13/03/2026
☘️ Project Update — The Diddley Release Date ☘️
We’re excited to share an important update on The Diddley: The Story of the Douglas Tavern.
The project will officially be released on St. Patrick’s Day — March 17, 2026.
What began in 2021 as an idea for a traditional documentary quickly grew into something much bigger. As we began collecting stories from the people who lived it, the McHale's, extended family, and the locals who call Douglas home, it became clear that an hour-long documentary simply wouldn’t be enough to capture everything.
Instead of cutting those stories down, we decided to preserve them.
The final project is an audiobook-style video totaling over 8 hours, recounting interviews with 15 people connected to the Douglas Tavern and the community that surrounded it. These stories reflect the traditions, characters, and memories that made the Tavern more than just a building, they made it The Diddley.
The project will be available to watch on our website at thediddley.ca or on YouTube once it is released.
Alongside the release, we’ve also updated the project website:
https://thediddley.ca
On the site, you can now:
• Read the full writeups or listen to individual sections from the audiobook (All writeups will be available by March 17th, 2026)
• Explore a VR tour of the Douglas Tavern during its final St. Patrick’s Day, allowing people to step back inside even though the building is gone
• View a digital recreation of the Wall of Fame, including all the names that stood there during the final St. Patrick’s Day celebration
We’ve also added a shared community photo album to the website where anyone can upload their own photos of the Douglas Tavern. Whether it’s St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, nights at the bar, old band photos, or memories with friends, we encourage people to share their pictures so others can enjoy them as well. The goal is to build a collection of memories from the many people who passed through The Diddley over the years. (Google account required to upload photos.)
If this project had stayed true to the original idea of a standard documentary, many of these stories would have ended up on the cutting room floor. In the end, that wasn’t what this project was about.
This project was about preserving the stories and memories of the people who made the Douglas Tavern into The Diddley.
Thank you to everyone who supported the project, shared their stories, and helped us bring this piece of Ottawa Valley history to life.
We look forward to sharing it with you on March 17, 2026. ☘️
