Things to do in Ottawa this week: July 26–August 1

This week Ottawa gets sandwiched between two stretches of sun, with a rainy gut from Tuesday through Wednesday that will either ruin your outdoor plans or force you to finally catch that touring show you've been meaning to see. Sunday breaks clear and warm—hit 29°C and only a whisper of rain—before Monday clouds over and the real wet arrives. The NAC's production of Mamma Mia! runs through Friday August 1, anchoring the week. If you've never seen ABBA's jukebox musical live, the touring production lands at the National Arts Centre from July 28 through August 1, with performances at 7:30 p.m. (matinees available too). It is exactly what it promises: a two-hour hit parade wrapped in a plot about a wedding on a Greek island, and it plays to the room's strengths—the NAC's acoustics and scale make it feel intimate despite the spectacle. Book early; these runs sell.

Where Mamma Mia! anchors the week's theatre, Weird Al Yankovic and his touring show with Puddles Piddly Party hit the Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata on Sunday, July 26 at 7:30 p.m. If you're going, that's a 23-kilometre drive out to the west end—worth the trip if you grew up with accordion polka parodies or just want an evening that doesn't take itself seriously. Cole Swindell, an American country songwriter who has penned hits for Luke Bryan and Thomas Rhett among others, plays the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Gloucester on Saturday, August 1 at 7:00 p.m.—another suburb run, 16 kilometres from downtown, but straightforward if you're chasing country.

Back in the city proper, Magic Men—Canada Tour 2026 arrives at the Bronson on Friday, July 31 at 7:30 p.m., and Mac Saturn plays the 27 Club the same night at 7:00 p.m. For theatre without the tour-bus commitment, Atletico Ottawa hosts Pacific FC at TD Place on Sunday at 2:00 p.m., and the Ottawa Titans face off against Sussex County in a three-game series starting Tuesday, July 28 at the Ottawa Stadium.

The rain Tuesday and Wednesday is your cue to stay indoors—and that's when the city's recent restaurant openings make their case. Spicy Man on Merivale has been turning heads with authentic Sichuan and Northeastern Chinese cooking, with tiered heat levels so you can dial in your comfort zone and still hit genuine flavour. For something lighter before or after a show, Ayla's Social Kitchen in Little Italy on Preston Street runs a Mediterranean-Iranian fusion menu built around pomegranate, saffron, and house-made sauces. If you want a steak and something solid, the Shore Club or Luxe Bistro both anchor Centretown and handle a proper night out without fuss.

Monday and Friday clear enough that a walk through the Glebe or along the Canal becomes viable again. The Kanata Night Market opened last week with more than 20 vendors slinging beef skewers and fresh smoothies—an Asian-inspired street food setup that returns through the summer, so if you're west-end adjacent, check whether it's running.

If you have one night free this week, spend it at the NAC watching Mamma Mia!—it's the rare touring production that justifies the ticket price and leaves you humming on the way home.