Festival Updates and News
News about Ottawa Festivals and our Member festivals, special events and fairs.
Tulip Ball stunning in its new locale
Caroline Phillips, The Ottawa Citizen
Photo courtesy of Caroline Phillips, The Ottawa Citizen
It’s hard not to get giddy when you walk into the brand new Ottawa Convention Centre, and even harder when you head up to the fourth-floor Trillium Ballroom to sip champagne and enjoy the panorama of the downtown, as did 400-plus guests of the sold-out 2011 Tulip Ball on Friday.
In the words of Canadian Tulip Festival chairman David Luxton, it’s “a million-dollar view.”
That’s not to say the sights of floral gowns and ice sculptures inside the ballroom weren’t also breathtaking. The black-tie dinner showcased elaborate floral ball gowns created by renowned floral artist Joel Marc Frappier and fashion designer Sylvie Bigras.
Read more: Canadian Tulip Festival: Tulip Ball stunning in its new locale
Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra pleases at Prairie Scene
Richard Todd, Ottawa Citizen
There aren’t many classical music events in the National Arts Centre’s current Prairie Scene festival, but last night’s Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra concert, at least, drew a good audience and featured a crowdpleasing program that included two major Tchaikovsky works.
But first there was a short Canadian piece, Io, by Winnipeg composer Randolph Peters. The composer describes the 11-minute piece as a “fanfare with a slow romantic theme in the middle.” It earns its name by being similar for a few measures here and there to Jupiter from Holst’s The Planets. It’s a nice curtain raiser, if not terribly memorable. It gave the orchestra a good warm-up, and was a showcase for the brass.
Full review on the Ottawa Citizen website: Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra pleases at Prairie Scene
Dragon Boat festival expands programming
BMX stunt riders will be a new addition to the Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival, which runs June 17-19 at Mooney’s Bay Park.
In addition to boating, the festival generally features a number of musical acts, which this year will include the Trews and Steven Page, the latter of which used to be part of The Barenaked Ladies.
The festival, which is North America’s largest, is in its 18th year of operation. It typically attracts 65,000 to 70,000 volunteers over the three days.
The news comes as the festival season begins in Ottawa. Bluesfest kicked off its events on Tuesday when it announced the lineup of musical acts, which includes A Perfect Circle and Huey Lewis.
Full article at Dragon Boat festival expands programming.
Ottawa Chamberfest 2011 lineup revealed
The Ottawa Chamber Music Festival unveiled its concerts for this summer on Wednesday, promising plenty of nods to Franz Liszt to mark the 200th anniversary of the Hungarian pianist’s birth.
Concerts by Katherine Chi and Marc-André Hamelin, as well as a conference at Carleton University, will celebrate the composer’s work at Ottawa Chamberfest 2011.
The chamber music society’s artistic director, Roman Borys, also lined up a superstar Canadian soprano to open the festival.
Early-bird passes are on sale now until June 3, 2011. For ticket pricing information, keep checking the festival’s website. A complete program and the full list of performers will also be made available on the website on May 2.
For the full story visit Ottawa Chamberfest 2011 lineup revealed.
Cool live shows for kids
Source: Metro Ottawa
By: Steve Gow
Ottawa Children’s Festival features top-rated performers from around the world.
Theatre, dance and interactive fun are all on the bill for kids, parents and teachers as the Ottawa International Children’s Festival returns for its 26th year. From June 1 to 5, LeBreton Flats will be transformed into an extravaganza of performing arts especially for kids.
“It’s very rare that theatre artists of this calibre with programming specifically for young children are in our city, so it’s not something to be missed,” said festival spokesperson Charlotte Juane.
This year’s program features an all-new roster of Canadian and international performers, including Sursault (Sherbrooke, Quebec), Trickster (Switzerland), Imago Theatre (USA), Stillmotion/Starcatchers (Scotland), and four groups from Italy, La Società della Civetta, Teatronecessario, Teatro delle Briciole and Compagnia Rodisio.
“They’re all very different from one another and for different ages of people,” Juane said, “So I’m just really excited to see each one of them myself because I’ve not seen any of these performances live myself.”.
Festival tickets are available through ticketweb.ca or by calling (613) 241-0009.
Read the full article.
Water music for dragons
Source: Ottawa Citizen
Nova Scotia rockers The Trews, former Barenaked Ladies’ frontman Steven Page and Canadian pop group Ash Koley are among the artists anchoring the free concert series at the Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival. Billed as North America’s largest dragon-boat festival, it takes place June 17-19 at Mooney’s Bay Park. Also on the bill are some of Ottawa’s finest musicians, including blues trio MonkeyJunk, singersongwriters Jim Bryson and Chris MacLean, indiefolk band Amos the Transparent, the fun-loving brass outfit Mike Essoundry’s Mash Potato Mashers and roots-rockers Silver Creek.
For more information, go to www.dragonboat.net
For the full article visit The Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa Bluesfest brings The Roots, Frampton
Source: CBC News
An eclectic mix of more than 200 headlining acts, ranging from indie-rock darlings The Flaming Lips to music legends like Peter Frampton and Bootsy Collins, will take the stage at this summer’s Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest.
The 18th edition of Canada’s biggest blues festival released its lineup Tuesday, spanning 13 days between July 5-17, with an off-day in the middle of the festival to allow fans, volunteers and staff to rest before the music kicks off again.
Among other acts confirmed so far were: Soundgarden, Huey Lewis & the News, Ben Harper, Steve Miller Band, The Black Keys, Death Cab for Cutie, Erykah Badu, Jennifer Hudson, The Roots and Girl Talk.
As far as Canadian content goes, fans will have their pick of seeing performances from: the Tragically Hip, Death From Above 1979, Bedouin Soundclash, Blue Rodeo, Billy Talent and Buck 65, also known as Richard Terfry, the host of CBC Radio 2’s Radio 2 Drive show. More artists are still being confirmed.
The annual music festival site at LeBreton Flats Park, on the grounds of the Canadian War Museum, is expected to draw fans from around the world for what Billboard Magazine has ranked as one of the top 10 music festivals in North America.
Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. on April 30.
For updates on schedules, tickets, and programming information, visit www.ottawabluesfest.ca.
To view the article visit CBC.ca
Flood advisory issued for Rideau River: Silver lining, good for tulips
More than 30 mm of rain is expected to fall over the next couple of days, following what has already been one of the wettest Aprils in years.
Patrick Larson, a spokesman for the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority, said residents should brace themselves for a very wet Thursday.
As for a silver lining in all the dark clouds, the National Capital Commission predicted the April weather would make for perfect conditions in the lead-up to next month’s Tulip Festival.
“We should get a good three-week blooming season this year,” said Mario Fournier, the NCC’s manager in charge of parks and green spaces around Ottawa. “We’re just right on target.”
For the full article visit CBC.ca
Saskatchewan Artists Off to the Nation’s Capital
Source: Tourism Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan artists will be featured on the national stage at the Prairie Scene Festival in Ottawa from April 26 – May 8, 2011.
Musicians, performers, writers, dancers, visual artists – more than two hundred Saskatchewan artists of every discipline will be performing, attending or displaying their work during the festival, which runs April 26 to May 8.
“Saskatchewan artists are going to be the talk of the town in Ottawa, Gatineau and the entire National Capital region,” Minister of Tourism Parks Culture and Sport Bill Hutchinson said. “I know our artists will perform to enthusiastic audiences and impress talent scouts.”
The festival is sure to be amazing, so the Government of Saskatchewan, Tourism Saskatchewan, and Enterprise Saskatchewan want to share it with those who can’t attend in Ottawa.
A complete and detailed program and schedule events, including artist profiles, can be found at www.prairiescene.ca.
Read the full article at Tourism Saskatchewan.
Best Things to Do in Canada: Month by Month – July: Ottawa’s Canada Day Celebrations
Photo Caption: Canada Day celebrations in the capital city Ottawa.
Photo by Denise LeBlanc
It’s a day to celebrate all that is Canada: that means music, fireworks, fine food and drink, dancing in the streets, parades, marching bands and Mounties. Sometimes, even royalty drops in for a cuppa: the big news for 2011 is that newlyweds William and Kate, just two months after their Westminster Abbey nuptial spectacle, are expected to join the party.
Music rings out all over town: The Ottawa Jazz Festival stages a series of free concerts at Confederation Park 11am-7pm. The National Arts Centre’s musical program is one of the city’s most ambitious on Canada Day — and it’s all free. A typical July 1 begins at 10 am with the 400-voice Unisong Massed Choir, then moves onto a series of hourly kids concerts, a series of stand-out performances by the NAC Orchestra, the NAC Young Artist Programme and African Drummers. July 1 is also a good time to check out the city’s top museums — so long as you don’t mind line-ups — since most offer free admission for the day.
Read more at Frommer’s: Best Things to Do in Canada: Month by Month
- 3 February:
- 17 February:
- 8 March:
- 28 March:
- 7 April:
- 26 April:
- 3 May:
- 4 May:
- 11 May:
