A lot can happen in 10 years, as the past decade of noon hour concerts at Southminster United Church proves.

Introduced as a six-part “Lenten” series in 2013, Doors Open for Music at Southminster (DOMS) quickly caught on, and by popular demand was extended to a full 10-month annual calendar of events that has lasted to this day.

Encompassing a broad range of styles, from classical, to jazz, choral, chamber music, and even some rock n’ roll, the program has retained broad support from music lovers across Ottawa, and since 2020, even further afield due to the addition of live streaming.

After over a two-year hiatus, the monthly concert series Music at Trinity returns with a service of Lessons and Carols featuring Trinity Anglican Church’s very own choir led by Music Director Fabien Tousignant. This will be a wonderful opportunity to experience the Christmas story through lessons, choral treasures, and the chance to sing some of your favorite Advent and Christmas hymns in the beautiful acoustics of Trinity Anglican Church.

A beloved Bank Street establishment, owned and operated by former local resident Arthur McGregor, closed in 2015.

The folk music community in Ottawa, in Ontario, and, indeed, across Canada, was dealt a harsh blow with the announcement that the Ottawa Folklore Centre has fallen into bankruptcy and has closed.

The announcement came in a letter to the community (see below) from Arthur McGregor, who founded the Ottawa Folklore Centre in 1976 and ran it with tremendous dedication and love for nearly four decades – most of his adult life. As Arthur writes in his letter, it has been his life’s work.