Hello ORLÉANS!

Welcome to the 11th edition of Orléans Connect.

How is everyone enjoying the continual gloomy weather? 🌧️ June will be better right? Right?!

This weekend is overflowing with various local markets for you to visit. Scroll down to see them all. ⤵️

We’ve also got a new 🍺 food spot review of one of Orléans favourite pubs! Make sure to check that out below in the business spotlight section.

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

• 🚲 Saturday May 24th - The Ottawa Public Library is hosting a Bike Rodeo - an interactive program for kids ages 6 - 12, where kids are taught the basics of cycling safety in a controlled environment. All participants must bring their own bicycle/scooter and helmet, AND be able to ride independently. 10 AM - 11:30 AM

  📍Cumberland Branch, 1599 Tenth Line (curbside pick-up zone)

• 🌿 Saturday May 24th - The Gloucester Horticultural 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

• Sunday May 25th - Orléans United Church is hosting their Second Annual Spring Fling! Come hang out on the lawn, enjoy a free BBQ, groove to live music from School of Rock, and treat yourself to a cone from The Merry Dairy 🍦

  📍Orléans United Church, 1111 Orléans Blvd

• 🎨🖌️ Thursday May 29th - It’s Paint at Night at The Legion! Join for a fun and relaxing evening of creativity and camaraderie. Cost: $40 per person (includes all materials!) Limited to the first 60 people! Don’t miss out – this event will fill up fast! To reserve your spot, send an e-transfer to Melanie at: [email protected] Come paint, sip, and relax – we can’t wait to see your masterpiece!

  📍Legion Branch 632 - Orleans, 800 Taylor Creek

• 🍺June 6-7 Orléans Craft Beer Festival – Save the Date for this annual ultimate kick-off to summer! This can’t-miss festival brings together the best in craft beer, smooth wines & spirits, delicious eats, and live entertainment—all in one incredible weekend!

  📍255 Centrum Blvd

🧑‍🌾 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 TODAY - 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 🗓️:

• 🏘️ 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 - 2 PM will be the Greater Avalon and Avalon Encore Community Garage Sale. If you'd like your home to be added to the list of addresses for Garage Sale buyers, please fill in the registration form here.

• 🏫 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…

📚 Community Book and School Supply Drive - May 22nd - Donations of books and school supplies can be brought to St. Matthew Catholic High School (6550 Bilberry Dr.) anytime between 8:30 am and 5:00pm. New or gently used children’s books, board books for infants, French novels and books that reflect cultural diversity are most in demand.

🪄Congratulations to the students of Cairine Wilson Secondary School on the phenomenal production of Puffs! We went to see it last weekend, and it was delightful and engaging for adults and kids. The cast and crew did an incredible job! Cairine Wilson’s production of Puffs a wonderful spoof of Harry Potter franchise. (The Orléans Star)

🥞 One of our favourite local breakfast spots, Kozy Nest, has announced they will be closing their doors on Sunday, June 1st. Make sure you swing by to wish them well before this tasty breakfast spot is gone!

🚧❗️Upcoming weekend FULL CLOSURE of Jeanne d’Arc Boulevard at Highway 174 and associated ramps from Friday, May 23 at 10:00 pm to Monday, May 26 at 5:30 am. due to final top lift paving and line painting. Detours in place - for more details.

🌿 Spring Information Fair ℹ️

Join City Councillor Laura Dudas (Orléans West) on Saturday, May 24, from 12:30 PM to 2:30 PM at the Bob MacQuarrie Recreation Complex – Orléans, for the annual Spring Information Fair.

Discover a variety of hands-on exhibits and valuable resources from local community clubs, wildlife services, Hydro Ottawa, and several City programs. You’ll also have the chance to connect with municipal departments that offer essential services to our community.

Whether you're looking to connect with community services and talk with experts, or spend an engaging afternoon with neighbours—there will be something for everyone.

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT 🔦

This week’s Orléans business spotlight is…. 🥁 …. TAPROOM260 - located at 260 Centrum Blvd.

If you haven’t been to this amazing Gastropub, you owe yourself a visit. Terrific food, amazing atmosphere and more drink options 🍸 than you can shake a stick at. Taproom260 is also a great place for hosting events and meeting friends and family for all kinds of celebrations.

We recently visited for the Mother’s Day Brunch, and the food, despite being a buffet, was beyond our expectations!

Read our full review here.

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