Live & Local  is a free, community-centered music series celebrating the artists who live and create right here at home, with select Thursday evenings hosted by a different local musician bringing their own sound, collaborators, and creative vision to the stage. Each night features a full set from the host followed by an open, collaborative jam—no two nights the same, always free, always local, always live. This is a pass-the-hat  event—please help support and show your appre

Experience The Artichoke Hearts’ sweeping indie folk-pop—layered harmonies, lush instrumentation, and raw emotional depth—live at Motel Chelsea for their 2nd annual Valentine’s Day show, joined by special guest Annie Martel, whose unforgettable “sad-lady folk” turns heartbreak into something beautifully human. Purchase advanced tickets on SHOWPASS   HERE  ($25 plus tax and fees) OR at the door while quantities last ($30 plus tax) Dinner is available with our kitchen open unti

With Healing Power , Terra Lightfoot unleashes a career-defining, critically lauded pop-rock tour de force that spotlights her exceptional songwriting, powerhouse vocals, and electrifying trio chemistry—cementing the JUNO-nominated, globally toured artist as one of today’s most charismatic and compelling rockers. Purchase Advanced tickets on SHOWPASS   HERE  ($40 plus tax and fees) OR at the Door while quantities last ($45 plus tax) Dinner is available with our kitchen open u

Irish Mythen (they/them) is a globally acclaimed, JUNO-nominated artist whose raw vocal power and magnetic live performances—from Glastonbury to the Sydney Opera House—have captivated audiences worldwide, with a new album set to further their celebrated, award-winning legacy in Spring 2026. Purchase advanced tickets on SHOWPASS  HERE   ($40 plus tax and fees) OR at the door while quantities last ($45 plus tax) Dinner is available with our kitchen open until 9pm. Reservations

Catch the 7-piece jazz powerhouse Soulstice  live at Motel Chelsea for a fun, feel-good afternoon of swing, funk, and Latin grooves—all while supporting the Wakefield Community Emergency Fund. This is a free, non-ticketed event, and while we’ll be passing the hat to collect donations for the Wakefield Community Emergency Fund, we hope you’ll consider contributing to support this great local charity. Lunch / Brunch is available with our kitchen open until 3:30pm. Reservations

Last Thursday of Every Month | FREE ENTRY | Sign up at 7:00PM - Music starts at 7:30 Join us for a magical evening of music, community, and creativity at Motel Chelsea’s Open Stage, happening on the last Thursday of every month. Whether you're a seasoned performer or just want to enjoy great local talent, you're welcome here. All talent is welcome — singer-songwriters, instrumentalists, poets, cover artists, and everything in between. Bring your songs, your stories, and your

For over three decades, The Grievous Angels have delivered gritty, politically charged Canadian roots music—led by Charlie Angus’s blue-collar songwriting, fueled by a powerful six-piece band, and captured on their 10th album Revolution , a soundtrack of resistance for uncertain times. Purchase advance tickets on SHOWPASS  HERE  ($30 plus tax and fees) OR at the door while quantities last ($35 plus tax) For Sunday shows the kitchen will be open until the end of the show inter

Motel Chelsea’s   LOVE TO FOLK Prime  presents a special performance by  The Barra MacNeils , one of Canada’s most respected Celtic folk bands with a long and celebrated career. Wednesday | March 4 | 7:30 PM  @ St. Brigid’s Centre for the Arts 310 St. Patrick Street, Ottawa Building on Motel Chelsea’s own  LOVE TO FOLK  live music series,  LOVE TO FOLK Prime  brings world-class Canadian and international artists into intimate settings like  Motel Chelsea  and beyond! Bringing

Live & Local  is a free, community-centered music series celebrating the artists who live and create right here at home, with select Thursday evenings hosted by a different local musician bringing their own sound, collaborators, and creative vision to the stage. Each night features a full set from the host followed by an open, collaborative jam—no two nights the same, always free, always local, always live. This is a pass-the-hat  event—please help support and show your appre

As part of our Women in Folk International Women’s Day weekend, join us for a powerful and intimate opening-night co-bill with Canadian folk icons Connie Kaldor and Jenny Whiteley—an unforgettable celebration of women’s artistry, storytelling, and resilience, presented by a women-owned organization and supporting Voice Found with $3 from every ticket sold. Purchase advance tickets on SHOWPASS  HERE  ($45 plus tax and fees) Dinner is available with our kitchen open until 9pm.

As part of our Women in Folk International Women’s Day weekend, experience a stirring Saturday-night co-bill with Jessica Pearson & The East Wind and Ambre McLean—an emotionally rich evening of fearless storytelling, connection, and women’s voices in music, presented by a women-owned organization and supporting Voice Found with $3 from every ticket sold. Purchase advance tickets on SHOWPASS  HERE  ($ plus tax and fees) Dinner is available with our kitchen open until 9pm. Rese

Following a sold-out debut, Women in Folk returns on International Women’s Day for a powerful local showcase celebrating the women shaping our folk community—an intimate night of music, storytelling, and collaboration featuring Tina Therrien, Alise Marlane, Chris MacLean, Kate Greenland, Kate Weekes, and Eva Danielson, with $3 from every ticket supporting Voice Found. Purchase advance tickets on SHOWPASS  HERE  ($35 plus tax and fees) Dinner is available with our kitchen open

Live & Local  is a free, community-centered music series celebrating the artists who live and create right here at home, with select Thursday evenings hosted by a different local musician bringing their own sound, collaborators, and creative vision to the stage. Each night features a full set from the host followed by an open, collaborative jam—no two nights the same, always free, always local, always live. This is a pass-the-hat  event—please help support and show your appre

Formed in 1988 and known as Ottawa’s Favourite Singing Sandwich, The Toasted Westerns blend decades of folk-fuelled harmony, humour, and heart—now reunited as a rare trio appearance you won’t want to miss at Motel Chelsea. Purchase advanced tickets on SHOWPASS  HERE  ($20 plus tax and fees) OR at the door while quantities last ($25 plus tax) Dinner is available with our kitchen open until 9pm. Reservations are strongly suggested—make yours HERE . We are an intimate 85-seat ve

Join us for Jennifer Noxon’s 2026 album release, The Gathering. With a presence that is both playful and intimate, Jennifer brings her rich, shimmering voice, poetic knack for detail and infectious melodies to the stage, transporting the listener into the lives and extraordinary moments of ordinary people. Purchase advanced tickets on SHOWPASS  HERE  ($30 plus tax and fees) OR at the door while quantities last ($35 plus tax) Dinner is available with our kitchen open until 9pm

Get ready for a great St. Patrick’s Day concert with real Irish folk music! Kelly Sloan & JIG (James, Ian, Greg) have sold out every time they have played a St. Patrick’s Day concert in Ottawa in the last several years.  Come out to the Motel Chelsea on March 15 and hear why! Purchase advanced tickets on SHOWPASS  HERE  ($30 plus tax and fees) OR at the door while quantities last ($35 plus tax) Lunch is available with our kitchen open until 3:30pm. Reservations are strongly s

Live & Local  is a free, community-centered music series celebrating the artists who live and create right here at home, with select Thursday evenings hosted by a different local musician bringing their own sound, collaborators, and creative vision to the stage. Each night features a full set from the host followed by an open, collaborative jam—no two nights the same, always free, always local, always live. This is a pass-the-hat  event—please help support and show your appre

Our first curated experience kicks off with a beloved group, The Barra MacNeils in the perfect setting St. Brigid’s Centre for the Arts home of the National Irish Canadian Cultural Centre in downtown Ottawa. We’re bringing Motel Chelsea’s LOVE TO FOLK Prime series of Big Acts, Up Close to other venues in your neighbourhood. The same quality you’ve come to expect of legendary acts in an intimate setting, but now in venues taylored to the band. Tickets go on sale to the publi

Hannah Georgas crafts textured, hook-heavy pop anthems of heartbreak and change—internationally acclaimed, award-nominated, and fresh off her standout self-produced album, she joins Matt Berninger on tour this March. Purchase advance tickets on SHOWPASS  HERE  ($40 plus tax and fees) OR at the door while quantities last ($45 plus tax) For Sunday shows the kitchen will be open from 3:30pm until final call - at the end of the show intermission (approx. 5:30pm). Seating is based

Celebrate International Women’s Month with a powerhouse Women in Comedy showcase featuring host Lauren Lane, comedy icon Merilyn Read ( The Tom Green Show ), and Montreal headliner Carmina Berbari Daou bringing bold, brilliant laughs all night long. Purchase advance tickets on SHOWPASS  HERE  ($25 plus tax and fees) OR at the door while quantities last ($30 plus tax) Dinner is available with our kitchen open until 9pm. Reservations are strongly suggested—make yours HERE . We

A high-energy, rockabilly-inspired gang of quipsters, The Barrow Gang delivers an unscripted, unforgettable live experience fueled by top-tier musicianship, playful antics, and pure Ontario-bred magic. Purchase advanced tickets on SHOWPASS HERE  ($25 plus tax and fees) OR at the door while quantities last ($30 plus tax) Dinner is available with our kitchen open until 9pm. Reservations are strongly suggested—make yours HERE . We are an intimate 85-seat venue, so every seat is

ARIA-nominated, award-winning Cosmic Americana duo Minor Gold (Tracy McNeil & Dan Parsons) fuse 70s-soaked warmth, locked-in harmonies and stripped-back emotional power into a road-honed sound that grooves, floats and hits straight at the heart. Purchase advanced tickets on SHOWPASS  HERE  ($20 plus tax and fees) OR at the door while quantities last ($25 plus tax) Dinner is available with our kitchen open until 9pm. Reservations are strongly suggested—make yours HERE . We are

Experience the magic of Allison Lupton’s “Words of Love” Tour — a captivating celebration of Canadian folk where Allison’s heartfelt songs, Shane Cook’s electrifying fiddle, and Kyle Waymouth’s dazzling step dance unite in a show brimming with warmth, humour, and irresistible musical charm that carries audiences away to another time, then dances them joyfully home again. Purchase advanced tickets on SHOWPASS HERE  ($25 plus tax and fees) OR at the Door while quantities last (

Grouyan Gombo—Harlan Johnson, Guillaume Jabbour, Michael Ball, Michael Jerome Browne, Carl Rufh, and Christina Beaudry-Cardenas—brings a vibrant blend of Cajun, Creole, and original French-language music that will light up the dance floor all afternoon. Purchase advanced tickets on SHOWPASS  HERE  ($25 plus tax and fees) OR at the door while quantities last ($30 plus tax) For Sunday shows the kitchen will be open from 3:30pm until final call - at the end of the show intermiss

Impossible to file under a single genre, Danny is an award-winning, Juno- and Polaris-nominated musical magpie whose curiosity has taken him from Belize to the Arctic ice—and now lands on Ghost Town , his funniest, saddest, and most human album yet. Purchase advance tickets on SHOWPASS  HERE  ($65 plus tax and fees) Dinner is available with our kitchen open until 9pm. Reservations are strongly suggested—make yours HERE . We are an intimate 85-seat venue, so every seat is a gr

Blending electrifying roots rock, killer harmonies, and fiercely intelligent songwriting, Toronto’s Lazarettes hit the road with Ron Hawkins & their Ron Hawkins–produced album Sweet Misery  and a live show that aims straight for your heart and your head. Purchase advanced tickets on SHOWPASS  HERE  ($25 plus tax and fees) OR at the door while quantities last ($30 plus tax) Dinner is available with our kitchen open until 9pm. Reservations are strongly suggested—make yours HERE

Veteran Canadian folk troubadour James Gordon teams up with acclaimed singer-songwriter Katherine Wheatley for a warm, witty and deeply human performance—blending iconic songs of place and purpose with soaring harmonies, rich storytelling and irresistible on-stage chemistry. Purchase advanced tickets on SHOWPASS  HERE  ($30 plus tax and fees) OR at the door while quantities last ($35 plus tax) Dinner is available with our kitchen open until 9pm. Reservations are strongly sugg

Canadian alt-pop icons The Grapes of Wrath—the gold- and multi-platinum hitmakers behind “Peace of Mind”—return as founders Kevin and Tom perform reimagined classics, deep cuts, and new songs in an intimate acoustic setting. Please purchase advance tickets on SHOWPASS  HERE  ($70 plus tax and fees) Dinner is available with our kitchen open until 9pm. Reservations are strongly suggested—make yours HERE . We are an intimate 85-seat venue, so every seat is a great seat! While we

Canadian alt-pop icons The Grapes of Wrath—the gold- and multi-platinum hitmakers behind “Peace of Mind”—return as founders Kevin and Tom perform reimagined classics, deep cuts, and new songs in an intimate acoustic setting. Please purchase advance tickets on SHOWPASS HERE ($70 plus tax and fees) Dinner is available with our kitchen open until 9pm. Reservations are strongly suggested—make yours HERE . We are an intimate 85-seat venue, so every seat is a great seat! While we d

Award-winning bilingual Nova Scotia artist, blending heartfelt folk/pop songs that linger long after the music fades. Purchase advanced tickets on SHOWPASS HERE  ($25 plus tax and fees) OR at the door while quantities last ($30 plus tax) Dinner is available with our kitchen open until 9pm. Reservations are strongly suggested—make yours HERE . We are an intimate 85-seat venue, so every seat is a great seat! While we do our best to accommodate all seating requests, they cannot

Often described as an 'old soul singer-songwriter,' internationally touring artist Sam Robbins blends the timeless storytelling of legends like James Taylor with a modern, upbeat edge—captivating audiences nationwide through acclaimed festival performances, national tours, and a growing reputation as one of folk music’s brightest rising stars. Purchase advanced tickets on SHOWPASS   HERE  ($25 plus tax and fees) OR at the Door while quantities last ($30 plus tax) For Sunday s

Mélisande, a trailblazing force in Quebec’s electrotrad and acoustic trad scenes, brings her award-nominated, internationally acclaimed quintet and irresistible stage energy to launch her star-studded new album Sur la même longueur d’onde —kicking off a cross-Canada tour that promises to get audiences dancing and singing wherever she goes. Purchase advanced tickets on SHOWPASS HERE  ($25 plus tax and fees) OR at the door while quantities last ($30 plus tax) Dinner is availabl

Part musical genius, part chaos gremlin, part self-appointed attorney for dogs, Steve Poltz delivers a raucous, heartfelt, wildly improvised show that leaves audiences laughing, crying, and wondering what just happened. Tickets are $60 + taxes and fees; click here for the ticket link and grab yours before it’s too late—this show will sell out fast! For Sunday shows the kitchen will be open from 3:30pm until final call - at the end of the show intermission (approx. 5:30pm). S

"A vibrant fusion of John Prine's sharp wit and insight and Lyle Lovett’s musicality paired with the Live energy and spirited performance of their Canadian cousins, Great Big Sea. Thomas and his mates craft an unforgettable musical experience that harmonizes storytelling with dynamic stage presence.” - The LA Times Purchase advanced tickets on SHOWPASS  HERE  ($20 plus tax and fees) OR at the door while quantities last ($25 plus tax) Dinner is available with our kitchen open

The Salt Cellars are a compelling Canadian singer-songwriter duo whose soulful blend of Americana, folk, blues, jazz, and pop—driven by expressive guitar work, intimate vocals, and powerful storytelling—creates unforgettable live performances that connect deeply and linger long after the last note. Purchase advanced tickets on SHOWPASS  HERE  ($15 plus tax and fees) OR at the door while quantities last ($20 plus tax) Dinner is available with our kitchen open until 9pm. Reserv

Live & Local  is a free, community-centered music series celebrating the artists who live and create right here at home, with select Thursday evenings hosted by a different local musician bringing their own sound, collaborators, and creative vision to the stage. Each night features a full set from the host followed by an open, collaborative jam—no two nights the same, always free, always local, always live. This is a pass-the-hat  event—please help support and show your appre

Canadian Folk Music Award winners Hannah Shira Naiman and Nathan Smith deliver pristine harmonies and masterful fiddle and banjo on Love and Labour , a timeless debut duo album rooted in Appalachian tradition. Purchase advance tickets on SHOWPASS  HERE  ($30 plus tax and fees) OR at the door while quantities last ($35 plus tax) Dinner is available with our kitchen open until 9pm. Reservations are strongly suggested—make yours HERE . We are an intimate 85-seat venue, so every