The BreakFest Blog
News about Ottawa Festivals and our Member festivals, special events and fairs.
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SHINE BRIGHTER THAN EVER IN CANADA’S CAPITAL REGION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NCCN-09-12-17-NR
December 22, 2009
Canada’s Capital Region – The National Capital Commission (NCC) is pleased to announce that the final tally is in, and the 25th edition of Christmas Lights Across Canada is shining brighter than ever in the Capital Region – with more than 375,000 bulbs illuminated.
This year, a total of 377,515 multicoloured lights – an increase of over 77,000 bulbs – adorn Parliament Hill and the many museums, historic sites, embassies and other landmarks along Confederation Boulevard – the discovery route that circles the heart of Canada’s Capital Region. Also on the rise are the number of LED lights incorporated in the display, up this year from 200,000 to 350,000.
The holiday season is the perfect time to admire this luminous spectacle. The lights will be on from 4:30 pm to 2 am nightly until January 7, 2010 (inclusive).
The Christmas Lights Across Canada program began this year on December 12, with the official illumination ceremony on Parliament Hill, attended by a crowd of over 20,000 spectators. This year’s ceremony was twinned with the arrival of the Olympic Flame on Parliament Hill, as part of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay. As an important national element of the Christmas Lights program, all of the provincial and territorial capitals also held their own lighting festivities, creating a link with the nation’s capital, and a spectacular display of colour and light across the country.
For additional information about the Christmas Lights Across Canada program, members of the public may contact the NCC at 613-239-5000, 613-239-5090 (TTY), 1-800-465-1867 (toll-free) or 1-866-661-3530 (toll-free TTY), or visit the NCC’s website at www.canadascapital.gc.ca.
Ottawa Tourism Award Nominations – Deadline Thursday, December 31, 2009
There are just over 2 weeks left to submit a nomination for the 2010 Ottawa Tourism Awards. The awards are to be held Thursday, March 25, 2010, at the Casino du Lac-Leamy. Categories available for nomination are:
• New Company of the Year
• Event of the Year
• Partnership of the Year
• Innovation of the Year
Please visit the ‘About Ottawa Tourism’ section of www.ottawatourism.ca for the detailed Call for Nominations and the Nomination Form. The Nomination Deadline is Thursday, December 31, 2009.
OCFF Professional Development Series – Accounting Workshop
The OCFF is holding an accounting workshop as part of their professional development series:
Saturday, January 9th from 10 AM – 3 PM
at the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals (OCFF) office
508-B Gladstone Avenue
Ottawa ON
$20 for members / $40 for non-members
Email cmaclean@ocff.ca to register.
Janina Fialkowska, Martin Beaver headline Julian Armour’s new concert series
By smazey, Classical Ottawa
Ottawa cellist Julian Armour is firming up the plans for his new music festival in July, but in the meantime, he’s announced a 10-concert series with the Chamber Players of Canada that will start with a Christmas concert Dec. 21 and will include a Chopin recital by pianist Janina Fialkowska in the spring that no piano buff will want to miss. Armour, founder and former director of the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, plans to announce in the next month or two details of a new festival he’s calling “Music and Beyond,” to run in city venues July 5 to 14. Armour, who stepped down from the Chamber Music Society in early 2007 over differences with the organization’s board, revealed this fall his intentions to start the new music festival next summer. He doesn’t want to discuss details until the official announcement, but said the festival will include concerts linking classical music to other art forms.
To read the full article: Janina Fialkowska, Martin Beaver headline Julian Armour’s new concert series
Festivals and Events Ontario (FEO) – Showcase 2010
The Festivals and Events Ontario (FEO) Conference will be in Ottawa this year. This provides an opportunity to get in front of over 250+ decision makers in the festival and event industry in Ontario. Since 1987 Festivals & Events Ontario (FEO) is the only association dedicated to promoting and educating the festival industry in the province and we are pleased to offer Showcase 2010.
Attending FEO’s annual conference will be Executive Directors, festivals and event planners and municipal organizers to learn, network and hire products, services and artists to enhance their festival. Performers are the heart and soul of festivals and events and FEO Showcase 2010 is the gateway to this industry. With a maximum of 8 Showcase opportunities on Saturday, March 6, 2010, FEO is now accepting showcase submissions.
Please apply by submitting the application information and payment in full by December 23, 2009. Applications received after this date will not be considered. Our Showcase Committee will review the applications and all candidates will be contacted.
For more information on Conference 2010 click here
FaveQuest Social Media Platform Contributes to Ottawa Bluesfest Success
Sometimes a chance meeting makes all the difference. Mark Monahan, Executive Director of the Ottawa Bluesfest, and Allan Isfan, CEO of FaveQuest, met by chance at the launch of a new radio station in Ottawa in early 2009. A few short weeks later, the two companies inked a deal that would increase the festival’s web presence.This new web presence would lead to a substantial increase in engagement, word of mouth virality and more fans sharing their schedules. It would ultimately help the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest achieve a banner year in terms of on-line attention.
“FaveQuest’s Bluesfest ViewTube has made a dramatic difference for us in terms of increasing fan engagement.”
Mark Monahan, Ottawa Bluesfest Executive Director
FaveQuest had been working on a next generation Social Media Platform to help media companies connect with people in social networks. Working in partnership with Ottawa Bluesfest staff, the platform was quickly adapted to the events market and ViewTube was launched April 22, 2009.
The result was an extension to the website filled with performer videos, sharable personal calendars, ability to invite friends through email or Facebook, a jukebox to listen to music for hours, daily news and updates, user posted videos and pictures.
In addition to the website extensions, the engaging tools were also available through the Bluesfest ViewTube Facebook application which included some special features. For example, the Facebook application allowed fans to review the entire Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest schedule and see which of their friends were going to particular shows so they could add it to their own schedule and invite other friends. All such actions showed up in the fans’ newsfeed, ultimately reaching thousands of people.
The results were truly impressive. Several hundred thousand videos were watched and over 100,000 events were added to personal calendars that people shared with one another extensively. This led to more tickets sales and many fans discovering new acts which motivated them to show up earlier to take in the festivities. Everybody wins!
FaveQuest and the Ottawa Bluesfest team are hard at work on enhancements and new features for the 2010 festival season. Many surprises are in store.
Ottawa Festivals 2009 Fall Seminar/Workshop Series
Ottawa Festivals looks to continue to develop opportunities to assist members & non-members on various topics of interest and to assist in developing best practices and industry standards. These educational sessions will help in strengthening and sustaining the industry as a whole.Please find below the 2009 Fall Seminar and Workshop Series.
For complete details and a registration form contact info@ottawafestivals.ca or 613.233.1085 :
Coaching and Conflict Management for Team Supervisors:
Description: Coaching is a two way street. It allows managers to understand how their employees communicate, what really inspires them, and how to enable employees to reach their professional goals.
Date: November 5, 2009
Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm*
Location: Ottawa Festivals Office: 47 William Street
Member Rate: $36.75 ($35.00 + 1.75 GST)
Non-Member Rate: $52.50 ($50.00 + 2.50 GST)
Using Social Media footprints to grow better events:
Description: This session will expand on what was previously learned in terms of leveraging open source and free social media tools to improve marketing results.
Date: November 12, 2009
Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm*
Location: Ottawa Festivals Office: 47 William Street
Member Rate: $26.25 ($25.00 + 1.25 GST)
Non-Member Rate: $36.75 ($35.00 + 1.75 GST)
Preparing & Delivering Dynamic Presentations:
Description: Learn techniques to grab your audience’s attention and keep it focused until the very end.
Date: November 19, 2009
Time: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm*
Location: Ottawa Festivals Office: 47 William Street
Member Rate: $36.75 ($35.00 + 1.75 GST)
Non-Member Rate: $52.50 ($50.00 + 2.50 GST)
*one snack
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@ottawafestivals.ca or 613.233.1085.
Connaissez-vous un champion d’accessibilité et d’inclusion dans le domaine de l’hospitalité et du tourisme à Ottawa?
Si tel est le cas-pensez à soumettre leur mise en candidature pour le prix d’Hospitalité et du tourisme de Célébration pour tous 2009
À PROPOS DE LA CÉLÉBRATION POUR TOUS
Célébration pour tous est un programme annuel de remise de prix avec souper tenu à Ottawa depuis 2001. La présentation des prix de Célébration pour tous prend place, chaque année, le 3 décembre – journée désignée par les Nations-Unies Journée internationale des personnes handicapées. La remise de prix souligne les accomplissements et contributions d’individus, d’entreprises et d’organisations qui promeuvent l’accessibilité, l’inclusion et la pleine participation à la vie communautaire des citoyens ayant une incapacité. En savoir plus sur le programme à www.celebrationofpeople.com.
À PROPOS DU PRIX D’HOSPITALITÉ ET DU TOURISME – COMMANDITÉ PAR ALGONQUIN COLLEGE SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM
Le PRIX D’HOSPITALITÉ ET DU TOURISME souligne les efforts exceptionnels d’une organisation, d’un événement ou d’un établissement du secteur du tourisme et de l’accueil d’Ottawa, qui dépassent les exigences pour faciliter l’accessibilité et l’inclusion.
Candidats éligibles :
- Organisation, événement, lieu de spectacle ou établissement de l’industrie du tourisme et de l’accueil d’Ottawa (p. ex. : festival, hôtel, restaurant, centre des congrès, etc.);
- Doivent aller au-delà de l’accessibilité physique et des exigences ordinaires à cet égard.
Cliquez ici pour en savoir plus et accéder aux formulaires de mise en candidature pour le PRIX D’HOSPITALITÉ ET DU TOURISME.
LES MISES EN CANDIDATURE SONT OUVERTES JUSQU’AU 14 OCTOBRE 2009, MINUIT.
Pour toute question ou demande d’information supplémentaire, veuillez contacter :
Prix Célébration pour tous
Téléphone : 613-761-9796
Télécopie : 613-761-9525
info@celebrationofpeople.com
Do you know a champion of accessibility and inclusion in Ottawa’s hospitality and tourism sector?
If yes – consider nominating them for the 2009 Celebration of People Hospitality and Tourism Award
ABOUT CELEBRATION OF PEOPLE
Celebration of People is an annual awards program and dinner event first held in Ottawa in 2001. Presentation of the Celebration of People awards takes place each year in conjunction with December 3-designated by the United Nations as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The awards recognize the achievements and contributions of individuals, businesses and organizations promoting accessibility, inclusion and full community participation by citizens with disabilities. Learn more about the program at www.celebrationofpeople.com.
ABOUT THE HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM AWARD – SPONSORED BY ALGONQUIN COLLEGE SCHOOL OF HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM
The HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM AWARD recognizes outstanding initiatives on the part of an organization, event, venue or facility in the Ottawa hospitality and tourism sector which goes beyond requirements to facilitate accessibility and inclusion.
Eligible Nominees:
- are an organization, event, venue or facility involved in the Ottawa hospitality or tourism sector (e.g. festival, hotel, restaurant, conference centre)
- go beyond physical accessibility and beyond normal requirements
Click here to learn more and access the nomination forms for the HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM AWARD.
NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN UNTIL MIDNIGHT, OCTOBER 14, 2009.
If you have questions or seek more information, please contact:
Celebration of People Awards
Phone: 613-761-9796
Fax: 613-761-9525
info@celebrationofpeople.com
Rappel – Date limite programme des prix du CNA et de CAPACOA
Il est possible de télécharger depuis le site Web les formulaires de présentation de candidature du Programme de prix de CAPACOA et du CNA. La date limite pour les deux programmes de prix est le 11 septembre. Visitez le site Web et faites vos propres nominations à ces prix importants.Cliquez ICI pour les télécharger les formulaires!
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