OttawaStart's Weekly Event Round-Up: November 20-26, 2014

_ Our crowdsourced list of the best events in Ottawa this week. _

** Friday, November 21: Ottawa Unsigned Concert Series ** The burgeoning punk scene within our nation’s capital is hard to ignore. The people at Steam Whistle have certainly caught on and have launched an Indie Music Series called Unsigned as a result. This Friday night at House of Targ, the series will feature live sets by some of the best unsigned bands of the moment: HSY, The Yips, The Beverleys and Bonnie Doon. _ – Eliane Laberge, Eventful Capital _ ** Saturday, November 22: Help Santa Toy Parade ** Santa Claus visits Ottawa this Saturday at 11am in the Help Santa Toy Parade, which runs along Bank Street from Wellington to Laurier and then along Laurier to Elgin. While watching the floats, bands and clowns taking part in the parade, you’ll have a chance to donate new toys (no used toys, please) and cash to members of the Ottawa Professional Fire Fighters' Association who will distribute them to less fortunate children in Ottawa-Carleton. You can also drop off new toys at any Ottawa Fire Station up until mid-December. For more details about the parade check out their website. _ – Gordon Dewis _ ** Saturday, November 22: Buck 65 at the NAC ** The legendary Buck 65 will be at the NAC this Saturday. Maybe you only know him as Rich Terfry, host on CBC Radio 2, but he been one of Canada’s most prolific rappers for a very long time. If Tom Waits rapped, he would sound like Buck 65. Check out this track from his new album. He’s poking fun at a genre, but it’s still a fun track. _ – Ryan Bresee , CKCU’s Whatever’s Cool With Me _ ** Saturday, November 22: Hintonburg Annual Artisan Craft Fair ** I love this time of year because there are so many great local craft fairs. A wonderful way to give unique gifts this holiday and support local! _ – Laura Gauthier _ ** Saturday, November 22: Holiday Market & Cocktails #undergroundvintage2014 ** After you go to the Hintonburg one - drop by this unique holiday sale! _ – Laura Gauthier _ ** Saturday, November 22: Capital pop Up! Holiday Handmade Charity Show ** Along with the Hintonburg and Holiday Market - don’t forget the Capital Pop Up one! _ – Laura Gauthier _ ** Saturday, November 22: Capital pop Up! Holiday Handmade Charity Show ** With the holidays just around the corner, the craft fair season is in full swing to the delight of Christmas and DIY lovers alike. This Saturday at the Bronson Centre, check out Capital Pop Up’s Handmade Show featuring local vegan, gluten-free goodies, beautiful handmade jewelry & independently designed clothing and baby apparel among other things. There’s sure to be something for everyone. _ – Eliane Laberge, Eventful Capital _ ** Saturday-Sunday, November 22-23: ‘Joy!’ – the 2014 OVCC | Artisans @ Archives Christmas Market ** Featuring the work of some of the best artists and artisans from across the Ottawa Valley. Our shows are renowned for bringing an exciting variety of art, crafts, designs and artisan foods together in a unique venue, and Joy! will be no exception. 75 participating vendors are selected for their unique style, quality of work and originality of design. Visit us between 9 am and 4 pm on the main floor of the Library and Archives Canada building on Wellington Street. _ (Sponsored) _ ** Saturday-Sunday, November 22-23: Capital Artisans Guild 3rd Annual Christmas Craft Show ** Don’t settle for cookie-cutter gifts again this Holiday season! Avoid the press of the shopping malls, and come to the 3rd Annual Christmas Craft show presented by the Capital Artisans Guild. The event features 50 of the area’s best artisans offering unique and beautiful hand-made items. The show takes place on November 22and 23 at Sir Robert Borden High School, 131 Greenbank Road in Nepean. _ (Sponsored) _ ** Saturday, November 22: Flight Distance and Buck N' Nice Dual Album Release Show ** This Saturday night at House of Targ, Ottawa underground hip-hop heavyweights Flight Distance will be giving a live performance in celebration of their “High Priests of Low-Life” album release. For the occasion, the local rap trio will be joining forces with Buck N’ Nice, a relatively new local hip-hop duo who’ve also just released their debut album Us Versus Them. A guaranteed night of live rap at its finest. _ – Eliane Laberge, Eventful Capital _ ** Monday, November 24: Ottawa Poet Laureate Program Open House ** 7:00 pm at Andrew S. Haydon Hall (Council Chambers), Ottawa City Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue W. Email: verseottawa@live.ca _ – Amanda Earl , Bywords _ ** Tuesday, November 25: A Rat Pack Kinda night (Une Soirée Rat Pack) at Les Brasseurs du Temps ** Last fall Michael Pytura entertained hundreds of people at Make-a-Wish Canada’s annual fundraiser with his singing tribute to the Rat Pack group of singers including Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr. Their appeal to him was “both from a musical point of view but even just from the type of humour they bring to the table”. He returns this year with a more intimate performance at BDT to perform some classic favourites. He’ll be joined by some of Ottawa’s solidly swinging jazz musicians: pianist Ian Clyne, saxophnist Mike Tremblay, bassist Martin Newman and drummer Jeff Asselin. _ – Alayne McGregor , OttawaJazzScene.ca _ ** Wednesday, November 26: Ignite! at the Canadian Museum of Nature ** Science in a fun format—at Ignite!, the museum’s Research and Collections staff present interesting facts and unusual specimens in a light-hearted way. The challenge: each has five minutes and 20 slides (15 seconds per slide) to get their points across. 7 p.m. _ – Denise Deby , Green Living Ottawa _ ** Friday-Sunday, November 21-30: Fiddler on the Roof ** A wonderful production of Fiddler on the Roof is playing at the Centrepointe Theatre! _ – Laura Gauthier _ ** Until March 22: Tool Trek with Bob the Builder and Wendy ** Take a Tool Trek through the Children’s Museum to look for construction tools like the ones Bob the Builder and Wendy use. For this construction-themed scavenger hunt, you can pick up an activity sheet at the Travel Bureau, then follow the giant clues and check off each tool as you spot it. Can you find them all? At the Children’s Museum. _ – Sara-Lynne Levine, Macaroni Kid Ottawa _ _ For more events, check out ottawastart.com/events/ … and have a great week! _