Hello ORLÉANS!

Welcome to the 18th edition of Orléans Connect.

As always, welcome new subscribers!

🏖️Did you hear the news that The Baja Burger Shack has opened up at Petrie Island? They have burgers, poutine, tacos, hot dogs, salads, and a range of drink options available.

Ok, there’s lots happening this week, let’s get to it. ⬇️

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Are you looking for things to do in Orléans? Here’s our roundup of events happening in the next week:

• 🎤 July 11th - Join for an unforgettable night of fun at Karaoke Night at the Legion! Sing your heart out, dance to the rhythm or just sit back and enjoy the show. All are welcome! Starts at 7 PM.

  📍Orléans Legion, 800 Taylor Creek Dr

• 🪷 July 12th - Participate in From Soil to Soul - a two-part Workshop on Food for Mental Wellness from 10 AM - 7 PM. Discover the power of homegrown food for mental wellness in this hands-on, two-part workshop with psychiatry resident Dr. Mahdi Hassan and master gardener Xu Li. Limited spots available - register today! Workshop Schedule:

  Part 1: Nutrition & Mental Wellness

  📍The Rumi Cup – 2871 St. Joseph Blvd 🍽️ Lunch Provided by All Vegan In & Made With Sankofa

  Part 2: Grow Your Own Healing Garden

  📍7 Hues Eco Farm – 2931 Pepin Court, Gloucester, ON

  ☕ Tea-brief

  📍The Rumi Cup – 2871 St. Joseph Blvd

• 🚗 July 13th - The Cumberland Heritage Village Museum is hosting a Vintage Vehicle Experience event! You can explore the rapid design and mechanical advancements made during the earliest years of the automotive era. Chat with car owners and see partially restored, restored, and un-restored vehicles from before 1940. Discover how Ford Model T and Model A cars transformed over the 20s and 30s. Event runs from 10 AM -4 PM and free admission for children under 5!

  📍 Cumberland Heritage Village Museum

• 🌱 July 15th - Online Workshop: Trouble-shooting the Organic Garden - join expert organic gardener Rob Danforth for this insightful online workshop where you’ll learn proactive strategies to prevent common garden problems and effective solutions to troubleshoot them as they arise. Workshop from 7 PM - 8:30 PM.

  📍Online on Zoom

• 👨‍🌾 ❤️ July 17th - Garden Speed Dating - Come spend an evening among the carrot rows at Ottawa Farm Fresh, where you’ll dig in, get your hands dirty, and maybe meet someone who’s into compost and companionship as much as you are. It’s part farming, part flirting, and totally organic! 6 PM - 8 PM.

  📍2811 Ramsayville Rd

• ☀️ July 19th - Dive into summer with the Summer Spark Market, hosted by Fetch Local Markets. With over 30 local vendors, free entry, free parking, and a dog-friendly atmosphere, it’s the ultimate summer hangout. Come for the sun, stay for the shopping!

  📍Shenkman Arts Centre - 245 Centrum Blvd

🗓️SAVE THE DATES! 🗓️

Upcoming dates worth getting into your calendar:

• 🏖️ Carivibe Reach the Beach Weekend! Celebrating Caribbean culture July 25th - 27th.

• 🍿 On Field Movie Night at the Ottawa Stadium! Check out a screening of Field of Dreams (1989) on July 31st at 8:30 PM and support children’s charities in our community. Tickets are $10.

• ⛳ Join the Kin Club of Orléans and District for their Annual Marsha Morton Golf Tournament on August 8th at Pineview Golf Course. Registration fee is $175 which includes your green fees, shared power cart and dinner! Funds raised support Cystic Fibrosis Canada. Registration opens at 10:30 AM, and start time is 12 PM with a Shotgun start.

• 🍪📖 Stories and Sweets: Storytelling Written, Spoken, Crafted — and Sweetened. August 24th, 12:30 PM - 4 PM at Shenkman Arts Centre. 🎟️ Early bird tickets $20 (until August 1st). Free admission for kids under 12.

🧑‍🌾 WEEKLY EVENTS 🥬

• 🧠 Every Tuesday - Trivia at Broadhead Brewery. Free to play, no registration required. 630 PM - 830 PM 📍1680 Vimont Ct, Unit 106

• 🪷 Every Wednesday: Evening Yoga

  • 🧘🏾‍♀️Yoga in the Park from 7 PM - 8 PM. No registration required.📍Décarie Park (7883 Décarie Dr)

  • 🧘 Outdoor Yoga Classes from 630 PM - 730 PM. Register here.📍Alain Fortin (676 Lakeridge Dr)

• 🫛 Every Thursday - The Orléans Farmers Market from 11 AM - 4 PM. 📍Parking lot of the Ray Friel Community Centre

• 🧑‍🌾 Every Saturday - The Cumberland Farmers Market from 9 AM - 1 PM📍1115 Dunning Road, Cumberland

• 🚲☕ Every Sunday - Community Café from 930 AM - 12 PM. Coffee bike cart serving freshly brewed coffee and treats at an affordable price, with proceeds going to the Convent Glen Orléans Wood Community Association to help fund and grow more community events!📍Voyageur Park, 6137 Voyageur Dr.

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

📰 News you should know about…

🅿️ Some long overdue repaving is underway at the Orléans Branch of the Ottawa Public Library. The parking lot will remain open during the repairs.

🚛 Are you a business owner enrolled in the Yellow Bag Program for Small Businesses? The City of Ottawa is reviewing this program to better understand how it serves small businesses. If your business is part of the Yellow Bag Program, your feedback is important and will help shape what the program looks like going forward. Complete this survey by July 25, 2025.

📚❤️ A NEW Little Free Library has opened in our community! The latest is at the Orléans United Church (1111 Orléans Blvd).

The amazing Steward of the ZunZun Little Free Library has curated a MAP of all of the Little Free Libraries in Orléans - check it out here! 🗺️

📚What is a Little Free Library? 📚

A Little Free Library is a “take a book, share a book” free book exchange. These libraries come in many shapes and sizes, but the most common version is a small wooden box of books. Anyone may take a book or bring a book to share. Little Free Library book exchanges each have a unique, personal touch. These libraries are about real people sharing their favourite books with their community. These libraries encourage community connections, and bring people together - little libraries have been called “mini-town squares.” (From Little Free Library).

Over 200,000 registered Little Free Libraries exist in 128 countries, and it’s a movement that keeps growing! 💓

Are you a teen, or do you know a teen looking to get their volunteer hours? Check out these two awesome opportunities to learn about community service and support excellent causes in the process.

 🚗 💦 Student Volunteers Needed!🚗 💦

Feed the City is looking for energetic, awesome high school students to help out at their Car Wash Fundraiser.

🗓️ Date: Jul 19, 2025

📍 Location: Mobil on Innes Rd

🕘 Shifts:

• Morning: 9am–1pm (includes setup)

• Afternoon: 12pm–4pm (includes cleanup)

• ✨ (Do the full day if you’re up for it!)

💪 We need 10–15 volunteers per shift to:

• Wash cars ✅

• Hype up passing traffic ✅

• Help out and bring the fun ✅

• Get volunteer hours signed off ✅

Got a fun talent? 🎨💄🎶 Face painting, cookie baking, or cool fundraising ideas? Reach out! This event is all about creativity and good vibes.

📣 Please share with any high school students, teachers, or parents who might know someone who wants to help out and earn their hours while supporting food accessibility in Ottawa! 📧 Sign up or ask questions: [email protected]

🐰 Ottawa Humane Society Looking for Teens Volunteers for their Youth Foster Program! 🐰

Teens can earn their high school community service hours by caring for homeless rabbits in their homes. The Ottawa Humane Society provides all the food and supplies your foster bunny needs, plus a hands-on orientation workshop on how to care for bunnies! Learn more here.

🧠 You’ve likely heard of an escape room, but how about an escape estate? 🕵🏻‍♀️

The clever folks at Gatineau Park have developed an Escape Backpack Game! The ruins and cottages of the Mackenzie King Estate become a puzzle to solve with mysteries to unravel! 🧩

• Friday to Monday all summer with start times between 10 and 2:30 pm 📅

• For 1 to 6 players 🔢

• Recommended for ages 9+ ✅

• Game time is ~2 hours ⏳

Will you be able to uncover William Lyon Mackenzie King’s secrets? Reserve your free spot today!

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT 🔦

This week’s Orléans business spotlight is… 🥁 … BEYOND CAFÉ - located at 2701 St Joseph Blvd.

Beyond Cafe is a family-owned and charming cafe that features Victorian decor and serves as a great place for studying, readinghanging out with friends and family and for exploring.

It’s also place for playing and creating a community as they have chess and backgammon and other games.

As always, if you do drop by, make sure to tell them that Orléans Connect sent you.