Hello ORLÉANS!

Welcome to the 10th edition of Orléans Connect.

As always, welcome new subscribers! 

With the long weekend ahead, a very busy set of events over the next seven days await to be discovered. ⬇️

We’ve also got a new 🥪 food spot review, make sure to check that out below in the business spotlight section.

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🦮 PETS OF ORLÉANS

Thank you once again to those who have already sent in photos of their fur babies. If you haven’t yet submitted yours… you can submit a photo of your Orléans pet(s) by emailing it to: [email protected] and make sure to include the name of your pet(s).

Are you looking for things to do in Orléans? Here’s our latest roundup of upcoming events:

• 🎡 The Orléans Fun Fair continues until Monday May 19th! Fun for the whole family! Enjoy unlimitted rides on the midways with your admission ticket. Cash only, ATM on site. 🎟️Weekdays: $25, Weekends: $30. Children under 4 are free. Monday - Friday 5 PM - 10 PM, Saturday and Sunday 11 AM - 10 PM, Monday 11 AM - 6 PM.

  📍Ray Friel Recreation Complex

• 🍕 Thursday May 15th - Dominion City Brewery is hosting a Pizza Party with Fire Box Pizza in honour of the beginning of patio season! Come out for an evening of delicious wood-fired pizza and try their famous spinach dip!

  📍Dominion City Brewing, 5510 Canotek Rd, Unit 15

• 💃 Friday May 16th - Head over to the Legion for an All Request Dance Party, starting at 7 PM in the Upper Hall.

  📍 Legion Branch 632 Orléans, 800 Taylor Creek Dr

• 🪴 Sunday May 18th - Join the Kin Club of Orléans for Orléans Blooms: Spring Garden Event and Sale. There will be a variety of premium and unique garden plants for sale. Gardening advice and presentations from local suppliers, and local artists and crafters will be showing off their work. There will also be a fun educational corner for kids who want to get started in gardening. Free entry, rain or shine. 9 AM - 3 PM.

  📍Orléans Town Centre, 210 Centrum Blvd

• 🌿 Saturday May 24th - The Gloucester Horticulral Society is hosting a Plant Sale at Orléans Fruit Farm from 9 AM - 12 PM (or until they sell out!) 📍Orléans Fruit Farm, 1399 St. Joseph Blvd

• 👚👖 Saturday May 24th - Free Clothing Swap, from 12:30 PM to 3:30 PM. Bring a reusable bag (or two) and some friends, and find some new (to you) treasures! If you have items you’d like to contribute, reach out to Convent Glen Orleans Wood Community Association Environment Committee to arrange a pick-up/drop-off ahead of the event.📍Terry Fox Elementary School (in the gym), 6400 Jeanne D’Arc Blvd N

• 👠🍳 Sunday May 25th - Head over to Broadhead Brewery for Drag Brunch! Get ready to experience high-caliber drag performances from some of Toronto’s best drag queens! 🎟️ Tickets are $25 per person, and this event is age 19+. Doors open at 12:45 PM, show from 1 PM - 4 PM. [Note brunch and craft beers not included in the ticket price]. 📍Broadhead Brewery, 1680 Vimont Court

🧑‍🌾 UPCOMING MARKETS 🥬

Market season is upon us and there are so many wonderful markets in and around Orléans! Get these dates in your calendar.

• 🫛 Every Thursday (starting May 22nd) - The Orléans Farmers Market is back! From 11 AM - 4 PM, you can visit the 35+ local vendors in the parking lot of the Ray Friel Community Centre. Shop for the freshest seasonal produce, meat and dairy, baked goods, prepared foods, crafts and more! Get to know the farmers and vendors while you’re at it. Everything is authentic (no resellers) and produced within 100 km of Ottawa!

• Every Saturday (started May 10th) - The Metcalfe Farmers’ Market kicked off their weekly market season last weekend. They have 45+ local producers, free coffee and cookies (9 AM - 10 AM - while supplies last!), live music, a petting zoo, pet-friendly vibes, and plenty of free parking! 📍2821 8th Line Rd, Metcalfe

• 🍷 Saturday May 24th - Domain Perrault’s Spring Market is on from 10 AM - 3 PM. Browse through a variety of unique endors offering everything from handmade crafts to delicious treats, including wood fired pizza and delicious ahnd made sausages!📍1000 Perrault, Navan

• 🛍️ Sunday May 25th - The Original Navan Market kicks off its season from 9:30 AM - 2:00 PM. Featuring a broad range of vendors - from produce, breads, honey, jams, jellies, wineries and distilleries, jewelers, soapers, crafters and so much more! 📍1279 Colonial Rd, Navan

• 🆕 The first Heart of Orléans Market will kick off on Sunday, June 1st! At the heart of this initiative is Amanda Watson, the powerhouse organizer behind the wildly successful Navan Market. We’re so excited that she’s bringing this magic to Orléans! 📍Orléans Town Centre, 250 Centrum Blvd, from 9:30 AM - 2 PM.

🏘️ GARAGE SALE ROUNDUP 🏘️

Multiple community garage and yard sales are coming up in May! Save the dates 🗓️:

• 🐾 May 17th and 18th - Furry Tales Cat Rescue is hosting their 3rd annual Fundraising Garage Sale, from 8 AM - 3 PM both days (rain date Monday May 19th). Located at Just About Right, 519 Voie du Pin Rouge Way

• 🏘️ Saturday May 24th, starting at 8 a.m. (weather permitting, rain date TBD). BECA Multi-Home Multi-Community Yard Sale. Includes all streets north and south of Renaud Road, in the neighbourhoods of Bradley Estates, Spring Valley, Eastboro, Trailsedge and in Chapel Hill South: all streets north and south of Orléans Blvd.

• 🏘️ Saturday May 31st, starting at 8 a.m. Queenswood Heights is hosting their 3rd Annual Garage Sale. Last year the turnout was amazing with over 70 homes participating! Check out the map online, which will be updated weekly.

• 🏫 Saturday May 31st, from 9 AM - 12 PM, Trillium Elementary is hosting a Community Yard Sale and Seedling Sale. If you are doing spring cleaning (or growing seedlings), keep this event in mind and rent a table - or donate to the students to sell at the School Council table! 100% of proceeds will go directly to student and classroom needs via the School Council. Sign-up for a table.

Do you have an event you want to see featured here? Let us know!

📰 News you should know about…

👮 Police are seeking witnesses to the fatal crash in Orléans on Tuesday afternoon. Anyone who witnessed the crash or with dashcam video are asked to please contact the Ottawa Police Service fatal collisions squad at 613-236-1222 ext. 2345, or Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477, or online. (The Ottawa Citizen). Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the person who died at the scene, and our best wishes for recovery to the second person who remains in hospital.

💦 The Gloucester Association for Children with Special Needs has opened registration for their September programs that take place on Saturdays from 1 PM - 4 PM at Bob MacQuarrie Recreation Complex. Activities include swimming, crafts, special guests and outings. For ages 10 to 30. For more information.

🐈 Are you a Cat Lover? 🐾

Biscuits and Purrs Cat Rescue is looking for volunteers! They will be expanding operations by placing more of their adoptable cats in a Gloucester/Ottawa East pet store. This means they will be able to help even more cats in need. 😻

If you are a cat lover, with a few hours to spare each week, this might be the perfect fit for you! Responsibilities would include feeding, fresh water, cleaning litter boxes, bringing some cat blankets or towels home for laundering, cuddling, brushing, cat play-time and communicating with the public and the organizers to help facilitate adoptions. You can submit an application online - please check “Pet store Gloucester/Ottawa East” from the list of volunteer options.

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT 🔦

This week’s Orléans business spotlight is…. 🥁 …. LUNCHBOX- Located at 5929 Jeanne d’Arc Blvd.

Having recently moved to a new location, LunchBox is a take-out food spot that primarily serves gourmet 🥪 sandwiches. It’s an amazing place to grab a healthy and delicious lunch for a reasonable price. Sandwiches, salads, wraps, and cookie dough are a part of the menu waiting for you to discover.

Read our full review here.

If you haven’t discovered this amazing food spot yet, make sure to drop by for a visit and tell them Orléans Connect sent you.