Soak up the sun for less
Fall is officially here, and if you’re already dreaming of warmer climes, this is the time to take advantage of deals to sun destinations for winter. From now until Oct. 4, when you book a select Air Canada Vacations package departing between Jan. 2 and April 30, your favourite travel buddy will get up to 50 per cent off their booking. Meanwhile, Air Transat is launching its R&R 18+ collection, which features packages at top hotels in Cuba, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and St. Martin that cater exclusively to adults. Also, until Sept. 27, you can get in on Transat’s 35th anniversary sale, with up to 35 per cent off select packages to tropical destinations.
Music to your ears
Hosted over three weekends, the Ontario Festival of Small Halls kicks off on Oct. 6. The multi-venue event showcases big music in little places, with celebrated Canadian musicians playing small-town venues, including community halls, art centres and churches. Highlights include intimate performances by Juno-nominated Royal Wood in the Wilton Community Hall (Oct. 6), Ashley MacIsaac in the Almonte Old Town Hall (Oct. 15), and Ron Sexsmith in McDonald’s Corners Agricultural Hall (Oct. 21). Tickets, from $30, are available at ontariosmallhalls.com.
Prost! Oktoberfest is back
It’s time to bust out your steins, lederhosen and best hangover cures. Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest — said to be the largest Oktoberfest outside Germany — is back in full form this year. From Sept. 23 until Oct. 15, up to 700,000 people will attend the festival’s 40 events, including family-friendly cultural activities at KIDtoberfest, a golf tournament and a parade. But the main attraction takes place in downtown Kitchener starting on Oct. 6, when the official keg is tapped and Willkommen Platz is transformed into a bustling Bavarian village for the weekend, complete with live music, markets and, of course, plenty of biergartens.
Opening soon
Already home to some of America’s best museums, Washington, D.C., will welcome another to its fold on Oct. 29. Miami-based Rubell Museum, founded in 1993 to house Don and Mera Rubell’s vast private contemporary art collection, is opening a location in D.C., in the former Randall Junior High building, a historically Black public school. Its inaugural exhibition, “What’s Going On,” is inspired by alum Marvin Gaye and will feature 200 works exploring themes of discrimination and political and sociopolitical discourse. Also new in the capital is the Smithsonian’s refreshed National Air and Space Museum, which has been closed for six months. Half of the museum will reopen on Oct. 14, providing access to the planetarium and eight entirely new exhibits.
![]Artifacts in the new](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==)
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