Hello ORLÉANS!

Welcome to the 23rd edition of Orléans Connect.

We finally got a little bit of rain yesterday 🌧️ , but driving around the last couple of days, I don’t think I’ve ever seen so much brown grass in Orléans in the eight years we’ve lived here!

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Many thanks in advance!

There’s a lot happening in Orléans over the next few days, so let’s get to it: ⬇️

Here’s our roundup of upcoming events:

• 🌧️ August 14th - Rain Ready Ottawa is hosting a Virtual Webinar: Planning and Planting a Rain Water Garden from 7 PM - 8 PM.

• ☀️ August 15th - Chapel Hill South Community Association is hosting their annual Summer Sizzler, starting at 5 PM! Free BBQ (with Halal and veggie options), kids activities, outdoor movie (starts at 9 PM) and a beer tent with live music!

  📍Blue Willow Park, 6011 Longleaf Dr

• ☮️ August 16th - It’s Annual Dapo Fun Day! Join for a day of delicious food, live music, games and community vibes. There will be grilled favourites (veg options too!), live local bands, raffles and prizes and fun activities for all ages! Proceeds go to Dapo Agoro Foundation for Peace, a not-for-profit organization that aims to give back to the community through scholarships and community events promoting non-violence and keeping our community and loved ones safe from harm.

  📍Blackburn Community Park, 190 Glen Park Dr

• 🐕 August 16th - Fetch Local Markets is hosting The Last Splash Market from 10 AM - 3 PM. 40 local vendors, free entry, free parking, and dog-friendly vibes (including a cooling station for the pups)! Come soak up the last of the summer sun while supporting local.

  📍Ray Friel Recreation Complex

• 📚August 16th - ZunZun Reading Community is offering launching their Back-to School collection and offering school supplies at Zunzun Little Free Library.

  Event starts at 11 AM.

  📍1895 Markwell Cres

• 🎊 August 16th - The Greater Avalon Community Association is hosting Summer Fun Fest from 1PM - 4 PM! Face painting, martial arts and bouncy castles for the kids! Tree giveaway, resource bingo and door prizes for the adults! (Rain date August 17th).

  📍Aquaview Community Centre, 318 Aquaview Dr

• 👠 August 17th - It’s time for Drag Brunch - check out some fabulous performers and have a delicious brunch!! Doors open at 12:30 PM, show from 1 PM - 4 PM. Ages 19+. 🎟️ Tickets are $25 - ALMOST FULL!

  📍Broadhead Brewery, 1680 Vimont Ct, Unit 106

• 👢August 22nd - The Navan Boot Scootin’ Line Dancers are hosting a Fundraiser: EO Stars Barn Dance - event starts at 7 PM. 🎟️ Tickets $20.

  📍Navan Fairgrounds, 1279 Colonial Rd, Navan

• 🌭 August 22nd - Join MP Mona Fortier for the Ottawa-Vanier-Gloucester Community BBQ from 5 PM - 8 PM.

  📍 Blackburn Hamlet Community Hall, 190 Glen Park Dr

🗓️SAVE THE DATES! 🗓️

Upcoming dates worth getting in your calendar - and for some grabbing tickets / registering ahead of time:

• 🍿 Cardinal Creek Community Association is hosting Movie in the Park! Showing Moana 2! August 23rd, starting at 8:30 PM. 📍Glandriel Park

• 📚🌳 A Book Club that meets in the Heart of the Forest: Read Between the Pines! Gather around the campfire at Wild Roots to discuss novels written by local authors and engage directly with them during the discussion! Next session: Saturday, September 27th from 1 PM - 4 PM at MacSkimming Outdoor Education Centre, Cumberland. 🎟️ $40. Registration Open!

🧑‍🌾 WEEKLY EVENTS 🥬 

Summertime has so many great weekly events happening!

• Every Tuesday

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

  • ☀️ City Councillor for Ward 19, Catherine Kitts is hosting Pop Up Freezie Parties on Tuesdays from 2 PM - 4 PM (subject to change due to weather). August dates/locations:

    • August 19th - Vista Park, 720 Vistapark Dr

    • August 26th - Sweetvally Park, 180 Sweetvalley Dr

• Every Wednesday: Get Outside

  • 🛶 Try-In Out Evenings with Petrie Island Canoe Club - try canoes, kayaks and paddle boards. Reserve your spot online (Form opens on Mondays at Noon). From 6:30 PM - 8 PM 📍Petrie Island

  • 🧘🏾‍♀️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

  • 🟢 Bingo Night at Broadhead Brewery - starts at 6:30 PM. Free to play, prizes to be won! First come, first served.

  • 🎤 Open Mic Night at Stray Dog Brewing Company, from 7 PM - 10 PM.

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

• 🚲☕ Every Sunday - Community Café from 930 AM - 12 PM. 📍Voyageur Park, 6137 Voyageur Dr.

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

📰 News you should know about…

🐴 Navan Fair honours 30th anniversary of 50-Horse Hitch [The Orléans Star]

🗞️ Missing accent in Orléans sign is no small typo [CBC News]

🍕🎨 Local wood fired pizza business Fire Box Pizza recently engaged local youth to showcase their artistic talent in a to create a beautiful group mural! [Facebook]

 🎖️ Volunteers Needed at the Legion! 🎖️

The Orléans Legion Branch 632 is looking for volunteers to help tie the 10,000 crocheted and knitted poppies onto the cam nets for the poppy display. Check out these images of the volunteers hard at work recently! Next volunteer poppy display work party will be on Wednesday, August 20th, from 10:30 AM - 2:30 PM, at the Legion, at 800 Taylor Creek Drive. EVERYONE is welcome! High school students can earn volunteer hours (bring your form!).

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT 🔦

This week’s Orléans business spotlight is… 🥁 … ORLEANS HOBBIES - located at 1803 St. Joseph Blvd. Unit 106.

Orleans Hobbies is a locally owned business that sells a wide variety of products for hobbyists of all kinds: puzzles, Lego, slot cars, games, crafts, RC vehicles, rockets, die cast cars, figures, model cars, planes, ships, trains, and more!

So, if you’re looking to get into a new hobby, Orleans Hobbies is a good place to start.

As always, if you wind up visiting them, make sure to tell them that Orléans Connect sent you.