Things to do in Ottawa this week: August 16–22

This week's forecast reads like a microcosm of late summer: overcast and damp through midweek, with Wednesday bringing real rain, then a clearing trend that peaks Saturday. The week's marquee event is Deep Purple with Kansas at Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata on Wednesday, August 19 at 6:45 PM — a pairing built on classic rock credibility that will draw the serious touring crowd. If arena rock is your thing, this is the night to commit.

For those staying closer to the core, Wednesday also brings two shows at the Bronson Centre: Rock of the 80's at 7:00 PM, and Big Country paired with China Crisis, a synth-pop new wave act from the UK, also at 7:00 PM. The Bronson's intimate room makes for a different intimacy than the arena, and you can catch a late dinner nearby afterward. Thursday pivots to The Wallflowers at History Ottawa at 7:00 PM — Jakob Dylan's project has roots in Los Angeles alt-rock, and the smaller venue suits the songwriting focus.

For live music beyond the marquee, Letlive with Oxymorrons and FITH plays Overflow Brewing Co. on Tuesday, August 18 at 7:30 PM with tickets starting at $38. It's a mid-size room show for those chasing harder rock edges.

Wednesday's predicted rain makes it a genuine indoor night, so anchor yourself somewhere substantial. The Shore Club on Sparks Street is a reliable steak house choice if you want to settle into a quiet room before heading to a show. Thursday clears slightly, though the high hits only 22 degrees, so layers matter. By Friday and Saturday, the cloud cover thins further, and Saturday's forecast clears enough to push you outside — patios reopen as viable, and Owl Park becomes genuinely pleasant if you need daylight without a committed event.

The week also marks a turning point for Westboro's dining scene. Brassica, the fine-dining restaurant known for its banoffee pie, closes after less than three years on August 22 — its final dinner service. If you've been meaning to visit, this is the week to do it. Meanwhile, Little Bones, the upscale taco and tequila spot that opened in May as a sister to Lexington Smokehouse, continues to draw crowds with refined tacos at $7 to $12 and cocktails in the $17 to $20 range. It's a natural fit for Saturday if the weather holds and you want something less formal than a steakhouse.

Preston Street's Little Italy cluster remains a reliable pick if you're looking for neighbourhood character without overthinking it — Ek Bar's Burmese tea leaf salad and Sanguiccio's hand-made sausages anchor a 16-restaurant strip that rewards wandering.

On the sports side, the Mississippi Mud Monsters face Ottawa Titans across six performances at Ottawa Stadium through August 23, and Atlético Ottawa plays Vancouver FC at TD Place on Wednesday at 7:00 PM if you want a midweek soccer night instead of a concert.

If you have one night to spend, make it Saturday — the clear forecast means you can move between outdoors and indoors without weather interference, and the Wallflowers on Thursday offer the strongest musical argument before that, anchoring a solid week without any must-miss singular event.