2010 Top 100 Festivals and Events in Ontario Revealed During Annual Conference

March 8, 2010 · Filed Under Festivals in the News, News

This year’s Top 100 Festivals and Events in Ontario list was released this weekend at the Festivals & Events Ontario Conference held this year in Ottawa and eight Ottawa Festivals made the annual list.

Congratulations to Canadian Tulip Festival, TD Canada Trust Ottawa International Jazz Festival, Canada Day Celebrations, Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest, Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, Rideau Canal Festival, Ottawa Folk Festival and Winterlude.

Below is the announcement released at the conference by FEO:

Festivals & Events Ontario (FEO) announced the Top 100 Festivals and Events in Ontario last night as part of the Association’s President’s Gala, a celebratory conclusion to its annual conference.

Sponsored by VIA Rail Canada, The Top 100 Festivals and Events in Ontario designation is presented to a select few of more than 2,000 that occur annually within the province. Among the winners were household names like the Scotiabank Caribana Festival, Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest and Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest. It also featured many smaller, festivals such as the Lanark Highlands Art of Being Green Festival, the Cobourg Sandcastle Festival and the Rideau Canal Festival. In conjunction with the Top 100, FEO also announced its 2010 Achievement Award winners. Achievement Awards acknowledge individual festival and event excellence and best practices across a broad range of categories.

The President’’s Gala is a follow up to a Welcome Reception that was held on Wednesday night. The Honourable Mr. Michael Chan, Minister of Tourism and Culture was in attendance to welcome guests and announce the 2010 Festivals and Events of Distinction. This year’’s inductees were Rogers Bayfest and the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival.

“Solicitations for submissions were issued towards the end of the previous calendar year, and an independent jury of industry peers conducted the selection process just prior to the Conference,” explains the Association’s Executive Director, Gary Masters.

According to the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, 93% of recreational travelers are seeking cultural and entertainment experiences, such as festivals and events, when they plan a vacation. Over the past two years, approximately 2,000,000 people who visited a festival or event say it was the primary reason for their vacation.

“With so many options for the festival-goers here in Ontario, it can be hard to know which festivals and events offer the most rewarding experiences. As the provincial Association for this industry, we believe it is our responsibility to set these standards and present the results to our consumers in an easily accessible and recognizable brand,” states FEO’s President, Sarah Wood.

The winners of this year’s Top 100 will be highlighted in the annual Festivals and Events in Ontario Guide distributed in both a printed and online format. A list of the 2010 winners can be found on the Association’s website, www.festivalsandeventsontario.ca.

Tags: Canada Day Celebrations, Canadian Tulip Festival, Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest, FEO, FEO awards, Festivals and Events Ontario, Ottawa events, Ottawa Festivals, Ottawa Folk Festival, Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, Rideau Canal Festival, TD Canada Trust Ottawa International Jazz Festival, winterlude