What to do: Poutine, shopping + more

Sunday, Oct. 18

Bundle-up in your warmest plaid clothing for the 4th annual Ottawa Plaid Parade cycle, starting at 11 a.m. at Lansdowne Park near the Aberdeen Pavilion, and headed towards the North Dalhousie area en masse where there will be a street event underway. All ages welcome. (Also, if someone is trying to convince you the plaid you are wearing is a check and you should change — *ahem* — no one at the ride cares so long as you bring a smile.)  www.xovelo.com

After burning off calories, replenish them at the Sparks Street Poutine Fest, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Free admission. www.sparkslive.com

WedCycle is a new, upcycled and handmade wedding fair.

Get something with history at the Ottawa Antique and Vintage Market is on all weekend with vendors of all kinds, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Carleton University Fieldhouse, 1125 Colonel By Dr. Tickets: $10, cash only.  www.ottawaantiqueandvintagemarket.ca

For the frugal and eco-conscious bride and groom comes WedCycle, a one-stop marketplace for upcycled, handmade, vintage and gently-used wedding and event decor — also treats from local vendors, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Glebe Community Centre. Tickets: $5 in advance, $7 at the door. www.wedcycle.com (The Ottawa Wedding Show also continues at EY Centre, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets: $13, $22/couple, $38/four. ottawaweddingshow.com)

There are at least two good reasons to go to the Old Ottawa South Fall Fest: firstly, the entire family can try an ancient Viking game; secondly, the dog can get a winter trim in support of PAWS, but there is also an obstacle course, hay bale toss, BBQ and more, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., in Windsor Park.

Get a glimpse at the past at a rare tour of the upstairs of one of Carleton Place’s oldest retail buildings, at 107 Bridge St., with the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum, 2 to 5 p.m., www.cpbheritagemuseum.com

Canadian Playboyz

There are very few tickets left for the Canadian Playboyz “Magic Mike” show, featuring men who hail from Canada’s west in a one-night only event, 9 p.m., The Rainbow Bistro. Tickets: $23.

The African Film Festival continues this weekend and next, today showing Ojuju. (2014) — using the zombie-genre to address the lack of clean drinking water in Nigeria’s over-populated slums, 7 p.m., River Building Theatre, Carleton University. With English subtitles. Tickets: $9-$13. www.cfi-icf.ca

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Monday, Oct. 19

Who will win tonight?

It’s Election Day so get out and vote — information on parties’ platforms and other pertinent information may be found at our special coverage page here: http://ottawacitizen.com/tag/election-2015.  (Any voting irregularities can be reported to Elections Canada (www.elections.ca) Also, the first 60 people who show a selfie of themselves outside a polling station get into the free Voters Only Party after 9 p.m., with live election results, at Union Local 613.

Spring bulbs are relatively apolitical for those who want to escape the election shenanigans, and Mary Ann Berlo is giving free tips for your garden, 7 p.m., hosted by Ottawa Valley Rock Garden & Horticultural Society, Westboro Masonic Hall, 430 Churchill Ave.

Country music star Paul Brandt.

Now, depending on the results and your political stripe, we have two musical suggestions:

Polaris-prize nominated, award-winning punk band KEN mode will play a loud but smart show at House of Targ, if you need to thrash out your joy— or anger, 9 p.m. Tickets: $12 at the door. spectrasonic.com

On the other hand, Canadian country stars Paul Brandt and Dean Brody are both headlining on their stop on their “road trip” tour — and we all know no one handles heartbreak like a country singer, 7 p.m., Canadian Tire Centre. Tickets: $29.50-$79.50. canadiantirecentre.ca

So far, we’ve found five different Election night parties in town:

• CUSA is holding an election-watching shindig at Oliver’s starting at noon, Carleton University campus
• uOttawa, not do be outdone, is holding a bilingual event at Café Nostalgica from 8 p.m.
• The Canadian International Council is hosting a non-partisan event at Sens House from 8 p.m. — suggesting people drink every time Mulcair says “Canadian values,” Harper says “Let’s be clear” and Trudeau refers to the middle-class, 73 York St.
• Share Freehouse is also hosting an event from 9 p.m. — but promsie some screens will carry the Jays game
• Union Local 613 will let the first 80 people with a selfies at the polling stations for food and election results from 9 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 20

It’s Small Business week at the Ottawa Public Library main branch where free seminars are on offer,  including Engaging your Employees (6:30 p.m. today), Google Analytics, setting up online stores and more. Register at business@biblioottawalibrary.ca. / biblioottawalibrary.ca

For something very different, Stevie Starr, professional regurgitator and finalist on America’s Got Talent, is worried that he is the last of his kind of variety performer, which is surprising because who would not want to swallow tacks, lighter fluid, live fish — and then bring them back up, 9 p.m., Algonquin Commons Theatre. (He is also quite charming.)  Tickets: $5, free for students.

Tales of revenge, blood and thievery from Northern Ontario — past and present — are the fodder for “bloodgrass” band Murder Murder, chroniclers of one of Canada’s brutal frontiers with a lively fiddle, 8 p.m., The Rainbow, 76 Murray St. Tickets: $12 in advance, $15 at the door. therainbow.ca

Wednesday, Oct. 21

Pull out the red puffy vests for the Back to the Future welcome party.

Will Doc and Marty return? The date was Wed., Oct. 21, 2015 at 10 p.m., on the DeLorean time console in the original Back to the Future movie and Zaphod Beeblebrox is throwing an 80’s party to welcome them back  (because, obviously you’ll be having so much fun they would land in the original California, feel the joyful vibrations from Zaphod’s and pop right over… ), 10 p.m. There will also be costume prizes, trivia and more themed festivities. Tickets: $5 in advance. zaphods.ca

The Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God runs Oct. 21 to Nov. 7 at the NAC.

The Adventures of a Black Girl in Search of God explores the history of Canadian Black communities and personal grief using African storytelling traditions, including song, in this award-winning play that comes to the NAC after a triumphant run at Montreal’s Centaur Theatre, 7:30 p.m. Tickets: From $25. nac-cna.ca

Bring your gently-used clothing, shoes and accessories to the Swap ‘Til You Drop, family-friendly, gender-bending event with music from Queer Mafia, 6:30 p.m., AIDS Committee of Ottawa, 19 Main St. www.thequeermafia.com

Giller Prize winner and engaging public speaker author Joseph Boyd (Through Black Spruce, Three Day Road and The Orenda) will discuss his creative process and journey as an artist in a free public event, 7 p.m., Kailash Mital Theatre, Carleton University. carleton.ca

Thursday, Oct. 22

Ballet Jorgen dancers Saniya Abilmajineva and Daniel Da Silva perform Sleeping Beauty for one night only.

Ballet Jorgen performs Tchaikovsky’s ballet Sleeping Beauty with Aurora in a family-friendly (ages 8 and up) story of enduring love, for one night only, 7:30 p.m., Centrepointe Theatres. Tickets: $40-$53. centrepointetheatres.com

Egodeath performs Stephen & Me.

For the second “weekend,” Fresh Meat 4 theatre festival brings the newest, least-smelly, most delicious original 20-minute performances by local performers, invited to push the concept of theatre to its limits. This time, it includes full-audience participation in Tolerance,  and another about a 25-year-old woman who falls in love with Stephen Harper — without meeting. Five performances are shown in rotation each evening, starting at 8 p.m., Arts Court, 2 Daly Ave. Tickets: $20-$25. www.freshmeatfest.com

Your questions and concerns about the Gatineau Park, Greenbelt and urban lands will be heard as researchers and scientists reveal some of their findings at a public meeting, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., NCC Headquarters, 40 Elgin St. Register to attend at www.ncc-ccn.gc.ca

Then, expect humour and very frank songs about sex as  agent-provocateur,  multi award-winning musician and Rough Trade member Carole Pope plays at Zaphod’s as part of her Up Close and Personal tour, on the heels of  the re-release of her album Music for Lesbians, Oct. 22, 9 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 23

World War Women exhibit opens today.

It’s a day for women:

The World War Women exhibit opens at the Canadian War Museum, examining how the lives of Canadian women were transformed in World Wars I and II as they took on new roles. Most arrestingly, women who were affected by the wars will share their personal stories one-on-one with visitors, depending on their availability, throughout the exhibit until March. warmuseum.ca

We can stay in the 1940’s with Rosie and the Riveters, an emerging all-woman quartet from the prairies who write vintage-themed originals and cover favourites with “sass,” 7:30 p.m., LIVE on Elgin, 220 Elgin St. (they’re about to release their debut album, Good Clean Fun.) Tickets: $10 in advance, $12 at the door. www.liveonelgin.com

Billy Connolly is back in Ottawa.

The off-Broadway hit Girls Night: The Musical, best described as Desperate Housewives meets Mama Mia!, encourages audience dancing and sing-alongs to popular hits, 8:30 p.m, Centrepointe Theatres. Tickets: $49.50 centrepointetheatres.com

Incorrigible British comedian Billy Connolly‘s show at the NAC tonight is sold out — but we are told some tickets may be released for sale at different times this week — so keep checking this link: ticketmaster.ca

Continuing with the incomparable, comedic show Puppetry of the Penis has two Australian men do “dick tricks” — manipulate their genitalia into shapes, landmarks and objects, with a camera projecting the detail so all in the audience can see, 7 p.m., Algonquin Commons Theatre. Cringeworthy? Fascinating? You tell us. (Obviously an adult-only show with non-sexual, full-frontal male nudity.) Tickets: $30-$48.50.

Rolf Klausener’s musical project The Acorn’s latest EP, Vieux Loup, is a series of electro-informed, acoustic folk-pop beauties and they’re playing them live at The Black Sheep Inn — *and* have arranged a party bus from Babylon club at 7:30 p.m. with limited seating (obviously). theblacksheepinn.com

Rock-blues duo The Standstills make lots of claims on their website — built the pyramids, drank absinthe with Van Gogh, fed pigeons with Tesla — and we doubt them all but are still amazed the two of them alone are able to produce such arena-worthy, rock anthems , 10 p.m., House of Targ. Tickets: $10. spectrasonic.com

For some contemporary jazz, the Artie Roth Quartet is touring in support of its latest record, Discern, 7:30 p.m., GigSpace. Tickets: $20. gigspaceottawa.com

Saturday, Oct. 24

Who will you run into at the Mayors trick-or-treat party.

Join Mayor Jim Watson 9th annual Halloween gathering (a bit early…) with costumed characters handing out treats, a witches’ den to explore, pumpkin decorating and more for the entire family, in support of the Ottawa Food Bank’s Baby Supply Cupboard, 4 to 7 p.m., City Hall. Admission: non-perishable baby supply item. ottawa.ca

Carlington Park has long been a popular snowboard and toboggan hill.

All are welcome at the Community Crafting day, where treats will be tried, friends will be made and decorations will be created for the Urban Market’s event the following weekend, 11 a.m. West End Well Co-op. www.urbancraftmarket.com

Be determined to enjoy winter and get some snow gear at the Ski, Snowboard and Travel show (oh, wait, this means one can book a trip away from the cold …), 10 a.m. to 5 p.m, EY Centre. Free admission. ottawaskishow.com

Trick or Treat to a Wicked Beat is a kid-friendly, bilingual, musical event with dancers from the School of Dance and the NAC Orchestra, 1:30and 3:30 p.m., NAC Southam Hall. Tickets: From $23. nac-cna.ca

Musicians will be playing on their stoops in Hintonburg at the Ottawa Porchest, 1 to 4 p.m., with family-friendly, acoustic/unplugged performances. (Got a porch to share with a musician? Let them know.) www.ottawaporchfest.ca

Award-winning comedian Debra DiGiovanni (Last Comic Standing, Video On Trial, The Debaters, Match Game) joins “best friend” Darcy Michael (Just for Laughs, The Debaters) on two-city tour, with Ottawa as the other stop, 8 p.m., Ottawa Little Theatre. Tickets: $30. www.ottawalittletheatre.com

The 24^th Street Wailers bring their funky, blues rock party informed by early 50’s music to The Rainbow, so wear your dancing shoes, 10 p.m. Tickets: $12 in advance, $15 at the door. http://the24thstreetwailers.com 

Submit event information to kendemann@ottawacitizen.com, by 8 a.m. Monday, two weeks before the event. Photos are welcome.