Festival Updates and News
News about Ottawa Festivals and our Member festivals, special events and fairs.
OST Presents the Following Events for January, 2011:
January 11
Sharing the Nest: Sibling Stories
Anne Nagy and Kierstin Heiberg
Stories and Tea
The Tea Party, 119 York St.
7pm-8:45pm
Pay what you can
January 20
The Warrior Queen: Chasing Boudicca
Marie Bilodeau, Ruthanne Edward, Kathryn Hunt
7:30 pm, NAC 4th Stage, tickets at the NAC box office: $20/$12 students and seniors
In 60 AD, London burned to the ground. The woman responsible was Boudicca, queen of the Iceni. When the Roman army forced her from her throne, flogged her, and raped her daughters, she gathered together an army to stand against them and became a legend. Tonight we explore her life through stories and poetry as three women share the ways that her bravery inspired them. With musical accompaniment on the bodhran.
January 25
Auld Lang Syne: Stories in the Honour of Burns Day
Lynda Joyce and Leah Sander
Stories and Tea
The Tea Party, 119 York St.
7pm-8:45pm
Pay what you can
January 28
Once Upon a Slam
Featured Performer: Brendan McLeod
7:00 pm, Mercury Lounge Underground (aka Bar 56) 56 Byward Market, $7 cover charge for listeners (slam participants get in free)
Once Upon a Slam is Ottawa’s new monthly story slam series! A story slam is much like a poetry slam, except for it festures narrative stories of all kinds. Each performer has 5 minutes to TELL a story (and we do mean tell, no reading). Judges are randomly selected from the audience to give a score to each story. Highest score of the night takes home all the marbles. Fairy tales, ghost stories, personal stories, whatever kind of story you like, as long as you tell it in your own words. There are 10 spots available, sign up starts at 7PM, show starts at 7:30PM. This month, OST will be presenting a featured teller, Brendan McLeod. He is a writer and performer based out of Vancouver. His first novel, The Convictions of Leonard McKinley, was longlisted for the 2008 Re:Lit Award for fiction. His music group The Fugitives was nominated for a 2007 Canadian Folk Music Award. As a poet and storyteller, he has performed over 400 shows in the past 5 years. He is a former Canadian SLAM poetry champion and World SLAM runner-up. He teaches spoken word at Langara College.
For more information on our programming, visit www.ottawastorytellers.ca
Join the Ottawa Storytellers facebook group to get invites to our events, or follow us on Twitter @ottawastory.
OST programming is supported by the City of Ottawa, the Ontario Arts Council, Heritage Canada and Canada Council for the Arts.
City provides Sno-Bus service for Winterlude
OC Transpo’s Sno-Bus will once again provide bus service for Winterlude revellers this year – offering the best way to travel during North America’s greatest winter celebration.
The Sno-Bus will operate on all three Winterlude weekends – February 5 to 6, 12 to 13, and 19 to 20 – and travel from Confederation Square downtown to all the sites along the Rideau Canal and Dow’s Lake. For service to Jacques-Cartier Park, customers can transfer downtown to the STO Sno-Bus in front of the National Arts Centre.
“There are so many exciting sites and activities to see at Winterlude, and OC Transpo makes it is easy to access everything there is to offer,” said Mayor Jim Watson. “This is a great example of how OC Transpo works closely with our partners to provide strong service to both residents and visitors.”
Winterlude enthusiasts can also park for free at Greenboro Park and Ride lot and take the O-Train to Carling Station where they can enjoy the activities at Dow’s Lake or connect with the Sno-Bus. Parking is free at all OC Transpo Park & Ride lots during Winterlude weekends.
“The Sno-Bus is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy one of our favourite winter traditions in the Capital,” said Councillor Steve Desroches, who attended today’s official Winterlude launch. “It takes out the hassle of parking and traffic, ensuring that your Winterlude experience is stress-free and memorable.”
The Sno-Bus is free for children 11 and under. Customers 12 and older pay $3.50 – cash only – and can ride the Sno-Bus all day with their Sno-Bus ticket. Passes, transfers, bus tickets, O-Train tickets and STO Smart Cards will not be accepted on the Sno-Bus. Customers can transfer between the OC Transpo and STO Sno-Bus services with their Sno-Bus ticket, which is only valid on the Sno-Bus.
For further transit information, call OC Transpo at 613-741-4390 or visit octranspo.com.
Winterlude looking for extra funding: CEO
Photo by: Tom Hanson of the Canadian Press
Ottawa’s coldest celebration is looking for financial help, its organizers said.
The Winterlude festival will run between Feb. 4 and 21 of next year, and will feature crowd favourites like skating on the Rideau Canal, ice sculpture competitions and more. At the 2011 festival’s Tuesday launch National Capital Commission CEO Marie Lemay said it’s “critical” Winterlude get new partners.
“It’s not just maintaining Winterlude … we’re looking to grow and evolve and really share this plan that we’ve been working very hard at and very successful at developing over the last 33 years,” Lemay said.
“We need to rebuild, we need to reinvent it.”
Read the full article: Winterlude looking for extra funding: CEO
CANADIAN, CAPITAL AND UNIQUE: THE 33RD WINTERLUDE AND THE 41ST SEASON OF THE RIDEAU CANAL SKATEWAY
Canada’s Capital Region — The National Capital Commission (NCC) today unveiled the line-up of events of the 33rd edition of Winterlude and the 41st season of the Rideau Canal Skateway, the world’s largest skating rink.
Winterlude, Canada’s winter celebration, will be held from February 4 to 21, 2011, hosting an array of memorable activities where the outdoors, winter sports, Canada’s diverse culture, Canadian winter traditions and culinary arts are at the forefront.
“Winterlude celebrates Canadian achievements, values and traditions and helps to enrich the social and cultural fabric of Canada,” said Marie Lemay, Chief Executive Officer of the NCC. “Winter in the Capital is synonymous with Winterlude, and with the addition of new partners and collaborators, we hope that it will continue to evolve and grow.”
Festival passes on sale now in time for Christmas!
Due to popular demand after last summer’s triumphant TD Ottawa International Jazz Festival, advanced Festival passes are on sale now! Festival Gold Circle ($282.50 – HST included), Bronze ($158.20 – HST included) and Student ($73.45 – HST included) Passes are on sale for Festival members only until December 17 and for the general public on December 18! In partnership with some of Ottawa’s finest restaurants, the first one hundred purchasers will receive a $25 gift certificate for a sumptuous meal.
This offer is available on our tickets page or by calling the office at 613-241-2633 (the office will be closed from December 21 to January 2, 2011 but online ticket purchases will be available throughout the holidays). Tickets will be processed when the office opens January 3, 2011.
Visit ottawajazzfestival.com for more details.
Ottawa Story Tellers Presents the Following Events for December, 2010:
December 14
A Little Christmas Cheer
Kathie Kompass and Jan Hustlar
Stories and Tea
The Tea Party, 119 York St.
7pm-8:45pm
December 16
Tales of Christmas Past and Present
Kim Kilpatrick, Mary Wiggin and Sherri Yazdani
4th Stage, National Arts Centre, 7:30pm
Join us as we delve into personal stories of presents long since opened, eggnog long since drunk, and families long since reconciled (or not)! We all have a tale or two about the outrageous events that happen during the holidays: events that either make us laugh or cry. Tonight, three women share their perspectives on the madness and merriment that we all encounter at Christmas.
For more information on our programming, visit www.ottawastorytellers.ca
OST Programming is sponsored by the City of Ottawa, the Ontario Arts Council, Heritage Canada and Canada Council for the Arts.
Government of Canada Invites Canadian Organizations to Apply for Funding for Celebrate Canada 2011 Activities
Organizations interested in planning activities for Celebrate Canada 2011 can submit a funding request beginning today. The application period ends on January 15, 2011.
The Department of Canadian Heritage provides financial support for activities organized during the Celebrate Canada period, from June 21 to July 1. These activities celebrate National Aboriginal Day on June 21, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day on June 24, Canadian Multiculturalism Day on June 27, and Canada Day on July 1.
“I encourage our communities to organize activities that showcase our pride,” said the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages. “Let’s make the most of these special days to promote our values and achievements by taking part in community activities.”
The deadline for submitting a funding application is earlier in 2011 than in previous years. Canadian Heritage has made this change so that applicants can be informed of decisions about funding applications earlier, which will help them better prepare their activities.
Eligible recipients for funding are the following: Canadian not-for-profit organizations, unincorporated associations, Canadian businesses whose projects are non-commercial in nature, Canadian educational institutions and municipal governments, and other municipal, provincial, or territorial institutions.
The funding application form and detailed information about application requirements and eligible expenses are available on the Celebrate Canada website under the How to obtain funding tab.
As the application deadline—January 15, 2011—falls on a Saturday, the Department will accept applications mailed (postmarked) or delivered to a Canadian Heritage regional office by Monday, January 17. Applications postmarked or delivered after this date will not be accepted.
For more information about Celebrate Canada and its four days of festivities, visit www.canadianheritage.gc.ca/canada.
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CHRISTMAS LIGHTS TO BRIGHTEN CANADA’S CAPITAL REGION
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CHRISTMAS LIGHTS TO BRIGHTEN CANADA’S CAPITAL REGION
Canada’s Capital Region ─ The National Capital Commission (NCC) is pleased to invite members of the public and of the media to the launch of the 26th edition of the Christmas Lights Across Canada program. The official illumination ceremony will take place on Thursday, December 2, 2010 at 6 pm on Parliament Hill.
Mr. Russell Mills, Chair of the NCC, and Ms. Marie Lemay, Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, will be joined by special guests as they officially switch on the thousands of light bulbs that will illuminate Parliament Hill as well as many institutions, monuments, and other prominent landmarks located along Confederation Boulevard, in the heart of Canada’s Capital Region.
Kurt Elling to perform at Ottawa Jazz Festival’s benefit auction fundraiser!
“The jazz stand-out male vocalist of our time…” – New York Times
Ottawa (Monday, November 29, 2010) – Join us in a rare opportunity to see and hear one of the world’s most celebrated jazz vocalists in an intimate setting! GRAMMY winning vocalist Kurt Elling will perform in concert after the Ottawa Jazz Festival’s annual benefit auction on Monday, December 13, 2010 at the Library and Archives Canada auditorium (395 Wellington St.).
Alan Neal, host of All in a Day on CBC Radio One (91.5 FM), will officiate as emcee and auctioneer. Admission is $50 and includes appetizers (cash bar is available) at 6pm and the live auction at 7pm. Kurt Elling’s performance will highlight the evening after the auction. Read more
LA FAMILLE GLAMOTTE ACCUEILLE BONHOMME CARNAVAL DANS LA RÉGION DE LA CAPITALE DU CANADA
— La Commission de la capitale nationale (CCN) a accueilli aujourd’hui, à l’Infocentre de la capitale, la famille Glamotte, les mascottes officielles du Bal de Neige. Papa, Maman, Noumi et Nouma sont arrivés accompagnés d’un grand ami de Québec, Bonhomme Carnaval.
« La rencontre de la famille Glamotte avec Bonhomme Carnaval témoigne de l’esprit de collaboration qui existe depuis plusieurs années entre deux grandes célébrations d’hiver du Canada, a déclaré la première dirigeante de la CCN, Marie Lemay. Cette rencontre démontre aussi le lien qui existe entre les membres de la Coalition canadienne des festivals d’hiver en milieu urbain. »
« Le Carnaval de Québec est fier d’avoir fondé une coalition de gens dynamiques et professionnels qui ont à cœur le rayonnement du Canada à l’échelle internationale, a déclaré Jean Pelletier, directeur général du Carnaval de Québec. La Coalition canadienne des festivals d’hiver en milieu urbain s’inscrit au cœur de notre volonté de favoriser le développement touristique des événements canadiens à fort pouvoir attractif.»
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