Hello ORLÉANS!

Welcome to the 9th edition of Orléans Connect.

As always, welcome new subscribers! 

This week’s events are filled with ideas and outings for Mother’s Day, so make sure to check those out below. 👩💝

🍔 HELP US FIND THE BEST BURGER IN ORLÉANS

We’re on the hunt for the best burger in Orléans 🤤 … make sure to check out the poll at the bottom of this newsletter where you can suggest your favourite burger joint in Orléans. We’ll make sure to visit, sample, and report back on where to find the best burgers in our suburb. ⤵️

SHARE THE LOVE ❤️

If you’ve been enjoying this newsletter so far, please share it with your friends, family and social media pals and help us grow this fabulous community. You can use this link to share it: https://www.orleansconnect.com/subscribe?ref=PLACEHOLDER_CODE

🦮 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:

• 💝 This weekend is Mother’s Day! If you’d like to get a special family portrait with mom (or for mom), head over to Place d’Orléans for a special Mother’s Day Portrait Shoot with Michael Willems Photo. May 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th at BMO Court. $15 (including HST).

  📍Place d’Orléans, 110 Place d’Orléans Blvd.

• Friday May 9th:

  • 👥 Strong Towns Ottawa focuses on making fiscally strong places that are self-sustaining, resilient and nice to live in. Join in the conversation at the Spring Orléans Meetup. This is the first ever east-end hosted social gathering. RSVP is optional, just show up, have some drinks/food and have a good time! 8 PM - 10 PM.

    📍The Bad Alibi, 5935 Jeanne D’Arc Blvd. S

  • 🧠 It’s Trivia Night, hosted by Outside the Box Trivia! Bring your A-game, your dream team, and maybe a lucky charm or two. Awesome prizes available! 8 PM - 10 PM.

    • 📍Taproom 260,

• Saturday May 10th: 

  • 🎡 Although we can’t find any official info about the Orléans Fun Fair kicking off this weekend… we’ve seen them setting up on Tenth Line beside the Ray Friel Recreation Complex and this is usually the weekend they’re open. Your best bet is probably to continue to check this Facebook page for more info.

  • 🪻Head over to Shenkman Arts Centre for the May Blossoms Market from 10 AM - 3 PM. This is a dog-friendly, community-focused market that partners with local rescues to support small businesses and creators. Over 35 amazing local vendors - come kick off another amazing season!

    📍Shenkman Arts Centre, 245 Centrum Blvd.

  • 🌸 The Orléans Legion will be hosting their Spring Vendors Market from 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM. There will be a gift basket raffle to raise funds for the legion. Breakfast will be served from 8 AM - 1 PM (cash payment only).

    📍800 Taylor Creek

  • 🚲 Join Orléans Pedal and Play - a fun weekly family-oriented community bike ride, hosted by the Convent Glen Orléans Wood Community Association. RSVP here. 1:30 PM - 1:50 PM

    📍Start at Des Voyageurs School Parking Lot (700 m ride)

  • 🇦🇲 🎶 Check out Heritage in Motion, a spirited and soulful performance by Noraïk Dance Ensemble, Ottawa’s first and only Armenian folk dance studio. 6 PM - 9 PM. 🎟️ Tickets $25 - $50

    📍Shenkman Arts Centre, 245 Centrum Blvd.

• ♻️Saturday and Sunday, May 10th and 11th - Are you spending some time in the garden these days? Head over to Place d’Orléans (north west corner) to support the Orléans' Lions Club’s Compost Sale. You can get a 22 litre bag for $5. Support a good cause and help your garden grow! Event runs from 9 AM - 4 PM.

• 🪴 Sunday May 11th - It’s time for Plantopia 2025, in support of Slay Society from 10 AM - 3 PM. Join for plant shopping, beer sipping, and good vibes for the our 5th annual Plantopia! This signature plant and craft market features local artisans and businesses, a raffle, silent auction, live entertainment, featured gardening booths, bouncy castle and more! All proceeds from plants, raffle and auction go directly to support glioblastoma caregivers. 🩶

  📍Broadhead Brewery, 1680 Vimont Court

• 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. All plants are Canadian grown, supplied by Peter Knippel’s and Belgium Acres Farms. There will be gardening advice and presentations from loca suppliers, for those who want to learn more. 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.

  🎟️ GET YOUR TICKETS BEFORE THEY’RE GONE! 🎟️

• 🪷🍷 Thursday May 22nd - Participate in a Crystal Zen Terrarium workshop and Wine Tasting. Arrange air plants, moss, sand, sea shells, crystals and natural elements into your own unique Zen garden. Learn about crystal properties and how to use them for mindfulness.

  📍Domaine Perrault Winery, 1000 Perrault Rd, Navan

• 🎨 Friday May 23rd - It’s Family Paint Party time - a night of creativity and fun at Moose McGuire’s! Talented artist, Cecilia Chan, will guide you step-by-step in creating your own masterpiece to take home. No experience necessary, just bring your sense of adventure and theyl’l provide all the materials and supplies!

  📍Moose McGuire’s, 4025 Innes Rd

• 🍕Saturday May 31st - Come learn how to make fresh Neapolitan style pizzas at this Pizza Workshop, hosted by Fire Box Pizza! You’ll learn how to make pizza dough, ball pizza dough a few different ways, stretch pizza dough two ways, how to top pizzas property (Neapolitan style) AND how to cook pizzas in an Ooni oven. Sign-up soon - limited spaces available!

  📍Doughmain, 1455 Youville Dr, Unit 105

🏘️ GARAGE SALE ROUNDUP 🏘️

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

• 🏘️ Friday May 9th (12 PM - 4 PM) AND Saturday May 10th (8 AM - 2 PM) Multi Family Garage Sale at 1331 Cousineau Street. Lots of items available, including antiques, household items, gardening items, tools, books, decor items, jewelry and more all at great prices!

• 🏘️ 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.

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

📰 News you should know about…

👮 Youth, 17, arrested for April stabbing at Place d’Orléans. Three additional youth suspects have yet to be found. Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information should contact the Ottawa Police Service East Division criminal investigations at 613-236-1222 ext. 3566, or Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477, or online. (Ottawa Citizen)

☀️💦 It’s almost time to start thinking about summer! The City of Ottawa is opening their summer registration soon! You can browse the summer programs now. Get these dates in your calendar so you can maximize your chances of getting your first choice(s) when registration opens:

• 📅 Tuesday, May 13th at 9 PM: Registration opens for summer swimming activities

• 📅 Thursday, May 15th at 9 PM: Registration opens for all summer activities, Before and After School Programs and PA Days

… May the odds be ever in your favour… 🏹

🏃‍♀️Do you love to run? 🏃

Why not get together with other members of the community for the Orléans Park Run? It’s a free, fun and friendly weekly 5K community event. You can walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate - it’s completely up to you! All you have to do to participate is register once online and bring a scannable copy of your barcode to ensure you can get your time.

📅 Every Saturday morning arrive at 845 AM, starts at 9 AM

📍975 Orléans Blvd.

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT 🔦

This week’s Orléans business spotlight is…. 🥁 …. ROBERT PLANTE GREENHOUSES- Located at 4228 Navan Rd.

Yes, this amazing greenhouse and supply for practically ALL of your gardening needs is technically in Navan, but it’s one of our favourite places. As you gear up for the gardening season, Robert Plante is well worth the visit for the massive selection of plants 🪴, decorative pots, and much more.

And if you tire of walking through the aisles searching for your perfect plant companions, the greenhouse also has a YOLO Coffee Truck which operates outdoors in the summer and indoors in the winter. It’s open 7 days a week and serves high-quality coffees, cold drinks, sandwiches, pastries, snacks and even ice cream!

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