Is anyone else still recovering from the post Halloween hangover? Dealing with sleepy kids, scattered candy wrappers and rotting pumpkins? This is my current reality. Now that we are into November it is a slightly quieter weekend after all those fall and Halloween events, but there is still lots going on (including Christmas craft fairs?!! How are we here now?). Here is my list of family friendly events for the weekend of November 2-3.

Saturday:

• Tea and Chocolate Festival – Nepean Sportsplex, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm (kid friendly event where you can try delicious teas, chocolates and other delights while meeting the makers and curators)
• The Christmas Ottawa Craft Show – The Centurion Conference and Event Centre, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (Some of Canada’s most talented Artisans, Crafters & Gourmet Food Creators, plus crafting stations and photos with Santa)
• Traditions Christmas Craft Show – Sir Wilfred Laurier Secondary School, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (free admission, unique items of 70+ local artisans)
• All Saints Craft Fair 2019 – All Saints Catholic High School, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm (The fair has over 165 tables of a variety of wonderful crafts and gifts. Bring the kids and drop them off in the supervised Kid’s Corner. Stay for lunch at the cafe.)
• Cheerfully Made Holiday Market – Almonte Old Town Hall, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (craft market full of beautiful handmade items, different vendors from Saturday to Sunday)
• Christmas in the Valley – Almonte Arena, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (vendor show with variety of offerings)
• A Time to Remember – Canada and Aviation and Space Museum, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm (special exhibitions to to deepen your family’s understanding of Canada’s wartime history)
• Rockcliffe Park Book Fair – Rockcliffe Park Public School, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm ( giant sales floor for gently used books, magazines, vinyl records, puzzles and games. There’s even a Café to feed shoppers who make a day of it)
• Mad Crafters Tea Party and Market – St. Paul High School, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm (Disney tea party themed craft fair will feature local artists from the Ottawa area, selling handmade crafts and gifts, meet and greet with princesses at 12pm – 2pm)
• Children’s Storytelling Festival – Nepean Centrepointe Library, 10:30 am – 2:30 pm (Families are invited to enjoy age-appropriate, imagination expanding stories for 3 – 12-year-olds offered by professional storytellers in French and English. Creative craft activities also available)
• Squash CF Pumpkin Launch – River Oak, 2900 York’s Corners Rd, 11:00 am – 4:00 pm (live entertainment, games, country market, and launching pumpkins with giant slingshots and trebuchets.)
• LEGO Batmobile Make and Take Event – Mrs. Tiggy Winkles, Bank St and Richmond Rd, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm (Build a LEGO Micro Batmobile, then take it home! This is a free event and no registration is required-however the event is while supplies last. )
• Pumpkins for PIGS – Vaanderland the Barnyard Zoo, 11;00 am – 4:00 pm (come visit the farm and the animals and bring along your pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns to feed to the pigs, regular admission prices apply)
• The 26 Letter Dance – Shenkman Arts Centre, 1:30 pm (60 min show it is an interactive, multidisciplinary alphabet primer and journey into the world of letters and words.)
• Movie: Dora and the Lost City of Gold – Ottawa Family Cinema, 2:00 pm (live action adventure based on the characters from Dora the Explorer)
• Une Lune Entre Deux Maisons – National Arts Centre, 3:00 pm (francophone show, suggested for ages 3-6 years old, with its playground-like set and its moving performances, this show about overcoming our fear of the unfamiliar accurately measures the internal temperature of a child’s heart.)
• Day of the Dead Party – Horticulture Building, Lansdowne, 4:30 pm – 10:00 pm (free family event, parade, children’s activities, theatre and dance performances, traditional Mexican dishes)

Sunday:

• Tea and Chocolate Festival – Nepean Sportsplex, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm (kid friendly event where you can try delicious teas, chocolates and other delights while meeting the makers and curators)
• Cheerfully Made Holiday Market – Almonte Old Town Hall, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (craft market full of beautiful handmade items, different vendors from Saturday to Sunday)
• Traditions Christmas Craft Show – Sir Wilfred Laurier Secondary School, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm (free admission, unique items of 70+ local artisans)
• A Time to Remember – Canada and Aviation and Space Museum, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm (special exhibitions to to deepen your family’s understanding of Canada’s wartime history, plus concert performance from 2-4pm)
• Rockliffe Park Book Fair – Rockcliffe Park Public School, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm ( giant sales floor for gently used books, magazines, vinyl records, puzzles and games. There’s even a Café to feed shoppers who make a day of it)
• Japanese National Culture Day – National Gallery of Canada, 11:00 am – 4:30 pm (Celebrate Japanese National Culture Day (Bunka No Hi) with activities inspired by the exhibition Hanran: 20th-Century Japanese Photography, included with admission)
• Pumpkins for PIGS – Vaanderland the Barnyard Zoo, 11;00 am – 4:00 pm (come visit the farm and the animals and bring along your pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns to feed to the pigs, regular admission prices apply)
• Une Lune Entre Deux Maisons – National Arts Centre, 3:00 pm (francophone show, suggested for ages 3-6 years old, with its playground-like set and its moving performances, this show about overcoming our fear of the unfamiliar accurately measures the internal temperature of a child’s heart.)