Hello ORLÉANS!
Welcome to the 50th edition of Orléans Connect. As always, welcome new subscribers! 👋
Well, the Olympics are finished, and while they ended on a disappointing note, it was still wonderful to watch all of our 🇨🇦 Canadian athletes compete over the two weeks in Italy. Interesting fact: for the first time since 1863, Ramadan, Lent and the Lunar New Year took place at the same time this year. That won’t happen again till the year 2189!
There’s plenty of events and community news happening this week in Orléans, so make sure to check those out below.
We’ve also got a brand new Food Spot Review of what many Orléans residents consider to be the best 🍕 pizza joint in town… you can read it here.
As always, don’t forget to check out this week’s poll below ⬇️ - today we’re asking: What’s your favourite live music 🎵 venue in Orléans?
Here’s all the happenings in Orléans over the next 7 days…
Our local, bilingual creative hub, Shenkman Arts Centre. Shenkman provides a space for artists and audiences of all ages to come together to explore a diversity of arts through live performances, instruction, exhibits and special events. Shenkman is located at 245 Centrum Blvd.
Here’s our roundup of upcoming events:
🎥 February 26th - It’s time for Rom Com Trivia Night, hosted at Boston Pizza. Trivia gets started at 8:30 PM. $3/person, teams of 2, 3 or 4 players. Register your team.
📍3884 Innes Rd⛸️ February 27th - City Councillor Laura Dudas is hosting a free Family Skate from 6-8 PM. There will be skating, hot chocolate, music and more!
📍Lois Kemp Arena, 200 Glen Park Dr🎵 February 27th - Join for great tunes, great brews and BBQ, at Live Music Friday at Broadhead Brewery, with Al Tambay. 6 PM onwards. No cover, no reservations required.
📍1680 Vimont Crt👢 February 27th - Kick up your heels for a fun evening of Line Dancing with Heel Toe Rodeo at the Orléans Legion from 7-11 PM. Free beginner line dance class from 7-8 PM, followed by open line dance all levels until 11 PM.
📍800 Taylor Creek Dr🎤 February 27th - It’s Karaoke Night at Stray Dog Brewing Company! Come as you are, sing what you love and have a blast! 8 PM til late.
📍501 Lacolle Way, Unit 4🧠 February 27th - Trivia Night is on at Taproom260 from 8-10 PM.
📍260 Centrum Blvd🎲 February 28th - Youth and Kids Games and Goodies from 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM. Children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult. Food and games provided. Trivia at 1 PM for prize!
📍Blackburn Community Hall, 190 Glen Park Dr🎶 February 28th - The Reba, Dolly and Shania Tribute Show is on at Shenkman Arts Centre, at 8 PM. 🎟️ Only single tickets remain!
📍245 Centrum Blvd🍁 March 1st - Maple Fest is getting started at Proulx Farm this Sunday, open from 9 AM - 5! 🥞Outdoor farm activities, including animals, outdoor play structures and slides (wear snow pants!), fire pit, and wagon ride through the maple forest. They also have guided tours to learn how maple syrup is made in the sugar shack. Pancake Breakfast is on weekends, from 9 AM - 3 PM (last seating at 2 PM).
📍1865 O’Toole Rd, Cumberland🎵 March 1st - Live Music with Dan Kelly at Stray Dog Brewing Company is on from 3-5 PM.
📍501 Lacolle Way, Unit 4🌊 March 3rd - Travel Talk Social: From Wild Horses to Icebergs: Exploring Canada’s Remote Edges, from 6:30-8 PM. Hosted by Sheila Gallant-Halloran of Lush Life Travel with Nathan Bowler of Adventure Canada, discover Canada’s rugged coastlines, rich cultures and extraordinary wildlife through the lens of true expedition cruising.
📍Café Amore, 2409 St Joseph Blvd🏊♀️ March 4th - Vicki-Anne Rodrigue is hosting a community fundraiser: Waves of Change: Swim for Obesity Awareness, from 3-4 PM, in collaboration with Obesity Canada. Join and swim with Vicki-Anne for a 2-5 KM swim challenge, or come and cheer her on! Obesity is a chronic disease - yet stigma persists. It’s time to shift the narrative from blame to understanding. Can’t attend? Please consider donating online, sharing or amplifying the message.
📍François Dupuis Rec Centre, 2263 Portobello Blvd
🗓️ UPCOMING EVENTS 🗓️
🗒️ The Chatelaine Village Community Association is hosting their Monthly Meeting on Wed, Mar 4th from 7-9 PM at Roy G. Hobbs to plan events for the summer. All members of the community are welcome to attend.
🚨 The Chapel Hill North Community Association is hosting an Introductory Information Session on the Neighbourhood Watch Program at the Orléans Branch of the Ottawa Public Library (Salle Bériault), at 6:30 PM.
✨ Boston Pizza Orléans is hosting a Vision Board Workshop on Sun, Mar 8th at 11 AM. Reserve your space here.
🍷 Enjoy an intimate six-course fine dining experience curated by award-winning Chef Phil Cameron, at Cellar & Snow, at Domaine Perrault Winery on Mar 7th at 6:30 PM. Learn more and get tickets here.
🛠️ The Ottawa Tool Library hosts a range of Workshops regularly, including how to use power tools, hem pants, 3D printing, milling - even a workshop on Pysanky - Easter eggs in the traditional Ukrainian style! Spaces fill up quickly, so don’t miss out! Learn more.
🏳️🌈 The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board is hosting Affirm - a Virtual Parent and Caregiver Information Program on Tuesday from March 24th to April 12th from 12:30-2 PM, to support confidence and skill building to support 2SLGBTQ+ youth. Spaces are limited - Register Here.
🌲 Wild Roots Nature and Forest School is hosting The Forest Studio - a seasonal gathering for adults rooted in nature and creativity. Events hosted around the solstices and equinoxes, and include forest bathing, movement, creative invitations, intention-setting, warm tea, fireside snacks and time to reconnect. Upcoming dates include Sat, Mar 28th at Macskimming Outdoor Education Centre, and Sat, June 20th at Petrie Island. Learn more here.
🐣 Hop Into Spring at the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum on April 4th from 9 AM - 3 PM. Advanced registration required.
Do you have an event you want to see featured here? Let us know!
📰 News you should know about…
♻️ As of March 30th, many residents in Ottawa will have a NEW garbage and waste collection day. Check online: if your address is impacted, your new collection day will appear starting the week of March 30th.
🇨🇦 Ottawa’s Olympic athletes touch down to a hero’s welcome (Ottawa Citizen)
❄️ Special Congratulations to the following Orléans-born athletes, who helped Team Canada bring home victories:
💨 Ivanie Blondin, long track speed skater, secured gold 🥇and silver 🥈medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Check out this video of the team’s victory, captured at École secondaire catholique Garneau (and shared by City Councillor Laura Dudas), as students and community members watched together - the energy was ELECTRIC! ✨
🥌 Rachel Homan guided Team Canada to a Bronze medal in women’s curling! 🥉 Rachel grew up in Orléans and attended Cairine Wilson Secondary Scho
🌻 The Heart of Orléans Market is implementing a Youth Entrepreneur section for this season! These spots are for youths ages 17 and under. There will be no charge for Youth Entrepreneur spots this year (except insurance), thanks to the generous sponsors! Apply Now!
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT 🔦
This week’s Orléans business spotlight is… 🥁 … Louis’ Pizza Express located at 2520 St. Joseph Blvd📍
There’s no question that Louis’ Pizza Express is a favourite amongst Orléans residents, but did you know that they serve a lot more than pizza? And in addition to fare such as subs, sandwiches and salads, they make a killer selection of desserts including a coconut cream pie that is well known throughout our suburb as being other-worldly!
Check out our full review of Louis’ Pizza Express here.
As always, if you wind up visiting them, make sure to tell them Orléans Connect sent you.
The Mouvement d’implication francophone d’Orléans (MIFO) was founded in 1979 to serve the local Francophone community. Today MIFO is a cultural/community centre (the “nerve centre” of Orléans’ Francophone community) offering theatre, arts classes, youth programs, and French‑language events.
Many thanks to Grace M. for submitting her adorable cat named Marvin, who is one year old, and was adopted from the Ottawa Stray Cat Rescue last year, living with mum and dad and a roommate (a black senior cat named Sam).
Submit a photo of your Orléans pet(s) by emailing it to: [email protected]
THIS WEEK’S POLL ❓
What’s your favourite live music 🎵 venue in Orléans?
Last week’s poll results: What’s the best 🇲🇽 Mexican Restaurant / Take-Out in Orléans?
🥇- Mexicali Rosa’s - 21%
🥈- Lone Star Texas Grill - 16%
🥉- Guac Mexi Grill - 13.2%
Fat Bastard Burrito Co - 10.5%
The Tortilla Maker of Canada - 10.5%
barBURRITO - 7.9%
Mucho Burrito - 7.9%
La Ha Tacos - 7.9%
Chipotle - 5.2%
