Things to do in Ottawa this week: June 28–July 4
Ibrahim Maalouf's rare Confederation Park performance anchors a week split between two clear days and a mid-week thunderstorm stretch; Our Lady Peace closes out the long weekend in Gloucester.
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This week splits into two weather halves, and it should shape how you plan. Sunday and Monday sit clear and warm—ideal for catching Ibrahim Maalouf, the Grammy-nominated French-Lebanese trumpeter, at Confederation Park on Sunday at 8:30 PM. Maalouf's 2022 collaboration with Angélique Kidjo on Queen of Sheba made him the first Lebanese instrumentalist ever nominated at the Grammys; this is a rare outdoor performance worth the evening. Bring a blanket and arrive early—the park will draw a crowd.
Then the weather turns. Tuesday through Friday brings thunderstorms and hail mid-week, clearing slightly by Saturday. That forecast window matters because it brackets the live music that matters most this week. Mei Semones, the Japanese-American jazz and indie rock musician named by Paste as "The Best of What's Next" in 2024, plays Club SAW on Monday at 8:30 PM with Jahmeema; tickets start at $25. It's an indoor show, perfectly timed before the rain rolls in.
54.40, the Canadian rock band, plays the Hard Rock Casino in Gloucester (about 16 km outside the city) on Tuesday at 7 PM with special guest Sass Jordan, a Canadian rock vocalist. If you're heading out to the suburbs for a show, that's the night to bundle it into a larger evening plan—the weather will be deteriorating anyway, so the drive to Gloucester is no worse than staying put.
The week's clearest evening comes Saturday, after the storms pass. If you want a full outdoor night, Atletico Ottawa hosts Cavalry FC at the Arena at TD Place at 3 PM on Saturday; it's a day match, but the afternoon should be dry and warm enough. The evening after clears too.
Beyond the stages, the week offers genuine reasons to eat and move around the city. Chiqui Bakery in Vanier opened in March 2023 as Ottawa's only Mexican bakery; Jessica Pérez's moist cornbread is the standout, though the conchas and elote are worth a visit. On a clear afternoon before the storms, it's an easy stop. For something more substantial, Château Laurier's new Émilie's Terrace overlooks the Rideau Canal locks with shareable plates and cocktails made from local ingredients—a smart choice for Sunday or Monday patio evenings while the weather holds. If the week turns wet and you want to hunker down, Le Mien Craft Noodle in the ByWard Market serves hand-pulled bowls made to order; it's the kind of place that rewards an afternoon detour between errands.
Sports anchors the week too. The Niagara River Lions play the Ottawa Blackjacks at the Arena at TD Place on Sunday at 1 PM. The Tri-City ValleyCats visit the Ottawa Titans at Ottawa Stadium for three games from June 30 through July 2. And the REDBLACKS face the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Friday at 7:30 PM at TD Place Stadium—that's the night to commit to an evening out, since the weather is still clearing into the long weekend.
If you have one night to choose, make it Sunday: Ibrahim Maalouf at Confederation Park in clear weather, then a late dinner at Speakeasy Tapas Lounge or The Shore Club afterward. It's the week's sweetest opening.