OttawaStart's Weekly Event Round-Up: February 5-11

_ Our crowdsourced list of the best events in Ottawa this week. You can find even more events on our Ottawa Event Calendar . _

** February 6-8: Second Weekend of Winterlude ** Highlights include snow and ice sculptures, Canadian sports and comedy.  Plus skating on the Rideau Canal, of course. _ – Glen Gower _ ** Thursday-Saturday, February 5-7: Cracking-Up the Capital ** The annual comedy festival that supports mental health continues this week. On Friday, catch the free improv show or the evening of québécois comedians hosted by Derek Séguin. Don’t miss the Festival Finale on Saturday : it features Mary Walsh, Jon Dore, Mike MacDonald, Derek Seguin, Johnny “Bagpipes” Johnston, Dave Hemstad and Eman el-Hussieni. (Thursday’s show with This Hour has 22 Minutes is sold out, but they’ll be around on Saturday evening to receive a Comedy Icons Award.) _ – Denise Deby , Green Living Ottawa _ **

Thursday, February 5:
[
 MEGAPHONO MELTDOWN
](https://www.facebook.com/events/839389732793598)

**

As part of the very first MEGAPHONO showcase festival, Eventful Capital is proud to present the official closing party, the MEGAPHONO MELTDOWN, happening at Mercury Lounge this Thursday night with hip-hop heavyweights Flight Distance, rap newcomers KingsCollege, electro-pop supergroup The PepTides, Franco artist FLO, and DJ Zattar of the famed Timekode parties. A guaranteed good time!

_ – Eliane Laberge, Eventful Capital _ **

Thursday, February 5:
[
 RESOLUTION 2015
](https://www.facebook.com/events/767381226630874/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming)

**

SAW Video’s members are a vital part of Ottawa-Gatineau’s media arts community. This Thursday night at the Mayfair Theatre, their talent is being celebrated with the 2015 edition of Resolution, SAW Video’s annual screening of new members’ work. This eclectic event showcases Ottawa’s vibrant filmmaking scene with something for everyone, including drama, documentary, animation and experimental video art.

_ – Eliane Laberge, Eventful Capital _ ** Friday, February 6: Stew and Stories ** The Chateau Lafayette will be hosting a night of Stew and Stories on Feb. 6th from 6-9PM! They are inviting local story tellers, poets, and performers to write or perform a piece about winter in the nations capital, past or present, and perform it for a live Lafayette audience. A free bowl of stew and bread will be served by none other than the winners of the 2014 Fan Fav of Winterlude Stew Cook-off, The SmoQue Shack !! The show is FREE, the stew is FREE but they ask you to help spread the warmth this winter by bringing a pair of warm socks or mitts to donate to The Salvation Army and Ottawa Mission for folks in need. _ – Laura Gauthier _ **

Friday-Saturday, February 6-7:
[
 In The Dead Of Winter Festival
](http://www.inthedeadofwinter.com/)

** Halifax’s In the Dead of Winter Music Festival, which has been having a Wakefield edition since 2009, is once again being held at the Blacksheep Inn from February 6 to 8. Giving centre stage to acoustic music, this year’s instalment will feature live performances by Spencer Burton, Kalle Mattson, Laurent Bourque, Folly & The Hunter, Amos The Transparent and Breagh MacKinnon. _ – Eliane Laberge, Eventful Capita _ ** Friday-Sunday, February 6-8: Snowshoe Hikes **

Explore the outdoors on guided hikes in Gatineau Park. On Friday evening,

Snowshoe Under the Stars

and see how plants and animals survive the winter. On Saturday or Sunday, try

Animal Tracking on Snowshoes

. Snowshoes available if you don’t have your own.

_ – Denise Deby , Green Living Ottawa _ **

Saturday, February 7:
[
 Art Battle Ottawa
](https://www.facebook.com/events/830615130337414/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming)

**

For the art lovers out there, the monthly Art Battle Ottawa is taking place this Saturday at the Orpheus Musical Theatre. This unique concept organized across Canadian cities, brings 12 local painters together for a live painting competition. An annual National Championship eventually goes down in the summer to crown the top Canadian painter of the year.

_ – Eliane Laberge, Eventful Capital _ ** Saturday, February 7: Ice Sculptors at work, take 2! ** The Bytown Museum’s second annual ice carving demonstration by the Canadian Ice Carvers Society takes place at the museum this Saturday from noon to 3pm. The winning design chosen by their Facebook fans will be brought to life in ice. While you’re there, you can join them inside, too, for more activities and hot drinks! Admission to the museum is $2/person, which includes all activities. _ – Gordon Dewis _ ** Saturday, February 7: kick IT a dance club for kids ** A hoppin’ afternoon dance club for four to ten year olds – a place where kids can let loose and show off their movesor even learn new ones from our enthusiastic in-house dance crew.Kids are free to get creative on the dance floor with the bangin’ beats and get crazy in the photobooth.While your kids are bustin’ their moves. Feel free to visit the Big Kids Coffee Bar where there are tasty treats for all ages. Or better yet – join them on the dance floor and show ‘em what you’ve got! 2:00pm at Centrepointe Theatre. _ – Sara-Lynne Levine, Macaroni Kid Ottawa _ ** Saturday, February 7: Mark Valcour memorial concert at The Dominion ** Mark Valcour was known to every Carleton University student from the past 20 years and those who took radio broadcasting at Algonquin. But perhaps you knew him as that guy doing sound at shows around town, often at the Dominion Tavern. He knew music and how to make it sounds great in a live setting. But most importantly, he was a great dude. There will be a memorial concert featuring The Band Whose Name Is A Symbol, Steve Fai from the Black Boot Trio, and Lonesome Paul this Saturday at the Dominion Tavern. There’s no better venue for sending Mark off to work that big sound board in the sky. _ – Ryan Bresee , CKCU’s Whatever’s Cool With Me _ ** Saturday, February 7: The Factory Reading Series Presents Vivian Vavassis, Amanda Earl, Waubgeshig Rice, Shalan Joudry ** The Carleton Tavern, 223 Armstrong, UPSTAIRS, a free event for those who’d like to warm up with a free night of poetry and stories whilst imbibing of some fine libations. _ – Amanda Earl , Bywords
_ ** Saturday, February 8: Steve Boudreau and Friends: 88 Keys Fundraiser at GigSpace ** GigSpace is an intimate, non-profit concert space in Hintonburg that hits well above its weight class, especially in terms of the quality of jazz concerts presented there. It’s currently running an “88 Keys” campaign to buy its own grand piano, to replace the one it has on loan. Three highly acclaimed Ottawa jazz pianists – Steve Boudreau, Mark Ferguson, and Clayton Connell – have teamed up for a fundraising concert Saturday, showing off their different styles and doubling on several instruments, in an accomplished mixture of jazz standards and originals. Seating is limited. _ – Alayne McGregor , OttawaJazzScene.ca _ ** Wednesday, February 11: ** ** Don’t Quit Your Day Job ** Back by popular demand, Don’t Quit Your Day Job returns to the National Arts Centre’s 4th Stage on February 11, 2015. Join Canada’s Magnetic North Theatre Festival for our signature cabaret fundraiser as local Ottawa personalities give up their day jobs to reveal a hidden talent on-stage. _ (Sponsored) _ ** Friday-Sunday, February 13-15: Beaver Cup Pond Hockey Championship ** Who’s up to play some ole time pond hockey? Fun, Fast, Full Throttle 4 on 4 Pond Hockey Championship at Winterlude on the World Famous Rideau Canal at Dow’s Lake. _ (Sponsored) _ ** Until Saturday, February 14 - Valentine’s For Vets ** Show veterans your gratitude for their sacrifices and achievements in serving our country. Create a hand-made valentine and help bring joy to a Canadian veteran this Valentine’s Day.Veterans Affairs Canada distributes the valentines to veterans in long-term care facilities across the country in time for February 14. At the Canadian War Museum. _ – Sara-Lynne Levine, Macaroni Kid Ottawa _ ** Until February 28: SPAO Symposium and Exhibitions: The Shrinking World of Photograph ** Make sure to check out this amazing collection of photographs by an international roster of artists, curators, and academics centred at SPAO on January 22–February 28 for The Shrinking World of Photography. All programming at SPAO will be free of charge and open to the public.Check out the website for specific events and talks related to the exhibit. _ – Laura Gauthier _ _ For more events, check out ottawastart.com/events/ … and have a great week! _