OttawaStart Weekly Event Round-Up: Hip Hop Karaoke, Babes4Breasts, Enriched Bread Artists Open Studio, more...

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_ Here are our contributors' picks for the best local events in Ottawa this week. You can bookmark this link for easy access: http://ottawastart.com/weekly _

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_ _ Welcome to our newest contributor, Sami Elkout . He’s a local breakdancer and operates Flavor Factory Urban Dance School .  He teaches dance classes to students of all ages and trains with his professional performance group “The BreadCrumbs Crew”. Welcome aboard Sami. _

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** ** Thursday, October 18: Hip Hop Karaoke **

If you love hip hop music and karaoke, head over to Babylon this Thursday, October 18 for the monthly edition of Hip Hop Karaoke with DJ So Nice and Atherton. The two hosts promise a night of fun with this twist on traditional karaoke that steps away from the conventional “mom n’ pop video screen bouncy ball read-a-long half-assed last-minute-plan-with-your-girlfriends-in-korea-town karaoke jam”. If you think you got what it takes to rap along to your favourite hip hop song, sign up for this Thursday!

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Eliane Laberge , blogger _

** Thursday, October 18: Frontier College Scrabble Fundraiser for Literacy **

Two things I love are Scrabble & reading. this sounds like loads of fun. 6:30pm at the Ottawa Public Library Rideau Branch (377 Rideau Street). $10 minimum donation to play.

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Amanda Earl , poet & publisher _

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** ** Thursday, October 18: The Reel Food Film Festival **

It’s food for the mind: the Reel Food Film Festival brings two UK documentaries to the Ottawa Public Library. The first, _ Rebecca’s Wild Farm _ , is about the filmmaker’s return to her family farm to learn how to grow food naturally, without fossil fuels. The second, _ Seeds of Freedom _ , tells the story of how seed diversity has been lost with large-scale industrial agriculture, and suggests some alternative approaches. 6:30 pm; free admission ($5 suggested donation).

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Denise Deby , Green Living Ottawa _

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** ** Thursday, October 18: Enriched Bread Artists 20th Annual Open Studio (Opening Night) **

The Enriched Bread Artists are a group of local visual artists who have studios inside an old bakery on Gladstone Ave. It’s a hive of creativity and over 20 artists are participating in this year’s edition of the annual open house. Continues all weekend and next weekend too.

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Glen Gower , Editor/Owner of OttawaStart.com _

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** ** Friday, October 19: Timekode ** At Eri Cafe (953 Somerset W.) 10pm - 2am. Ottawa’s Sweatiest Funkiest dance party. Good music good vibes and great dancing! This is a must do for anyone who enjoys music and dancing, but doesnt like the typical “Top 40” music being played at the other clubs.

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Sami Elkout , owner of Flavor Factory _

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** ** Friday, October 19: Free Costume Swap Day **

Swap an old costume for a new one! Fun and free! 6:00pm-8:00pm at 4Cats Arts Studio (1107 Wellington St. West. Bring your CLEAN costume to the studio by Wednesday, Oct. 17 so they can sort them for easy swapping on Oct. 19!!

_ – Sara-Lynne Levine, Ottawa Capital Region Macaroni Kid _

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** ** Saturday, October 20: Babes 4 Breasts Benefit Concert ** This annual concert at St. Brigid’s Centre for the Arts is always a fantastic group of talented musicians raising money for a great cause. The line-up this year includes

Suzie Vinnick , Ann Vriend , Robyn Dell’Unto , Amanda Rheaume , and Ana Miura .

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** ** Saturday, October 20: Dragonette **

The electro-pop group Dragonette will be live in concert at Babylon this Saturday, October 20. The trio from Toronto will be performing alongside Data Romance and the electronic world beat trio Young Empires. If you love electronic music, you definitely want to check out this show!

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Eliane Laberge _

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** ** Saturday, October 20: Fight Night Battle of the Beats **

At 145 Spruce St.  Timekode Dj’s VS. Ceremony DJ’s in this no holds barred DJ battle! Come check out this event being held in a boxing ring to raise money for the Boys and Girls Club. This is a great show pitting two of Ottawa Dj companies against each other in this battle.

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Sami Elkout _

** Tuesday, October 23: Oliver Jones **

The jazz legend plays Shenkman Arts Centre at 8pm.  Jones is right up there next to Oscar Peterson as one of Canada’s great jazz pianists.  At 6:30 there’s also ticketed pre-show meet-and-greet event with Jones and chef Marc Miron.

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Glen Gower _

** Monday, October 22: Public Opening day for Gezellig **

This is Stephen Beckta’s new Westboro restaurant, right on the corner of Churchill and Richmond. I’m excited about it not just because it’s going to be yet another tasty eatery within walking distance (important because wine is always a big part of the Beckta experience), but because I absolutely love the name Gezellig. What does it mean? How do you pronounce it? Well, as it turns out, the Dutch Ambassador is here to help .

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Dennis Van Staalduinen , blogger & community activist _

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** ** Wednesday, October 24: The Misses Satchmo at Les Brasseurs du Temps **

The Misses Satchmo – led by a woman trumpeter and woman vocalist – are inspired by Louis Armstrong and breathe new life into his songbook and other New Orleans-influenced jazz. And they bring back the days more than 50 years ago, when a club in old Hull, very close to where the BDT is now, used to showcase jazz greats like Armstrong and Duke Ellington.

_ – Alayne McGregor, OttawaJazzScene.ca _

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** ** Have a great week! **

** See also: ** Ottawa Events Guide

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