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The Editor\'s Desk · Ottawa Briefing

Sunny Wednesday—pick your evening chaos, rock, or soul.

Fifteen degrees and mainly sunny; three solid concerts tonight if you're keen to get out.

Wed · Aug 5, 2026 Updated 1:55 PM
Sunny Wednesday—pick your evening chaos, rock, or soul.

It's a proper August morning—fifteen and climbing, mainly sunny all day, with UV sitting at 9, which means you'll want sunscreen if you're spending real time outside. Sunset's at 8:26, so you've got a solid evening window if plans land late.

Commute's clear—nothing flagged for disruption this morning, so you're good to roll as usual.

A couple of things worth knowing. Emma Fontaine's competing in Ironman Canada-Ottawa today, a huge moment for her after new CF medication's genuinely transformed what she thought was possible. That's the kind of local story that lands different when you know it's happening right here. Meanwhile, there's been some ugliness across the river in Hull—a man in his 20s seriously hurt in an altercation, and Gatineau police are looking for witnesses if you saw anything. Closer to home, someone's stolen a custom tricycle from an Alta Vista man with Parkinson's; police are after the suspect, so keep an eye out.

If you're thinking dinner, Somerset Street keeps getting better. Arlo just landed in the 50 Best Discovery guide—first Ottawa restaurant to crack that list—and Kozhi's opened up in Chinatown, so there's real momentum on that strip. If you want something spicier and a bit quieter, Spicy Man on Merivale does authentic Chinese with heat levels you can actually dial in. The Lansdowne Farmers' Market's also worth a walk through if you're hungry for more than just the usual overpriced organic eggs.

Tonight's got options depending on what mood you're in. Killswitch Engage and Machine Head are at the Hard Rock (6 PM, 19+) if you want metal done right. Daniel Caesar with 070 Shake is at the CTC at 7:30 if R&B's your lane. Or if you want something completely unhinged, Nitro Circus is tearing it up at Ottawa Stadium at 6 PM—stunt show energy if you've got people who are into that kind of chaos. Sun's still hanging around for a good while, so outdoor stuff before dark won't feel rushed.

Have a solid one. See you out there.

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