Festival Updates and News
News about Ottawa Festivals and our Member festivals, special events and fairs.
EVENT REVIEW: Five things we saw at Ottawa Fashion Week
Shop Talk is written by OM senior editor Dayanti Karunaratne and Sarah Fischer, OM account executive and fashion maven.
Let’s start this post off with a disclaimer: we don’t attempt to ‘cover’ OFW. Covering means attending all the pre- and post-events, all runway shows, and having a decent base of WordPress skills to translate our observations into something comprehensive and pretty that accurately reflects what we took in. We have no such skills, and we don’t have the time (on top of managing multiple print projects and maintaining this site) nor the expense budget to camp out at the Westin! (One of us has a baby bump to keep fueled with fatty nutritious food, after all.)
But we can offer our opinions on what we did see. For one thing, it was fun! The event is definitely becoming a social event, with fewer people looking anxious or bored and more attendees using OFW to mix and network, dress to impress, and get involved. There was a palpable buzz surrounding the crowds of people hanging between shows. A great sign.
Read more: Five things we saw at Ottawa Fashion Week
Winterlude wraps up: Organizers pleased with new partners
Joanne Laucius, Ottawa Citizen
Photo by Chris Mikula, The Ottawa Citizen
Winterlude wraps up Monday and organizers are already counting it a success.
This is the second year of a five-year plan to draw new partners to Winterlude. Last year’s newcomers numbered about a dozen. This year, more than 50 private and public-sector partners joined forces with Winterlude for events such as Ottawa Fashion Week, Cracking Up the Capital for mental health and Cool Science, a series of Saturday museum programs.
“This is the formula for the future,” said NCC spokeswoman Denise LeBlanc. “It brings a lot of things under the Winterlude umbrella. There’s something for everyone.”
Full story on the Ottawa Citizen website: Winterlude wraps up
Family Day a welcome break from the winter blahs
ctvottawa.ca
Photo by Fred Chartrand, The Canadian Press
As recent as six years ago, the third Monday in February would be just another day of work and school as the slog towards spring dragged on.
Move ahead to the present and Family Day gave people across Ottawa the chance to take in a vast array of activities, including the last day of Winterlude.
“I feel sad because I love all the slides, the rides, the mazes,” said one festivalgoer. “Now that it’s closed, it’s kind of a bummer,” said another.
Winterlude may have come and gone, but 600,000 visitors strolled through its various site and brought over $74 million to the capital.
Full story from CTV Ottawa: Family Day a welcome break from the winter blahs
World record breakaway, Ottawa group takes shot at Guiness World Record for longest breakaway
EMC News
To Canadians, Hockey Day in Canada is like a national holiday.
It’s become a coast to coast celebration of the sport we love.
This year, Hockey Day falls on Feb. 11, 2012 during the Beaver Cup “4 on 4″ Pond Hockey Festival at Winterlude in Ottawa.
To celebrate our game, a Guinness World Record attempt at the longest hockey breakaway, in partnership with Winterlude, will be made on the world famous (and world’s largest skate way) Rideau Canal at 7 a.m. near the Chateau Laurier.
“When we found out the Beaver Cup was going to be on Hockey Day in Canada weekend and takes place on the world’s largest skate way, we thought (Guinness attempt) would make sense,” said organizer Les Gagne.
In November, he set the wheels in motion contacting the Guinness World Book of Records in the U.K. and submitting a proposal.
Soon after receiving the go-ahead, he moved on to the National Capital Commission. In addition to gaining permission to go ahead with the attempt, they also needed to set a start time.
“We were being a little naive…we wanted to do it at 12 o’clock,” he said with a chuckle, noting the NCC explained there would be thousands of people in their way at that time.
They settled on 7 a.m. to take advantage of the overnight flooding as well as the clearer path.
The ‘goal’, he says, is to have each of six participating skaters skate in a relay format with a puck and stick seven kilometres from one end of the Rideau Canal to the other as fast as possible. The final skater will then shoot on what Gagne says will be a “patiently waiting” goalie with the hopes of scoring the big goal.
“It’s going to be an awesome experience to attempt the world record for the longest hockey breakaway while skating the entire length of the world famous Rideau Canal on Hockey Day in Canada. Canadians and hockey fans are invited to be part of this historic and exciting moment in our nation’s hockey history.”
Mayor Jim Watson will be on hand to cut the ribbon to start the breakaway. It’s also hoped a couple of NHL alumni will be involved.
“We’re pretty jacked,” he said.
As a bonus, Hockey Night In Canada will film the start, then track its progress aboard a security ATV “the way it’s done with the Tour de France.” Footage will then be shown later during the Ottawa Senators-Edmonton Oilers broadcast.
“It should be a lot of fun,” Gagne said.
POND HOCKEY
As Hockey Day in Canada is celebrated across the country, male and female hockey players and fans in Ottawa will be competing for the 2012 Beaver Cup “4 on 4″ Pond Hockey Festival championship on the Rideau Canal at Dow’s Lake.
“This is the only opportunity to play hockey on the Rideau Canal,” said Gagne, who also serves as executive director of the Beaver Cup.
Although this year’s tournament is sold out, one can get their team on the VIP List at www.beavercuppondhockey.ca.
And, if registered before Feb. 11, they could win a free team registration valued at over $500.
Back by popular demand for a second year as part of the Beaver Cup Pond Hockey Festival is the popular media and celebrity Hockey Pondarama. This year’s event will include Senator alumnus, Shaun Van Allen, CTV Ottawa Morning’s Kurt Stoodley, Majic 100 and Ottawa Senators game announcer Stuntman Stu, TSN’s Brent Wallace and James Cybulski, SirrusXM’s NHL Home Ice co-host, Mike Ross and many more.ca.
Money, Power and the Road Less Taken – Wakefield International Film Festival Hits all the Right Notes, Feb 19 – Apr 1
Melanie – Ottawa Start
(Wakefield, QC) Organizers of the Wakefield International Film Festival (WIFF) are pleased to announce yet another stellar program of the best in current documentary film. Beginning Sunday, February 19th and playing every Sunday until the finale on April 1st, the Festival offers its patrons current feature documentaries of the highest order – this year in the brand new Great Hall at the Wakefield LaPêche Community Centre.
Perhaps more than any other narrative form, the documentary film reflects the world and its concerns. This is starkly evident in the WIFF 2012 program selection chosen by Artistic Director Robert Rooney. In these strange times of increasingly disparate factions, as we humans struggle to find footing and justice – economically, politically and environmentally – doc makers sift through and reveal what we’re facing.
From the power games of Putin’s Russia to the bald-faced aggression of Donald Trump’s extreme wealth; from the battle to get an electric car on the road to Margaret Atwood’s examination of systems of wealth, justice and reparation, the films in the 2012 WIFF lineup are a brilliant mirror of where we are today. Also included in the lineup, appropriately, is the life story of a man who has always acted according to his conscience, Harry Belafonte, and two stories of artists living on the road less taken – always a vital role.
To read full story: Money, Power and the Road Less Taken – Wakefield International Film Festival Hits all the Right Notes, Feb 19 – Apr 1
What’s next for Ottawa’s theatre scene?
Reported by: Tinahnia, Openfile
In a funny way, the resurgence of Ottawa’s theatre scene over the last dozen years can be traced back to Canada’s most famous political assassination.
On April 7, 1868, Thomas D’Arcy McGee, a Father of Confederation and Member of Parliament, was shot in the head on Sparks Street, less than a year after Canada was born. The perpetrator was allegedly Patrick J. Whelan, who was hanged publicly at what’s now a youth hostel—formerly Carleton County Gaol—on Nicholas Street.
That was Canada’s only assassination of a federal figure, and the whole episode continues to fascinate history buffs in the nation’s capital. Among those who were captivated by the story was Pierre Brault, who created a one-man show about Whelan called “Blood on the Moon” with collaborators Judi Pearl and Jon Koensgen.
“Blood” debuted at the Ottawa Fringe Festival in June 1999 at Arts Court—right next door to the former jail where Whelan was hanged.
Nobody realized that “Blood” would become a legend of its own—even a catalyst for the growth of the Ottawa theatre scene. A smash hit at Fringe that year, “Blood” was picked up by the NAC’s then-Artistic Director Marti Maraden for a reprisal on Canada’s national stage.
For full story, go to: What’s next for Ottawa’s theatre scene?
Runway ready: 3 designers new to Ottawa Fashion Week
Joanne Laucius, Ottawa Citizen
Ottawa Fashion Week runs Feb. 17, 18 and 19, with designers showing their fall and winter lines for 2012-2013.
Does that sound a little early to be looking at clothes for next fall? Not really, says creative director Bruno Racine. Ottawa’s fashion week (OFW) starts after Montreal’s and before Toronto’s.
Last fall’s OFW attracted 5,000 visitors, and the event keeps getting bigger and better, says Racine. This season, OFW has partnered with Winterlude – the Ice Hogs will be stylin’ signature OFW togs – and OFW is aiming to attract 7,000 fashion fans this season.
Read More: Runway ready
NCC Calls Winterlude Opening Weekend “Very Positive”
Phil Gaudreau
CFRA
The National Capital Commission is quite pleased with the first weekend of Winterlude.
Senior Vice President Guy Laflamme tells CFRA News attendance has been excellent. “If I count the number of smiles I have encountered, I think people were extremely pleased and happy with what they experienced.”
Laflamme is chalking some of the success up to changes in Winterlude’s business plan to focus on arts and culture, educational events, and food. “We still have winter outdoor sports, but we have way more arts and culture…culinary gourmet food activities…as well as scientific activities”.
But he admits the weather was also a big factor this weekend. “This was an A+ type of weather report and hopefully we’ll be able to benefit from the same kind of conditions for the next two weekends.”
Laflamme says over 30,000 people took in Friday’s fireworks at Winterlude’s opening ceremonies, and it was a great kickoff to what he believes is the best edition of the winter festival yet. “Winterlude has grown to a level of quality and sophistication unmatched in past editions.”
He skates and skates and skates … and scores
JOE LOFARO / METRO OTTAWA
Organizers of the Beaver Cup Pond Hockey Festival will attempt to set a Guinness World Record on the Rideau Canal skateway next weekend for the longest breakaway goal.
The attempt will start at 7:15 a.m. on Feb. 11 on the ice near Chateau Laurier, and six skaters will pass the puck to each other in a relay-style trek across the 7.8-kilometre skateway.
The Beaver Cup Festival is a weekend-long four-on- four pond-hockey tournament. Participants in the tournament will include Ottawa Senators alumni and media personalities.
Read full story: He skates and skates and skates … and scores
Capital Pride organizers want grace period on outdoor smoking ban
Neco Cockburn, The Ottawa Citizen
Jean Levac, The Ottawa Citizen
A proposed smoking ban on municipal properties such as City Hall could hurt attendance at the Capital Pride festival, say organizers who are calling for a grace period this summer if the new rules are approved.
Proposed bylaw amendments would see smoking prohibited on city properties such as parks, beaches, sports fields and areas outside municipal facilities, as well as bar and restaurant patios.
Events on city properties would also be smoke-free under the regulations, something that would affect the 2012 Capital Pride festival planned for Marion Dewar Plaza outside City Hall, organizers said.
Read more: Capital Pride organizers want grace period on outdoor smoking ban
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