mother. Davies honours her mixed Anishinaabe, French-Canadian, Finnish and Welsh heritage. She is the mother of Daisy and Aurora May.
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SÉRIE DANSE 10 #56 présente Straight, No Chaser / Olivia C Davies
Avec le soutien du Centre national des Arts
Ce spectacle est présenté en anglais seulement
Straight, No Chaser
Durée : 90 minutes, pas d'entracte, language grossier
Mêlant danse, théâtre et récit, ce solo suit River, une ancienne fêtarde aux origines mixtes et au passé trouble, qui organise une fête dans sa cuisine afin de célébrer sa transition vers la maternité. À travers une série de scènes qui sautent d'une époque et d'un lieu à un autre, River raconte ce qu'a été son parcours : grandir en étant adoptée et dépossédée de la connaissance de la lignée matriarcale de sa propre famille, traverser son passage à l'âge adulte pendant les années rave de la fin des années 1990, puis finalement affronter les traumatismes intergénérationnels qui lui ont été transmis.
Écrit et interprété par la chorégraphe Olivia C. Davies, ce biomythe sous forme de monodrame reflète les expériences vécues de sa créatrice et pose les questions suivantes : comment une mère transmet-elle des leçons qu'elle n'a jamais apprises? Comment donne-t-elle à son enfant à naître des réponses aux questions qu'elle se posait en grandissant alors qu'elle continue elle-même à les chercher? Comment réparer les torts de son passé et créer un avenir meilleur pour les sept générations futures ?
Crédits et collaborateurs
Texte, chorégraphie et interprétation : Olivia C. Davies
Production : O.Dela Arts
Consultation culturelle : Aimee Bailey
Mise en scène : Diane Roberts
Composition musicale et sonore: Olivia Shortt
Conception visuelle : Andy Moro
Conception des costumes : Sarah Uwadiae
Scénographie : Echo Zhou
Conception des éclairages et scénographie : Graham Price
Assistance à la conception des éclairages et des visuels : Sephora N'Kosi
Régisseuse : Laura Wheeler
Conception originale et écriture en collaboration avec Raïna Von Waldenburg
Gestionnaire de projet : Natasha Eck
Olivia C. Davies (Anishinaabe) crée et joue avec de multiples disciplines, notamment la chorégraphie, l'écriture créative, le cinéma, l'improvisation et la conception sonore. Son corpus d'œuvres s'étend sur deux décennies et rassemble des explorations chorégraphiques de relations émotionnelles et politiques entre les personnes et les lieux, ainsi qu'une curiosité toujours plus profonde envers les passés, les présents et les futurs possibles, où les systèmes matriarcaux ouvrent de nouvelles voies pour faire l'expérience du monde que nous habitons et le comprendre. Après avoir étudié la danse à l'Université York, Davies a débuté sa carrière chorégraphique à Toronto avant de s'établir à Vancouver en 2011. Elle a été mentorée par Raven Spirit Dance et Dancers of Damelahamid, et s'est formée auprès des dramaturges Diane Roberts (Arrivals Legacy Project) et Raïna Von Waldenburg (I Am One Who / Grotowski Method).
Davies est directrice artistique générale de O.Dela Arts, ainsi que créatrice et curatrice de Matriarchs Uprising, un festival qu'elle a fondé en 2019 afin de mettre en avant les femmes autochtones enrichissant l’art de la danse contemporaine. Parmi les œuvres chorégraphiques récentes de Davies figurent Maamawi: Together Through the Fire, une expérience immersive en réalité virtuelle et un spectacle vivant qui revisitent la Prophétie des Sept Feux anishinaabe, à travers le prisme du futurisme autochtone, créé en collaboration avec Peppers Ghost New Media Collective; Where You Go, un duo sur l'amour et le deuil créé en collaboration avec l'ensemble vocal Musica Intima; ainsi que Straight, No Chaser, premier solo de longue durée de Davies, dont la première est prévue en septembre 2026, et qui retrace les souvenirs de la chorégraphe, liés à son foyer ainsi que les enseignements qui lui ont été transmis par sa mère. Davies honore ses héritages anishinaabe, canadien-français, finlandais et gallois. Elle est la mère de Daisy et d'Aurora May.
Sep
23
to Sep 27
Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF)
The Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) is one of the world’s leading animation events and has provided screenings, exhibits, workshops, and entertainment since 1976. Attracting artists, producers, students and animation fans from around the globe, the OIAF brings together art and industry to experience world-class animated works. OIAF’s 50th celebration runs from Wednesday, September 23rd to Sunday, September 27 at venues throughout downtown Ottawa.
Every year, OIAF receives upwards of 2,000+ entries from countries around the world. The OIAF programming team selects short films and features for the Official Competition to be judged by the first all-Canadian jury in OIAF history. OIAF feature films and short films will screen across the downtown area, at the OAG Alma Duncan Salon, the ByTowne Cinema, Arts Court Theatre, and the National Art Gallery. Catch over 200 new films, go behind the scenes at Animation Exposé, and enjoy programs for animation lovers of all ages!
All Ages @ OIAF is a full day of screenings and hands-on activities for animation fans of all ages throughout the Ottawa Art Gallery (OAG) and Arts Court on Saturday, Sept 26. FREE for kids and $15 for adults! Get your free Teen pass valid all day on Saturday, Sept 26 until 6pm!
Animation Exposé will take place on Saturday, September 26, at the National Arts Centre and will feature a full day of artist talks, animation activities, and meet-and-greets curated to enhance your experience and understanding of the world of animation. Meet inspiring creators and find a way to study animation.
The Animation Conference (TAC) is a 3-day industry forum that brings together over 400 influential content creators and buyers. With a strong focus on networking, the event features panels, keynotes, and pitching opportunities aimed at fostering the growth of the animation industry.
OIAF kicks off with an epic Opening Night Party featuring karaoke, a complimentary poutine bar, and dancing! Salon des Refusés is an opportunity for OIAF passholders to view films that weren’t accepted into the Festival programming; with libations, commiserations, and a little crowd validation included. OIAF’s signature social event is the world-famous Animators’ Picnic at one of Ottawa’s most scenic green spaces along the Rideau River. The Friday Night Party is mid-Festival and legendary. On Saturday night, OIAF runs a Drink ‘n Draw where attendees can sketch cosplay models together in a creative and fun atmosphere. The Closing Night Party is a casual affair held in the Arts Court Studio to chat, chill, and maybe do a little dancing.
Sep
26
to Sep 27
Pique #21
On September 26, Pique returns with its most ambitious edition yet—and for the first time ever, admission is free.
Transforming Arts Court into a vibrant playground of adventurous music, immersive art, performance, and unexpected encounters, Pique #21 brings together boundary-pushing artists from across disciplines, genres, and geographies.
Featuring artists from across Canada and beyond, this season's programming spans genre-defying electronics, contemporary composition, ballroom cultures, futuristic experiments in sound, multimedia installation, unexpected creative interventions, and more.
Presented as part of Nuit Blanche Ottawa and the Ottawa 200 anniversary celebrations, this landmark edition is free to attend for the first time, inviting audiences to experience one of the city's most eclectic cultural events.
Find our full lineup and accessibility details at thisispique.com
Aug
25
7:30 PM19:30
Politics with a Drag Queen - Ottawa
Join Karla Marx & Fae Johnstone for a night of sickening drag and fierce calls to action.
Doors at 7:30pm. Show at 8:00pm. Must be 19+.
Grab the Gays and Theys, the Femmes and Thems! We are going politicking and we are doing it in style!
Join Karla Marx (drag queen, stand-up comedian, and history prof???) and Fae Johnstone (national queer activist, trouble-maker, and political diva) for a night of sickening drag and fierce calls to action as we celebrate QUEER JOY with the community leaders who built this scene!
Let’s be real: we are under attack! The world is on fire. Your landlord is jacking rent, orange dictators are trying to end the world and all you want is some solid pizza after the gig. We’re tired of it! So what are we going to do about it? Oddly, the answer is…throw the best damn talent show this town has ever seen! SLAY.
Aug
24
5:30 PM17:30
Ask a Trans Person Anything - Ottawa
Join two of Canada's leading trans activists for a no-questions-off-limits Q&A on all trans topics.
You probably have a lot of unanswered questions about trans people and issues.. Maybe you’re worried about what’s being taught in the classroom, or about what healthcare services are being offered to trans youth. You’ve heard terms like “parental rights” thrown around. You haven’t felt able to ask your questions and get answers that make sense to you.
Aug
22
to Aug 23
Balls Deep Disco Ottawa Pride Kick-Off Party
Ottawa... are you ready for our BDD PRIDE KICK-OFF PARTY? Disco down again at Club SAW -- this time opening at 6PM a daytime into nighttime!
Come and disco down again at Club SAW -- this time opening at 6PM a daytime into nighttime event!
We're opening extra early, so come and lounge in the SAW courtyard and then wind down inside for a hot n sexy nightime dance party.
Djs Burn Baby (Toronto) & Ashley Gauthier (Ottawa & Montreal) are gunna bring you the disco hits PLUS more performers to come...
Aug
21
to Aug 22
Underground Pride: Ottawa Edition
The most exciting and affordable pride celebration is making its debut in the Nation's Capital!
After selling out all of our editions across Toronto and Montreal, it's time we made our way over to the Nation's Capital.
Everything you’ve heard is right… Yes, our tickets are $15 and Yes, we have a $5 Vodka Bar.
We are so much more of a party... we are a celebration, we are an EXPERIENCE. With a line-up of artists who are shaking up the entertainment industry as we know it, Underground Pride creates an unforgettable night experience where the party is part of the performances and the performances are part of the party. Simultaneously, the event series has become the most affordable pride party in the country, ensuring that pride always remains accessible.
Aug
19
7:30 PM19:30
S7 : i2 sunrise/sunset
As the light pushes the horizon there is a different rhythm, inspiration arises, temperatures change, we turn on. There is a clarity at sunrise and sunset that is almost absurd. This August we are celebrating this energy with poetry and experimental music.
Ottawa's Vera Hadzic and PARTYGIRL will each take the stage with this theme in mind. Poet Jody Chan and percussionist Yang will come in from Toronto to share their latest collaboration madness belongs to the people. We'll open the night with an open mic (2 min time cap), and co-host nina jane will provide a few writing prompts for attendees who wish draw on this energy. Tickets are $20-25, with guests encouraged to pay what they can via the donation option.
Aug
17
7:00 PM19:00
The Village We Sow
Creating a village through art, intergenerational wisdom, and connection. A space where resilience is nurtured through collective action.
"The Village We Sow" is where artists take the stage and elders take the mic. We aim to unite the diaspora and allied communities connected to Congo DRC, Haiti, Palestine, Sudan, and beyond.
Rooted in the spirit of “create for change”, our elders will share generational wisdom through storytelling and dialogue. Grounding the night in resilience, advocacy, and connection; as the evening pulses with live music, live visual art, poetry, and dance.
This is a space built with intention: where art doesn’t just entertain, it plants seeds. Seeds of collective action. Seeds of collaboration. Seeds of a community that shows up for itself by spotlighting local artists and strengthening the roots that hold us together.
Aug
12
to Aug 14
CITT/ICTS Rendez-vous 2026
Do you work in live events or performing arts production? Then Rendez-vous is for you!
Held in a different Canadian city each year, the Rendez-vous conference brings together emerging and established professionals from across the live performance and events industry for four dynamic days of professional development, networking, and collaboration. The event fosters a welcoming, hands-on learning environment where ideas are exchanged, connections are made, and careers are inspired.
The main program features a wide range of training workshops, educational sessions, roundtables, and panels covering key aspects of live performance production and presented by experts in their fields.
These sessions are complemented by a 1-day trade show featuring products and services for the live production sector, a Loudspeaker Showcase, a Lighting Fixture Showcase, and engaging social activities designed to build community and spark collaboration.
The 2026 edition will take place at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Arts Department of Theatre, LabO Building, and Arts Court.
Rendez-vous is open to all, with options for Full Conference or Day Passes, low student and freelancer rates, and a special offer for members of performing arts organizations and unions. Register before July 10, 2026, to take advantage of the early bird rate!
Pre-conference Workshops: August 11 and 12
Conference: August 12 to 14
Trade Show (free admission - open to the public): August 13
Rendez-vous is presented by CITT/ICTS (Canadian Institute for Theatre Technology/Institut canadien des technologies scénographiques)
Aug
8
7:00 PM19:00
POV Ottawa Pole Show
Ottawa's Newest Pole Show, POV! POV delivers a sultry, immersive pole experience that showcases Ottawa’s local top talent, celebrating the power of performance through the shared perspectives of performer and audience.
Witness pole performances and a GoGo set that will have you begging for more. You won't be able to take your eyes off our performers!
Don't forget to bring cash for the raffle prizes and to tip our amazing performers! (All tips will be pooled and shared among the performers.)
A night you will not want to miss. We hope to see you there!
Event Information:
Doors: 7 p.m.
Event: 8 p.m.
Location: Black Box Studio, Arts Court, 2 Daly Avenue
Parking (from Arts Court website): The Arts Court building is located around several parking lots; the Rideau Centre parking lot located on Nicholas Street, Les Suites Hotel parking lot located on Daly Avenue. and Novotel Hotel parking also located on Daly Avenue.
For more information about the venue visit: https://artscourt.ca/visitor-info-en
The Fun Stuff:
Raffle prizes! Non-alcoholic drinks and snacks available for purchase
We encourage tipping our amazing performers. All tips will be pooled and shared among the performers.
Cash only event.
Belizeanpoler & Callie Whatever
Aug
2
7:00 PM19:00
Royale Lynn
Royale Lynn
Important Event Info: This is an ALL AGES event
Doors: 7pm Show: 7:30pm
Aug
2
5:00 PM17:00
Solo Art Exhibition : A Tourist In My Own Country : by Aschbel Joseph
Loving a country that doesn't fully claim you.
Built through grief, betrayal, distance, and love.
That's where this collection was born.
A Tourist in My Own Country is the debut solo exhibition from Canadian-American-Haitian artist and architectural designer Aschbel Joseph — a collection years in the making, rooted in one of the most defining experiences of her life.
In 2010, the earthquake in Haiti displaced Aschbel from the country that made her. Six years later she returned with a camera, walking streets she once knew, expecting to feel home.
Instead she felt like a stranger. That tension — loving a place that no longer fully claims you — became the heartbeat of everything in this collection.
Through painting, photography, mixed media, and glasswork, A Tourist in My Own Country explores identity, memory, and belonging. It is a love letter to Haiti. A document of displacement. And a voice for every member of the diaspora who has ever felt caught between the country they came from and the country they live in.
This is not just Aschbel's story. As she says herself — it is her story, his story, and history.
Jul
31
to Aug 1
Dance Party 2000
I Know You Want Me… summer is here, and DANCE PARTY 2000 is back at Club Saw for a night of unforgettable 2000s hits on Friday July 31st. Dance to Katy Perry, Ke$ha, Rihanna, Beyoncé, and Black Eyed Peas, while soaking up the energy of clubs, MTV videos, and those unforgettable iTunes playlists. All the pop, hip hop, pop punk and R&B dancefloor favorites come together for 4 hours of pure y2k magic.
With immersive visuals, cheap drinks, and nonstop hits, throw on your favorite throwback outfit and get ready to light up the dancefloor—spring has never felt this electric!
Playing music by BRITNEY SPEARS / BEYONCÉ / BLACK EYED PEAS / KATY PERRY / OUTKAST / FALL OUT BOY / 50 CENT / RIHANNA / KE$HA / THE PUSSYCAT DOLLS / NELLY FURTADO / JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE / LADY GAGA / AVRIL LAVIGNE / JAY SEAN / CIARA / THE KILLERS / MILEY CYRUS / DAVID GUETTA / AKON / P!NK / SEAN KINGSTON / GWEN STEFANI / METRO STATION / KELLY CLARKSON / SHAKIRA / TIMBALAND / MADONNA and more!
SUGGESTED DRESS CODE: Y2K / Pop princess / Sk8ter Boi / Flip phone / Crunk! / Low-rise jeans / Skinny pants or Baggy pants / Early Lady Gaga / Trucker hats & ballet flats
Jul
30
6:00 PM18:00
"What Do You Want To Eat For Dinner?" Premiere
Join us for the screening and discussion panel of the Japanese short film "What Do You Want To Eat For Dinner?" directed by Néema Ndinsil!
This film is a drama that explores the beauty of life’s small, often overlooked moments, and the quiet realization of kindness and familial love.
In addition to the screening, there will be a short discussion panel, where we will share behind-the-scenes stories, talk about the experience of producing a short film in Japan as a Canadian and more insights from the production.
After the screening, there will also be time for photos and casual mingling, so please feel free to join us!
Jul
26
7:00 PM19:00
STOMP!
Time to dance your socks off 🪩✨
STOMP! Ottawa presents our very first queer line dance night!
Made by and for queer people, meet at Club SAW on July 26th, doors @ 7pm
Mingle, dance, chat, flirt, whether it’s your first time line dancing or not
Excited to see you there 💋
Jul
17
to Jul 18
ART+ Summer Exhibition
Join us on July 17 and 18 at Arts Court Atelier for the ART+ Summer Exhibition, featuring six extraordinary multidisciplinary artists whose practices span film, photography, murals, tattooing, and mixed media. Through powerful visual storytelling, the exhibition explores themes of identity, migration, memory, belonging, resilience, and transformation.
🗓 July 17 | Vernissage | 6–8 PM
Celebrate opening night with art, conversation, and community. Meet the artists and enjoy light refreshments.
🗓 July 18 | Artist Tour | 2–3:30 PM
Join a guided tour with the artists as they share insights and stories behind their work.
Entrance is free both days and on July 18 visiting hours will be from 10am to 4pm. Bring a friend
Featuring:
Iyore Edegbe – Filmmaker
Hind Aliliche – Photographer
Obasola Bamigbola – Photographer
PJ Eagle – Tattoo and Fine Artist
Maya Hum – Visual Artist
Sahar Shabahangpour – Mural Artist
This event is a space for all! Come connect with artists, discover new perspectives, and celebrate the richness of Ottawa’s diverse creative communities. Step away from the routine, enjoy inspiring artwork, and support local artists.
Jul
17
to Jul 19
Deusas Da Kizomba - 3rd Edition | July 17, 18 & 19
3 days of Afro-culinary delights, workshops, epic parties, and deep Kizomba cultural immersion. This is home. This is culture. This is us.
Join us for the 3rd edition of Deusas da Kizomba, an extraordinary three-day celebration of dance, culture, and community. This unique Afro-centric gathering brings together movement, music, flavours, and connection in an immersive experience like no other.
Event Highlights
• Dance Workshops led by talented female instructors of Afro descent, sharing their artistry and passion across Kizomba, Semba, Konpa, UrbanKiz, Afrobeats, and more
• Epic Music & Vibrant Parties with electrifying DJs, soulful rhythms, and an atmosphere rooted in joy and togetherness
• Afro-Inspired Cuisine celebrating the richness of African and Afro-Caribbean flavours
• Cultural Experiences honouring creativity, resilience, empowerment, and collective identity
Deusas da Kizomba is the space to reconnect, learn, celebrate heritage, and build community with inspiring instructors from around the world.
Jul
12
1:00 PM13:00
Root in Harmony (Pop-Up Singing Circle) | "Viva la Vida" - Coldplay
Get ready to sing your heart out in a pop-up singing circle!
Welcome to the Root in Harmony | Pop-Up Singing Circle event happening in The Courtroom Studio at Arts Court on July 12, 2026 at 1:00 PM.
Join us for an afternoon filled with community and song, singing along a cappella (voices only, no instruments) and in harmony to, "Viva la Vida" by Coldplay!
No experience needed. No matter your age or singing abilities, this event is open to all music lovers who want to share the joy of music together.
Jul
11
11:30 AM11:30
Nutcracker Remix Auditions | Ghost Rooster Collective
What: Audition for professional dancers
Where: Ottawa Dance Directive (2 Daly Ave, Ottawa, ON)
When: Saturday, July 11 from 11:30 - 1:00 pm
The Opportunity
Calling Ottawa-based dance and movement artists of all genres: Ghost Rooster Collective is holding auditions for three (3) professional dancers to be part of its upcoming new creation, Nutcracker Remix.
Successful candidates will be paid CADA rates between $34-$40 per hour, depending on experience, for approximately 30 hours of work.
This work-in-progress will involve excerpts from the traditional Nutcracker using Tchaikovsky's music, with scenes reimagined to be inclusive of unique bodies and minds while maintaining the elevated essence of the original.
Click the link below to learn more and register to audition!
Jul
11
10:00 AM10:00
DARC Garage Sale
We’ll be hosting our annual summer garage sale to clear out some of our equipment and accessories. If you're looking for professional gear at affordable prices, we have you covered!
📅 Saturday, July 11th, 2026, 10am - 1pm
📍 SAW Courtyard | 67 Nicholas St.
Want to reserve a table with us or read the FAQ? Link below!
Jul
10
to Jul 11
Frequency Shift Two Stage Event
Frequency Shift returns July 10 with a massive two-stage takeover at 67 Nicholas St.
The event features one international artist alongside a lineup of rising DJs who are playing or have previously played Escapade Music Festival, bringing a festival-level energy into a more intimate late-night setting.
From the open-air stage to the main room, expect a mix of house, tech house, bass-driven sounds, and nonstop energy all night long. With custom visuals, curated stage design, and a crowd centered around music and community, this 19+ event is shaping up to be one of Frequency Shift’s biggest nights yet.
Jul
9
7:00 PM19:00
Rita Baga, une paillette à la fois
Tout, tout, tout, vous saurez tout sur l'art d'la drag!
Au cours de cette conférence, l’autrice parlera du processus créatif de l’écriture de son premier livre, tout en répondant aux questions classiques qu’on lui pose fréquemment. Elle fera aussi une mise à jour sur sa vie depuis la parution de ce livre, il y a deux ans. Pour adeptes et pour non-initiés à l’art de la drag.
Au cours de sa carrière de drag queen, Rita Baga a donné plus de 500 entrevues et conférences, durant lesquelles des journalistes, des étudiants ou de simples quidams lui ont posé… toujours les mêmes questions! C'est ainsi que l'idée d'un livre sur le métier de drag a commencé à germer en elle, idée que sont venues valider ses recherches: il n'existe aucun livre sur le sujet en français.
Dans cet ouvrage, non seulement Rita nous livre tout ce qu’elle a appris depuis ses débuts dans le métier – le système de familles chez les drag queens, la création d’un personnage, le choix de chansons, le b. a.-ba du maquillage, les lieux et les conditions de travail, les dangers de la notoriété, l’évolution des perceptions face aux drag queens, l’alcool et la drogue, etc. – mais elle se confie également, à la première personne, sur les hauts et les bas de cette vie singulière, qui offre parfois des moments complètement surréels… Attention! La reine Rita pourrait en cacher bien d’autres !
L’événement se tiendra exclusivement en français.
Jul
6
to Jul 31
Digital Archive: Experimental Selections from the SAW Video Mediatheque
To celebrate DARC's 45th Anniversary, we're excited to present Digital Archive: Experimental Selections from the SAW Video Mediatheque. This is a looped screening that will be exhibited in the DARC Microcinema on weekdays throughout the month of July.
Each member of our staff chose one work from the archive, and that curated collection will be exhibited for the month. Visit our website to learn more about the filmmakers below.
Jul
5
4:45 PM16:45
An Unexpected Cabaret
Get ready for a night of theater peeps, good vibes, and great sounds!
Unexpected Théâtre presents its First Annual Summer (miscast) Cabaret a spectacular community event evening where your favorite musical theatre numbers get a completely unexpected twist. We are pleased to be welcoming a couple of brilliant collective of local performers in addition to our core acting company members, to bring you an extraordinary, unforgettable two-act showcase.
Every song features a unique "Unexpected Spin". From gender-bent showtunes to love songs turned completely on their heads, our cast is pushing the boundaries of classic musical theatre to maximize the fun, the drama, and the music. Backed by fantastic live musicians (including incredible piano and percussion), this night promises high energy, familiar hits, and a few surprises you won't see coming.
But the evening doesn't end when the curtain falls! Stick around for our interactive "Pour Back" experience, where we break down the barrier between the stage and the seats to welcome our community to be involved, active, creating and celebrating with us.
Come out, grab a drink from the bar or a snack from our homemade refreshments, strike a pose, take a photo or twenty and immerse yourself in something new rounding out our local theatre scene. We are building a room full of community, energy, and unmatched talent and we want YOU.. there too!
Jun
29
8:00 PM20:00
Mei Semones
Mei Semones (Brooklyn indie pop)
with special guest TBA
all ages admitted, 19+ w/ photo ID to drink
Jun
23
10:30 AM10:30
ART+ Summer Exhibition
Join us on July 17 and 18 at Arts Court Atelier for the ART+ Summer Exhibition, featuring six extraordinary multidisciplinary artists whose practices span film, photography, murals, tattooing, and mixed media. Through powerful visual storytelling, the exhibition explores themes of identity, migration, memory, belonging, resilience, and transformation.
🗓 July 17 | Vernissage | 6–8 PM
Celebrate opening night with art, conversation, and community. Meet the artists and enjoy light refreshments.
🗓 July 18 | Artist Tour | 2–3:30 PM
Join a guided tour with the artists as they share insights and stories behind their work.
Entrance is free both days and on July 18 visiting hours will be from 10am to 4pm. Bring a friend.
Featuring:
Iyore Edegbe – Filmmaker
Hind Aliliche – Photographer
Obasola Bamigbola – Photographer
PJ Eagle – Tattoo and Fine Artist
Maya Hum – Visual Artist
Sahar Shabahangpour – Mural Artist
This event is a space for all! Come connect with artists, discover new perspectives, and celebrate the richness of Ottawa’s diverse creative communities. Step away from the routine, enjoy inspiring artwork, and support local artists.
Jun
18
to Jun 28
The Ottawa Fringe Festival
Hey Ottawa… ready to get LOUD?
The Ottawa Fringe is rockin’ in for its 29th season, et ce fest promet d’être la plus électrisante à ce jour! Avec plus de 60 spectacles répartis dans 10 salles et 400 représentations, there’s guaranteed to be a show that’ll make you wanna crank the volume to the max.
Tickets are ON SALE NOW, so check out the link below and start filling up your cart with shows that’ll jazz up your June. Le Fringe commence dans tout juste un mois, alors découvrez la programmation, procurez-vous vos billets et préparez-vous pour un mois de juin qui promet d’être ÉCLATANT!
Jun
17
7:30 PM19:30
Gizmo, Fireball Kid & Backseat Dragon
Gizmo & Fireball Kid return to Ottawa, this time playing Club SAW with local legends, Backseat Dragon
Jun
14
7:00 PM19:00
Orlando Trip - Performing Arts Concert by Fox On Ice
Performing Arts Concert by Fox On Ice – A Tribute to Ludovico Ariosto & Virginia Woolf
Music crosses literature: ORLANDO TRIP is a performing arts concert about the mythical character Orlando. And a tribute to the great European minds Ludovico Ariosto and Virginia Woolf.
Orlando, a knight, traveller and ambassador, crosses the seas several times and finally returns as a masterful and nomadic conqueror of rigid borders. His/her story is performed in 12 songs, intermezzi and videos.
ORLANDO TRIP is simultaneously a spoken performance, a concert and a rush of images. Fox On Ice creates the suggestion of an effortless transition between stage and film, humans and landscape, man and woman. It offers an international audience sensual access to a European myth about fluidity and the feminine art of transformation.
Jun
13
to Jun 14
Pique #20
A forward-thinking, artist-driven event series like no other, Pique brings together diverse artistic communities to explore, experiment and connect.
After five years of reshaping Ottawa’s underground arts landscape, Pique arrives at its 20th edition with momentum, reflection, and an eye firmly on what’s next.
Jun
11
to Jun 12
Qillaniq After-Party
Thursday, June 11, 2026, 9PM–2AM
SAW outdoor courtyard and Club SAW (67 Nicholas Street, Ottawa)
Free admission / Cash bar
Presented by the National Gallery of Canada and SAW Nordic Lab
Join us at SAW for the official after-party of Qillaniq, following its opening reception at the National Gallery of Canada. Meet the exhibition’s artists and curators in an informal setting, with conversations continuing late into the night in the SAW outdoor courtyard and on the dance floor at Club SAW, with music by Kahnawá:ke's DJ Pøptrt.
Qillaniq (June 12–September 20, 2026) at the National Gallery of Canada brings together contemporary Indigenous artists from the circumpolar world whose work engages themes of presence, resilience and cultural continuity. Through performance, installation and media-based practices, the exhibition explores how bodies, voices and gestures carry knowledge across generations and geographies.
DJ Pøptrt is a multidisciplinary artist from the Mohawk Nation of Kahnawá:ke. Her sound blends her Kanien’kehá:ka heritage with contemporary electronic music, shaped by rhythm-driven, layered sets. Since emerging in Montréal’s art and media scene in 2015, she is known for dynamic DJ sets spanning house, tech house, disco and beyond.
Jun
11
7:00 PM19:00
August John + Sun Dried Flies
Get ready to rock out with August John and Sun Dried Flies, it's gonna be a wild night of music you won't want to miss!