OttawaStart's Weekly Event Round-Up: March 12-18

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

** Thursday, Mar 12: redruM Comedy Night/ Avant Garde Bar’s comedy ** Open Mic Night featuring a variety of local comedians. Expect the unexpected. $5 suggested donation/pay what you can at the end of the show. _ – Rachelle Todd _ ** Thursday, March 12: The State of Public Science in Canada ** The debate is likely to get interesting at this discussion hosted by Evidence for Democracy and Carleton University’s Graduate Students’ Association. Hear from investigative reporter Mike De Souza, researcher and activist Emily Norgang and fisheries and oceans scientist Jake Rice, moderated by E4D’s Katie Gibbs. _ – Denise Deby , Green Living Ottawa _ ** Saturday-Sunday, March 14-15 (and all week): Visit a sugar bush ** Why not check out a local sugar bush? You’ll get some outdoor time (think tree tapping, walking trails and wagon rides) as well as locally-sourced maple syrup treats. Many sites are open weekdays during March Break as well as weekends. _ – Denise Deby , Green Living Ottawa _ ** Saturday, March 14: Great Bowls of Fire ** Organized by the Ottawa Guild of Potters, it has raised over $120,000 for the Ottawa Food Bank over the years. Guests can then choose to fill their bowls from among the many delicious soups supplied by some of the best restaurants in townincluding Absinthe, Thyme & Again, The Joy of Gluten Free, Wellington Gastropub, Il Primo, Chez Edgar, StoneFace Dolly’s, Side Door Kitchen, Canvas and le café @ the NAC.  Featuring music and auction. _ (Sponsored) _ ** Saturday, March 14: Chauvet: David Braid & The Penderecki String Quartet, with Mike Rud and Sienna Dahlen ** This Saturday at the NAC Fourth Stage, you can hear two Juno-winning jazz musicians perform projects particularly close to their hearts. First up is guitarist Mike Rud, with singer Sienna Dahlen, paying tribute to the city of Montreal, with song lyrics inspired by famous books and plays about the city. It was a four-year obsession for Rud to create this music, and this is the official Ottawa premiere. Next up is pianist David Braid with the Penderecki String Quartet. Braid is one of the most original jazz composers around, and the centrepiece of this concert will be “Chauvet”, inspired by 30,000-year-old cave paintings in France and Werner Herzog’s documentary about them. You can win a pair of tickets to this show at OttawaJazzScene.ca, and read interviews there about the show with both Mike Rud and David Braid. _ – Alayne McGregor , OttawaJazzScene.ca _ ** Saturday, March 14: Ottawa Day of Action to Stop Bill C-51 ** Bill C-51 is the propsed new Canadian Security bill. Saturday is a national day of action to rally, march, take direct action, spread information, write MP’s, whatever it is you think will make a difference to stop Bill C-51. Learn more and take action this Saturday. _ – Laura Gauthier _ ** Wednesday, March 18: The Sawdust Reading Series ** 7:00 pm at Pour Boy, 495 Somerset W. Featured poets & open mic; Brandon Wint & Fiona Mitchell. _ – Amanda Earl , Bywords _ ** Thursday, March 19: Senators Gameday Skate and Open Practice ** Ever wondered what it takes to make it to the NHL and stay there? Here’s your chance to find out. Esso and the Ottawa Senators are teaming up to provide fans the unique opportunity to attend a Senators gameday skate as they prepare for that evening’s game. Join your friends and family in the stands at Canadian Tire Centre as the Senators coaching staff puts the players through their paces in an assortment of high-energy drills while providing players the chance to work on their own individual skills. Starts at 10am at Canadian Tire Centre. _ – Sara-Lynne Levine, Macaroni Kid Ottawa _ ** March 21-28: Opera Lyra presents Mozart’s most exuberant comedy, The Marriage of Figaro ** Mozart’s most exuberant comedy, reimagined.  With a nod to _ Downton Abbey _ , _ The Marriage of Figaro _ is set in Edwardian England in this lavishly staged, fast-paced production. It’s a beloved, comic opera full of romance, misadventure and mistaken identity. March 21, 23, 25 & 28 in Southam Hall, National Arts Centre. _ (Sponsored) _ _ For more events, check out ottawastart.com/events/ … and have a great week! _