If you’re in Ottawa-Gatineau this week and have time to check out some events, there’s no shortage of things to do. Take a look at Eventful Capital’s weekly picks below for a glimpse into the number of events happening in and around the National Capital Region in the days ahead.
If you’re a foodie and want to support the Ottawa Fringe Festival, be sure to make your way over to the GCTC on Wellington West this Monday night for the Great Curry Cook Off fundraiser. Divine creations by Ottawa’s top chefs and restaurants will keep your plate replete and palate pleased with vegetarian, vegan, chicken, fish, pork and beef entries. Come hungry and let your taste buds crown a champion!
This Tuesday, May 27, Barristers returns for its 12th consecutive year in Ottawa so if you enjoy good hip-hop, dancehall and r&b, be sure to head over to Sparks Street and hit up Parliament Pub to join the celebrations and have a good time with Jon Deck and guest DJs who’ll be featured at this monthly throughout the summer. 
This Wednesday, May 28, Snak The Ripper will be performing live at Ritual as part of his Just Giver Canada Tour. The hip-hop artist based out of Vancouver will be in Ottawa in support of his new album alongside Merkules, Jaclyn Gee, DJ Makeway as well as local hip-hop artists Kingcon, Moun Fou, and Black Market Underground.
Michigan hardcore group Hollow Earth is embarking on a summer tour and for the occasion they’ll be making a stop in Ottawa this Wednesday, May 28. The 5-piece will be performing live at Pressed Cafe alongside Detroit d-beat/hardcore band From Hell and Ottawa hardcore project Rad Doom. 
If you enjoy spoken word, there’s a special fundraising event being held this Thursday, May 29 at Pressed Cafe. Dubbed Poets for Humanity, it’ll bring together local artists Ali Alikhani, Brad Morden, Hyfidelik, JustJamaal, V and Nathanael Larochette for an inspiring night of poetry.
Niagara-based group Xprime will be giving a show at Zaphod Beeblebrox this Thursday night. The pop/rock/blues band will be performing live with Ottawa-based trio Mastik and Ottawa folk blues singer-songwriter Kristine St-Pierre. 
Starting this Thursday night, there’s a new monthly kicking off at Babylon called 613 All Stars. Every month, a new round of local DJs that have added to the foundation of Ottawa’s music scene will be featured. This non-genre specific night will give the local DJs the freedom to play the music they love, and show us why they are notorious in this city. This first instalment will feature DJs Laocapone, Calkuta, Danya D, Jon Deck, Marz.
From May 30 to June 1, the Gatineau Beer Fest, better known as the Festibière, will be taking over the Jacques-Cartier Park for its 4th annual edition. This year, 55 artisans and over 350 beers will be presented to the public. The event will also feature live shows by Radio Radio, Damien Robitaille and the Mackenzie Rhythm Section along with animations and workshops on beer and beer-making. Make sure you check out this event if you’re a beer lover, you certainly won’t regret it!
On Friday, May 30, the 6th annual One World Awesome Arts Festival is taking place at York Street Public School. This unique family-friendly festival will feature live performances, artwork and videos created by the youth of Lowertown. The event will also include the presence and participation of several local artists from various disciplines. The goal of the Awesome Arts program is to raise awareness about global issues through the arts. This is a great opportunity to encourage the youth in our community! 
The Asinabka Film and Media Arts Festival is holding a party at Gallery 101 this Friday, May 30 in support of this year’s edition. The fundraising event will feature live performances by Elizabeth Riley Band, Dynamite Hotel, Dj Adam, the Gallop, and Erin Adair along with drum group Frazier Whiteduck and the Capital Warroris. 
Wanna attend a rock show this Friday night? Ottawa neo rock n’ roll group Double Experience will be performing live at Zaphods this Friday, May 30. The local 4-piece will be sharing the stage with Ottawa rock band Iconoclast and and Ottawa alternative group Crossing Jane. 
Gallery Recording Studio, Dan Rascal, and LOG Creative Bureau have teamed up to try something new called the Crowded Room Concert Series, a place with no stage where bands are mixed amongst the audience in the old chapel of the Gallery Recording Studio, with the entire evening filmed. No second takes, no overdubs. The videos from each event will be put online, in hopes of sharing an honest and genuine account of the music and live energy of each band and audience. 100% of all ticket sales are given to the musicians and with no promoter or venue fees, audience members truly pays for their entertainment in full. For this very first Crowded Room, Moonfruits and The Split will be the featured bands.
Over in Hull at Le Troquet this Friday night, Halifax psych pop group Walrus will be performing live. For this show, Walrus will be joined by Ottawa garage psych band Organ Eyes and Halifax psych pop rêve The Everywheres and Montréal psych surf folk project The Walls Are Blond. 
If you’re a fan of techno/electro/acid/house then you should definitely head to Ritual this Friday, May 30 to check out the unique Longwalkshortdock. The Shambhala, BC DJ/Producer will be giving a live set in Ottawa alongside London, ON producer Arkhive and local DJ JC Boom. 
Toronto electro-pop duo Ark Analog will be giving a live performance at the Mercury Lounge this Friday, May 30. The group made up of soul songstress Maylee Todd and Dan Werb, one half of acclaimed synth-punk Woodhands promise to make you dance alomg to their lively set. 
This Saturday, May 31 Ottawa celebrates its love of bicycles with Capital Velo Fest taking place outdoors in front of the Ottawa City Hall. The 2014 edition of this bike festival will feature a bike rodeo, a night ride under the stars and live music by Kontrast, Crimsonics, The Ven Dreddies, Arms of the Girl, Tindervox and Glorious Moonrockets courtesy of CKCU. 
The prison Ceremony dance party is back for another monthly edition happening at Mugshots that’s guaranteed to have you dancing the night away outside under the stars of the courtyard of the old jail hostel. This Saturday night, Ceremony is the place to be for the best techno house dance music offered in the city. 
The International convenes latin lovers to kick off the summer with Latin Sparks this Saturday, May 31. Taking place outdoors along Sparks Street, the block party promises to offer a night of dancing under the stars with complimentary workshops, latin music, latin cuisine and live percussionists and entertainment.
Only a week after its launch, Motion, Ottawa’s newest monthly dedicated to featuring rising international DJs/Producers, is back this Saturday night inside Babylon. The second edition of Motion will feature the trap producing NY/LA duo LOUDPVCK.
If you’re a fan of Minneapolis hip-hop duo Atmosphere, you probably know that they’ll be performing live at Ritual this Sunday, June 1. For the occasion, the Rhymesayers artists will be joined on stage by PROF and Dem Atlas, also of Minneapolis. If this show isn’t sold out by now, it’s just a matter of time. The promoters will probably have a few tickets available at the door, so don’t sleep if you intend on being there. 
