In alternating years, "Puppets Up!", the International Puppet Festival, brings puppeteers and street performers to Main Street and the town's performance venues. In every other year, PuppetCon offers workshops and presentations, as well as panels and shows. Some events are adults-only.
The inventor of basketball is commemorated in the small square with a statue, information plaque, and basketball hoop, not far from his place of birth.
The museum traces the history of the woollen industry in the Mississippi River Valley, and preserves one of the few remaining mill complexes in the region. Temporary exhibitions feature contemporary artists and historical topics.
Walk along the river, see the falls, have an ice cream. Signage along the route provides historical information about the town. The Riverwalk crosses the Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail, which stretches from Smiths Falls to Mattawa.