MAX Ottawa

The Iron Cabaret Presents: Angels and Demons
2025-10-18 19:00 - 22:30 (America/Toronto) | Gladstone Theatre, 910 Gladstone Ave., Ottawa, Ontario, K1R6Y4, Canada
Halloween is a special time of the year when the Iron Cabaret gets together and celebrates all the things that go Bump in the Night. Whether it is soaring aerials, titillating pole dance, sultry burlesque or thrilling Heels Dance, prepare to have your breath taken and your mind blown.

This Halloween, step into a world where heaven and hell collide. “Angels & Demons” is The Iron Cabaret’s most decadent and daring show yet—a night of divine seduction and devilish delight.

Whether you crave the light or long for the dark, this night is your invitation to indulge in both. Our performers will tempt, tease, and transform, blurring the line between the wicked and the holy.

Dare to enter? Good. Because some angels fall—and some demons rise.

Accessibility: The Gladstone Theater is fully accessible for those with mobility considerations.

Viewer Discretion Disclaimer: This is an adult Halloween show. There will be simulated blood, gore, etc. There will also certainly be scenes of violence.

Queers at the Arboretum
2025-10-19 13:45 - 16:00 | Dominion Arboretum, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0C6, Canada
Meetup date & time:Sunday, October 19th at 1:45pm. The walk will start at 2pm.

Meetup location:We will walk around the Dominion Arboretum. At 1:45pm, there will be a group waiting in front of the naval base near the Naval Reserve Monument/Memorial (the large anchor). This location is quite close to the Line 2 LRT (Dows Lake stop) and the 85 Lees/Bayshore bus stops. The public washroom in the Dows Lake Pavillion is nearby. Please reach out if you need clarification on the meetup location.

Registration:We will reschedule in the event of moderate to heavy rain. Register on Eventbrite to be notified about changes, or check this page before leaving.

Accessibility Notes:If you’re unsure whether this walk will be accessible to you, please inform us of your accessibility needs. Many of the paths are wide and paved, but some are gravel paths. Many paths are sloped as the Arboretum is on a hill. There are several benches along the paths to stop and take a break. Dogs on leashes are allowed.

Sunday Afternoon Bear Walk
2025-10-19 14:30 - 15:40, 2025-10-26 14:30 - 15:40 | Ottawa / Gatineau Pathways, Ottawa, Canada
Join other gay and bisexual men (including gay and bi transmen) for a one hour walk every Sunday at 2:30pm. Locations vary each week and are posted to the website through the link below.

Karaoke Night
2025-10-19 20:00 - 23:00, 2025-10-23 20:00 - 23:00, 2025-10-26 20:00 - 23:00 | T’s, 323 Somerset Street West, Ottawa, ON, 2P 0J8, Canada
Karaoke with fellow Queers hosted by Jolene.

CANFAR Ottawa Legacy Project – STILL HERE Screening
2025-10-20 18:00 - 20:30 | Cineplex Cinemas Lansdowne and VIP, 325 Marché Way Unit 107, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5V1, Canada
Join us for the premiere of CANFAR’s first documentary short, Still Here – A Portrait of HIV & Aging, at Cineplex Lansdowne & VIP on Monday, October 20, 2025. This documentary features the first-hand lived experiences of Billy Newton-Davis, Jade Elektra, and Trevor Stratton – all of whom have been living with HIV for over 35 years.

Time: Reception at 6pm, Screening at 7pm

Location: Cineplex Cinemas Lansdowne & VIP (325 Marché Way, Unit 107)

Access to VIP theatres is restricted to individuals who are legal drinking age. This location is wheelchair accessible, and equipped with assisted listening devices.

5-Pin Bowling
2025-10-20 18:30 - 20:00, 2025-10-27 18:30 - 20:00 | West Park Lanes, 1205 Wellington St. W, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y 2Z8, Canada
EVERYONE is welcome (please bring your friends!) to join us for a fun evening of 5-pin bowling at the West Park Lanes bowling alley at 1205 Wellington Street West. We play two games. The cost is $10.00, including shoe rental. It’s quite informal. You don’t have to join a team, just show up at West Park Lanes. Please come to the lanes early—at least 15 minutes early.

Halloween Queerspora
2025-10-21 17:00 - 20:00 | AIDS Committee of Ottawa, 19 Main St., Ottawa, Ontario, K1S1A9, Canada
Celebrate Halloween with our community! We’re teaming up with the AIDS Committee of Ottawa, United in Pride, and Capital Rainbow Refuge to organize a spooktacular Halloween celebration for queer newcomers and BIPOC people.

Join us at the ACO for an evening of pumpkin carving, good company, and a delicious meal. Spots are limited so make sure to register in advance through the form below!

Northern Lights Refuge 5th Annual Fundraiser
2025-10-21 17:00 - 21:30 | La Dolce Vita, 180 Preston St., Ottawa, Ontario, K1R 7P9, Canada
Northern Lights Refuge (NLR) is delighted to announce that we will once again partner with Preston Street’s La Dolce Vita Ristorante for a fundraising dinner on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, to support LGBTQ+ refugees.Indulge in delectable Italian cuisine while contributing to our worthy cause. La Dolce Vita will generously donate 20% of the evening’s food sales to our sponsorship efforts!Guests can choose from four delicious table d’hôte menus thoughtfully selected for this occasion:Menu A – $40.00~ Caesar Salad 🥗~ Lasagna 🍝~ Tiramisu 🍮Menu B – $45.00~ Caprese Salad 🥗~ Vegetable Linguine 🍝~ New York Cheesecake 🍰Menu C – $50.00~ Stuffed Mushrooms 🍄‍🟫~ Spicy Rigatoni with Fennel Sausage 🍝~ Crème Brûlée 🍮Menu D – $50.00~ Pan-Fried Jumbo Shrimp 🦐~ Butter Sage Gnocchi 🍝~ Tiramisu 🥮All menu items can be prepared gluten-free.La Dolce Vita Preston offers two seating options for reservations: For the first seating, please book between 5:00 PM and 5:30 PM. For the second seating, please book between 7:15 PM and 7:30 PM.

To make a reservation at La Dolce Vita Preston, please contact info@ladolcevitapreston.com. Be sure to mention your preferred seating time, menu selection, and any special dietary needs when making your reservation.

Frontrunners
2025-10-21 18:30 - 20:00, 2025-10-25 09:00 - 11:30 | Ontario
A running and walking club for 2SLGBTQ+ community and friends in the National Capital Region, meeting Tuesday nights, Friday nights, and Saturday mornings (09:00 (spring, summer, fall); 09:30 (winter; from the first Saturday of December to the last Saturday of March)) at 111 Lisgar Street, the rear entrance of City Hall.

Runs are held:

Tuesdays at 6:30 pm, after which we go for coffee (Routes)

Saturdays at 9:00 am (9:30 am from the first Saturday of December to the last Saturday of March inclusive), followed by breakfast (Routes)

Women’s 5km run

Fridays at 5:00 pm

This event is open to all who identify as women, female-identifying, non-binary, and Two-Spirit individuals

For more details, please email wmns@ottawafrontrunners.org

NOTICE: 2025 Gatineau runs — Saturdays, 10 May, 14 June, 12 July, 9 August, 13 September, and 11 October.

Cancellation of runs are rare, only owing to holidays and hazardous weather. When runs are cancelled, we post a notice on the site linked below and send an e-mail to members.

Sexual Bereavement - Queer Death Salon
2025-10-21 19:00 - 20:30 | https://maxottawa.ca/list/sexual-bereavement-queer-death-salon/
Let’s gather and engage with our questions and feelings about:

sex after the death of a loved one. -the disenfranchised grief of polyamorous and kinky relational loss

how pleasure and erotic energy can support our mourning

changes in desire as death approaches for ourselves or a loved one

cultural expectations of how a widow should act and our internalized stories about that

anything sex/pleasure and bereavement related

No question is too taboo.

Jess will invite folks to participate in embodiment exercises, freewrite and consider the ways they want to be in relationship to their sexual expression within their (anticipatory) grief.

Jess DeVries is a queer somatic sex coach and grief worker. She primarily serves the queer/trans community supporting folks in reclaiming body autonomy and to inspire curiosity about pleasure and sexual expression, guiding folks to define and pursue pleasure on their own terms. She is a grief advocate who regularly facilitates spaces for people to grieve, inviting the wisdom of the body to guide the grief process. Within the realms of grief, she has trained with Being Here, Human – as well as – Shauna Janz of Sacred Grief. Her grief work is held by connections to her ancestors, mugwort, hawthorne, rose, connection to her pussy, and many many tears.

Within the realms of pleasure and embodiment, she has trained in Somatic Sex Education and Sexological Bodywork at the ISSSE – as well as – the Somatica Method with the Somatica Institute. Her pleasure work is held by delighting in sights, smells, and tastes, a dirty imagination, and sharing touch with human and non-human kin.

Jess provides 1:1 sessions online or by phone. She also facilitates workshops, grief circles, and rituals online for queer folks, ex-Christians, and Covid realist communities.

The Rocky Horror Drag Show
2025-10-21 20:00 - 23:30 | The Lookout Bar, 41 York Street, 2nd Floor, Ottawa, ON, K1N 5S7, Canada
This cult classic has brought queer communities together for over 50 YEARS!! Join these creatures of the night in a dragged up Rocky Horror Picture Show themed night hosted by Lady Justice! Portraying all the characters of the movie – this cast will bring you your favourite scenes, every song in the soundtrack and more surprises to come. Enter at your own risk…Do you have a favourite character? It’s tradition to show up dressed in your best Rocky horror cosplay. Are you a virgin? Even better…

Cast: Lady as Frank N. Furter, Shebiscuit as Usherette, Caligula as Brad Majors, Opal Essence as Janet Weiss, Axel Lightning as Riff Raff, Karen Ligays as Magenta, Anni Elation as Columbia, Peter Packer as Rocky, Rip Em as Eddie, Miss Diagnosis as Dr. Scott, Vex Scandal as The Criminologist.

Doors at 7pm, showtime at 8pm. Guests are encouraged to arrive early to ensure preferred seating, as some tickets may be standing.

Refund requests will not be accepted within 48 hours of showtime. Performer lineup subject to change. All Lookout programming is 19+.

Ottawa International Writers Festival
2025-10-22 00:00 - 2025-10-26 23:59 | Library and Archives Canada, 395 Wellington St., Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0J1, Canada
Queer events in this fall’s Ottawa International Writers Festival

What Dreams May Come True

Thursday, October 23 at 8:00PM

Featuring Mona Awad and Sara Peters

More details

One Life to Live

Friday, October 23 at 6:30PM

Featuring Marc Bendavid, Susie Taylor, and Shani Mootoo

More details

Playlist

Friday, October 23 at 8:00PM

Featuring Ivan Coyote

More details

This Love

Sunday, October 25 at 1:00PM

Featuring Ziyad Saadi and Tracey Lindberg

More details

K1: Gender & Sexual Identities
2025-10-22 18:30 - 20:00 | MAX Ottawa, 400 Cooper St. Suite 9004, Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 2H8, Canada
Gender and sexual identity are deeply personal, beautifully diverse, and often full of nuance — especially for Black queer folks. Whether you’re on a journey of self-discovery, proudly living in your truth, or still figuring it out, you’re not alone.

Join us for an affirming and joyful conversation about how we understand and express our identities, and how they shape our relationships, desires, and sense of self.

MAX Ottawa is an accessible venue with three elevators and a gender-neutral and wheelchair accessible washroom next to our office suite.

Spots are limited so please make sure to RVSP through the form below.

OGRC Weekly Run
2025-10-23 19:00 - 20:00 | T’s Pub, 323 Somerset St W, Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 0J8, Canada
Join us every Thursday evening for our weekly 5 km run, starting and ending at T’s Pub. We welcome runners of all levels, with multiple pace groups to ensure everyone feels comfortable and supported. Whether you’re looking to push your limits or just enjoy a leisurely jog, there’s a spot for you in our community.
After the run, stick around at T’s Pub to unwind with a cold beer and some great company. It’s the perfect way to cap off a run and connect with fellow gay men. No pressure, just good vibes and good times!
See you at 7:00 PM—let’s hit the pavement together!

Gay Men In Recovery
2025-10-23 19:00 - 20:10 | MAX Ottawa, 400 Cooper St. Suite 9004, Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 2H8, Canada
A weekly hybrid narcotics anonymous group for gay men.

To access the Zoom link, click the link below, select Thursday, and scroll down to “Gay Men In Recovery.” To enter the building, ring the intercom doorbell on the left side of the main doors if they are locked and a member will let you in.

Meeting formats and accessibility:

This meeting is closed to non-addicts. You should attend only if you believe that you may have a problem with substance abuse.

This meeting invites participation by all attendees.

This meeting is focused on the needs of gay, lesbian and transgender members of NA.

This meeting is meant to be attended by men only.

This meeting is wheelchair accessible.

Meetings virtually and in person.

Opal Essence vs. The World
2025-10-23 20:00 - 23:30 | The Lookout Bar, 41 York Street, 2nd Floor, Ottawa, ON, K1N 5S7, Canada
Not so long ago, in the mysterious land of Ottawa, Canada… Scott Pilgrim was HOSTING A DRAG SHOW!

Get ready to join some of Ottawa’s most rockin’ entertainers at @thelookoutbar for the celebration of Opal Essence’s 22nd birthday! The theme? A tribute to their favourite movie EVER… SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD!

📍: 41 York St. (2nd floor) Byward Market🗓️: Thursday October 23rd @ 8PM🎟️: Advance tickets are available in the link below, or $7 at the door!👤: 19+

Come prepared to see a spectacular birthday showdown of epic proportions! Dress as your favourite evil ex or in your birthday party best, because what else did you think the seven x’s stood for?

XXXXXXX

Frontrunners - Women's Run
2025-10-24 17:00 - 19:00 | Ontario

Queering Aylmer
2025-10-24 18:00 - 23:30 | The British Hotel, Restaurant and Pub, 71 Principale St., Gatineau, Quebec, J9H 3L6, Canada
Burlesque on stage, music on the floor, and queers everywhere in between.

Hosted by @janelle.niles

Featuring burlesque performances by:@misspatienceplush@itskopycat@strawberrie.feels@misty.burlesque@sia.shad0w

👯‍♀️ All-queer burlesque show🎶 Dance floor open till midnight🎭 Costume contest with prizes🍸 Dinner & drinks from 6 PM

Doors 8 PM | Show 9 PM

Burlesque sur scène, musique sur la piste et des queers partout.

Animé par Janelle NilesAvec : Miss Patience Plush, Sia Shadow, Kopy Cat, Strawberrie Fields & Misty Holliday

👯‍♀️ Spectacle burlesque 100 % queer🎶 Piste de danse jusqu’à minuit🎭 Concours de costumes avec prix🍸 Souper & drinks dès 18 h

Portes 20 h | Show 21 h

K1 en français - les substances et la communauté queer
2025-10-24 18:30 - 20:30 | MAX Ottawa, 400 Cooper St. Suite 9004, Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 2H8, Canada
Soyons honnêtes — les substances (alcool, cannabis, poppers, party drugs, etc.) font partie des réalités de nos communautés queer. Parfois, c’est pour célébrer, connecter, explorer; parfois, c’est pour gérer le stress, l’anxiété ou la solitude. Mais au fond, ce qui compte, c’est de pouvoir en parler ouvertement, sans tabous ni jugements.

Rejoins-nous pour une discussion de pairs sincère, joyeuse et sans filtres où on va explorer :

Pourquoi certaines substances sont plus présentes dans nos communautés 🌈

Les liens entre plaisir, santé mentale et consommation 💭

Comment trouver un équilibre, prendre soin de soi et soutenir nos ami·e·s 💞

Que tu consommes, que tu sois sobre, curieux·se, ou que tu veuilles juste écouter — ta voix compte. C’est un espace pour échanger, réfléchir, et se soutenir ensemble.

Out and About Saturdays
2025-10-25 10:00 - 14:30 | The Good Companions, 670 Albert Street
OSPN in partnership with The Good Companions is delighted to offer in person programming to our 55+ LGBTQ2+ community.

Join us every second and fourth Saturday of the month for a range of engaging activities, from educational workshops to social programming, all designed to foster connection, support, and enjoyment. Our goal is to create a welcoming environment where everyone can feel comfortable, respected, and celebrate.

MAX Field Trip: Halloween Night Market
2025-10-25 18:00 - 20:00 | Urban Art Collective, 1088 Somerset St. W, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y 3C7, Canada
Join MAX at the Halloween Night Market for a fun evening of exploring local vendors and artists, spooktacular games and treats, and maybe even make a friend or two. Events are always more fun with company, so we look forward to seeing you there! We’ll meet in the parking lot at Urban Art Collective at 6:00PM and then head to the market together.

Let us know you’re coming by filling out the form below!

Bottomless Dine & Drag Dinner
2025-10-25 19:00 - 22:00 | The Vanitea Room, 551 Somerset St West, Ottawa, ON, K1R 5J9, Canada
Every week, on Saturday night, Vanitea is the destination for the no. 1 voted drag dinner, presented by beloved house host Devona Coe and a rotating calendar of featured local and visiting drag queens.Delivering their struts, gag-worthy performances & all-over sass for your Saturday night pleasure, + a fabulous 3 course tower (with meal included) and bottomless drinks!

Drag Brunch
2025-10-26 11:30 - 14:00 | The Vanitea Room, 551 Somerset St West, Ottawa, ON, K1R 5J9, Canada
Every last Sunday of the month (with the exception of pride week in the summer) is drag brunch. Check our calendar for details.If it’s the last Sunday of the month – its drag brunch. Seatings available at 11:30am and 2pm.Please note: that the drag brunch preset menu does NOT include bottomless mimosas – it includes one single mimosa with cuisine as indicated on the menu.Bottomless mimosas are an extra charge to your drag brunch package.

Nonbinary Social and Crafternoon
2025-10-26 14:00 - 17:00 | Ottawa Trans Library, 1104 Somerset St. West, Ottawa, Ontario, K1Y3C8, Canada
What to expect: Non-binary people and friends hanging out and crafting. We have supplies for making bracelets, folding origami, colored beads, embroidery floss, and plastic lace. Volunteer coordinators will be wearing name tags and can help answer any questions you might have.

If you would like an idea of what the event space looks like, check out our recent pics in the gallery.

What to bring: You don’t need to bring anything. You are welcome to bring your own crafting materials. Food and drink is welcome, also.

AN EVENING WITH CORAS: MASQUERADE SOIREE
2025-10-26 19:00 - 21:00 | The Playmate, 175 Montréal Rd, Vanier, Ontario, K1L 6E4, Canada
Behind the masks are stories of survival, resilience and hope. On October 26th, join CORAS’ at The Playmate, 7 PM. An evening of history, music, dancing, and most importantly, engaging with a community so often left without a voice.
