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June 11-17 (Ottawa)

June 10, 2026

I fell for it again.

The arrival fallacy — the quiet belief that once your child hits the next milestone, everything gets easier. Once she sleeps through the night. Once he's potty trained. Once it's summer. Once she starts walking.

Well, my youngest took her first steps this week. And I have never run so fast in a parking lot in my life.

The truth is, it's all hard. Every stage trades one hard for a new hard. And if you're a parent of older kids reading this, you're probably nodding. The best we can do is remind ourselves it's a phase and find joy in the chaos.

So let's talk about the joy — because there's a lot of it this week.

The FIFA World Cup is here — Canada is co-hosting the expanded 48-team tournament with the United States and Mexico, running June 11 to July 19. Canada opens against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 12 at 3:00 PM, and faces Qatar on June 18 at 6:00 PM. I'll be featuring World Cup events every week alongside our usual summer lineup.

Have a great week, Ottawa 🧡

What Ottawa is Talking About

⚽ Watch the World Cup in Ottawa!
Team Canada kicks off June 12 at 3:00 PM against Bosnia. Catch the action at watch parties and venues across the city — the Glebe is a great bet with spots like Glebe Central Pub, Jack Astor's Lansdowne, LOCAL Public Eatery, The Senate Tavern, Craft Beer Market, and Margaritas Latin Fusion all showing matches. Full Glebe guide here. Ontario bars and restaurants are now permitted to stay open until 4:00 AM — two hours later than usual — for the duration of the FIFA World Cup (June 11–July 19). Some venues may also open earlier for morning kickoffs. Check with your local spot to confirm their hours!

🎬 Watch the World Cup on the Big Screen — Cineplex x TSN
Cineplex has partnered with TSN to bring select FIFA World Cup 2026 matches to movie theatres across Canada — including group stage matches, knockout rounds, semi-finals, and the final. Tickets start at $9.99 CAD plus fees and may be released as close as the day of the match, so check your local Cineplex regularly. 🍁

♟️ Ottawa Youth Year-End Chess Tournament — June 20
Registration is now open for the Ottawa Youth Year-End Chess Tournament — taking place on Saturday, June 20 at the John G. Mlacak Community Centre in Kanata. A great end-of-season event for young chess players!

🌄 Hike to Sunrise with Happiness Habits 613 — June 20, 4:00 AM
Join Happiness Habits 613 for a FREE sunrise hike at King Mountain lookout in Gatineau Park — all ages, all fitness levels. Meet at P7 Gatineau Park (Kingsmere) at 4:00 AM. Headlamps mandatory! Register free at the link.

🔨 Home Depot Kids Workshop — Registration Opens June 15
Registration opens Monday, June 15 at 10:30 AM for the July 11th Kids Workshop — Build a Go Kart! Open to ages 5–12 at all Home Depot locations. Register early to secure your spot!

What to Do

Thursday, June 11 · ☀️ 32°C

Friday, June 12 · ☀️ 32°C

Saturday, June 13 · ⛅ 28°C

Sunday, June 14 · ☀️ 28°C

Monday, June 15 · ☀️ 28°C

Wednesday, June 17 · 🌦 30°C


Thanks for reading! See you back here, next week!