OttawaStart's Weekly Event Round-up: 67's, Park(ing) Day, Nuit Blanche, Can-Con 2012, Geek Trivia, more...

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_ Here are our contributors' picks for the best local events in Ottawa this week. Welcome to our newest contributor, Dennis Van Staalduinen , a local blogger, marketer, singer and community activist. You can bookmark this link for easy access: http://ottawastart.com/weekly _

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** Thursday, September 20: Polaris Short List Salon **

If you’re a bit of a music geek like me, I would love it if you came to the Mercury Lounge on Thursday evening from 7-10 p.m. Myself, Alan Neal from CBC Radio, and Guillame Moffat from Voir will be debating the 10 finalists for the Polaris Music Prize . It’s free and there will be prizes! It will be interactive, so we’ll want to hear from you too. Come down and say hi. It should be a fun, music-filled night.

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** ** Thursday, September 20: Ottawa 67’s Home Opener at Scotiabank Place **

Due to construction at Lansdowne Park, the Ottawa 67’s are moving into Scotiabank Place for the next couple of seasons. Their home opener is on Thursday night at 7:00pm against the Barrie Colts. There’s a special offer of a free child’s ticket with the purchase of an adult ticket if you click here and use the promo code “HockeysBack”.

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** ** Thursday-Sunday, September 20-23: Carp Fair **

For 149 years the Carp Fair has been a mainstay of the farming and fun-seeking Canadian culture. The shows, classes and displays from agriculture to homecraft are mainstays of the fair that generations have come to love. And, as always there is a ton of attractions for fairgoers of all ages. With entertainment such as Cheap Trick, Doc Walker, George Fox and Carol Baker, there is something for everyone.

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** ** Friday, September 21: Park(ing) Day

** Keep your eyes open for unusual sights on Friday, which is International Park(ing) Day. In downtown Gatineau, selected parking spots will transform into pop-up parks, bistros and other fun, participatory sites . In Ottawa, Park_ingOttawa is crowdsourcing ideas for creative uses of urban spaces that are normally occupied by parked cars. (If you’re inspired, join the community bike ride on Saturday, World Carfree Day .)

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** ** Friday, September 21: Gatineau Festival of World Cultures / Festival des Cultures du Monde de Gatineau **

This Friday, September 21, head over to Gatineau for the city’s Festival of World Cultures previously known as Festival Molokai. This 3-day festival, now in its 5th year, offers FREE shows and exhibitions for all. Highlights this year include performances by comedian Boucar Diouf, musician Elage Mbaye and singer-songwriter Lynda Thalie.

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** ** F ** ** riday, September 21: GNAG Movie Night - Tangled **

I love movie nights, and I love things that are free. This has both! 7:00pm at the Glebe Community Centre (175 Third Avenue).

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

** Friday-Sunday, September 21-23: [ Can-Con 2012

](http://www.can-con.org/)

** The Conference on Canadian Content in Speculative Arts and Literature; theme: cutting edge of science fiction and fantasy is at the Best Western Hotel Plus Ottawa/Kanata Hotel and Conference Centre.

Including one of Canada’s only fully Nerdlesque Troupes, the musician Elizabeth Bruce, artist Tom Fowler, CBC Radio’s Alan Neal, the playright Hayden Trenholm, local writers Kate Heartfield, Marie Bilodeau, Sean Moreland and Kristopher Waddell, the editor-in-chief of Mirror Comics.

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** ** Saturday, September 22: Nuit Blanche Ottawa **

I’m looking forward to spend a sleepless night in the Byward Zone in honour of Ottawa’s first “Nuit Blanche” event! Street performances and art experiments will be all over the area.

_ (also recommended by Eliane Laberge ) _

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** ** Saturday, September 22: Soul Jazz Orchestra – Album Release Party at Babylon ** ** [

](http://www.babylonclub.ca/?p=1370)

** So I gotta admit, I’ve only heard SouljazzOrchestra.com/ online, and they’re an Ottawa band. So shame on me. But from what I’ve heard, I’m seriously impressed. It’s brass-heavy, rhythmic, jazzy soul stuff that will give you geographic whiplash if you try to pin down to any one genre (think James Brown’s horn section jamming with Bob Marley, the Mighty Popo, and the Shuffle Demons). I love playing this in the background while I work because it keeps my fingers moving, so I figure it should do the same to your groove-thang. Here they are live in Paris with Mista President.

_ (also recommended by Alayne McGregor ) _

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** ** Saturday & Sunday, September 22 & 23: West End Studio Tour **

Sixteen artists from the Westboro/Wellington West area open their studios to the public for this annual art tour. Come visit local artists as they display and sell their latest works with many being in walking distance from each other. Tour maps can be found at local shops and businesses or online at www.westendstudiotour.ca

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** ** Sunday, September 23: Kevin Mathieson’s Pizza Night **

Every so often talented baker and former pastry chef Kevin Mathieson opens up his successful Art-Is-In bakery for pizza nights. Located in a converted industrial space (#112) at the City Centre (250 City Centre Avenue), he and his staff bake flabreads. They serve wine and beer. There is live music. This coming Sunday, September 23rd, from 5 pm until 9:30 pm is one of those nights. Rommel & Phillippe and Uncle jam trio will perform.

_ – Don from foodieprints _

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** ** Monday, September 24: Geek Trivia **

Gear-up for a gruelling gambit that tests the grey matter of geeky guys and gals for glory and gratification. Prepare for prolonged pontification on poignant problems from the people’s popular past-times. Err…basically test your knowledge of all things geeky in this fun filled trivia with prizes for first place! It’s free, but donations are welcome for the Alternative Learning Styles and Outlooks .

** Have a great week! **

** See also: ** Ottawa Events Guide

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