Back to our roots at the Carp Fair: Agriculture shares top billing
Nevil Hunt | YourOttawaRegion.com
Bruce Paul, Photo Courtesy YourOttawaRegion.com
A year of planning and a solid organizational chart are expected to make the 2010 Carp Fair as successful as those of days gone by.
“This year’s theme is Rural Roots,” said the fair’s co-president, Bruce Paul.
The fair’s roots have never been in doubt. Unlike the latter years of the Central Canada Exhibition at Lansdowne Park, the Carp Fair board hasn’t let agriculture and rural traditions fade away in favour of entertainment and the midway. There’s 147 years of tradition at stake.
Full story: Back to our roots at the Carp Fair
Rock the Arts puppet show coming to Carp Fair
EMC Entertainment
Photo From Rock the Arts website
Puppets will be coming to this year’s Carp Fair.
Sarah Argue and Robyn Pekarchuk will be bringing their unique theatre company, Rock the Arts, to the fairgrounds this weekend as part of the 147th edition of the fair.
The duo have performed together for nine years and traveled in the United States for three before starting their Kanata-based company.
“We’re just rocking the arts,” Argue told the EMC previously, noting the inspiration behind the company name.
Full story: Rock the Arts puppet show coming to Carp Fair
Lumiere Festival – Needs Characters
The Ottawa Lumiere Festival is looking for theatre students, emerging artists and community artists age 14 and up to participate as characters in a guided animation section of the lantern installations on September 4.
Training dates: August 13, 7 – 9 pm; August 14, 10 – 4 pm; August 15, 10 -4 pm; August 21, 1 – 4 pm; and August 28, 1 – 4 pm. Rehearsal and performance dates: September 2 -evening rehearsal; September 3 – evening rehearsal; September 4 – performances beginning at 5 pm.
For more info, contact Scott Florence – scott@crichtonccc.ca by August 10, 5 pm.
(via UnFolding)
Also see: The Lumiere Festival’s Call for Artists and Performers (PDF Document)
Tulip time again in Ottawa: Festival to feature recreation of street party marking end of WWII
TRACEY TONG, METRO OTTAWA
With hundreds of tulips already in bloom in Ottawa and Gatineau, the Canadian Tulip Festival will make it abundantly clear that it’s tulip time in the nation’s capital.
The stars of the festival, of course, are the one to two million tulips, which have or will come up over the next few weeks.
“There are some beautiful flowers right now,” said Berry. “We’re encouraging people to come out right now to get the full effect of it.”
Ontario Tourism estimates that the festival will have a $100-million impact for Ottawa.
Full story: Tulip time again in Ottawa
Time for Tulips: Festival season kicks off Friday with Canadian Tulip Festival
Tony Lofaro, The Ottawa Citizen
Much like May weather in Ottawa, the Canadian Tulip Festival is always evolving. And this year, the festival, which kicks off Friday, may evolve into having few tulips.
Fewer blooms will be just one of the changes to the festival this year. Organizers are restoring a single passport to all events, reducing the Celebridée speaker series, and bringing several Ottawa bands to the stage at Major’s Hill Park, including Amos the Transparent and The Murder Plans. The International Pavilion featuring the culture and cuisine of more than 20 embassies is back at Major’s Hill after a disastrous stint last year at Lansdowne Park. A children’s program has been added, and Waylon, a hot new Dutch artist, will perform in the Mirror Tent May 15.
The festival’s theme is “Liberation,” and things get rolling at noon Friday with a street party on Sparks Street to mark the 65th anniversary of the liberation of The Netherlands at the end of the Second World War.
“We intend to have a huge celebration and throw a street party much as in the spirit of 1945,” says festival spokeswoman Christine Charette.
Read more: Time for Tulips
Children’s Festival inspiring and just plain fun
Patrick Langston, The Ottawa Citizen
Want to give your children a leg up in the information economy while teaching them to be solid citizens? Take them to the Ottawa International Children’s Festival, May 26-30 at LeBreton Flats Park.
It’ll prime their imaginations, says the festival’s artistic producer Catherine O’Grady — precisely what the tykes will need a couple of decades down the road.
“Teaching kids an arts vocabulary is important, and they’re not getting it in school. Education panders to numeracy and literacy at the early stages, but our kids are going to have to have a role in the creative economy. Theatre teaches you to engage your mind and engage with the community.”
Read more: Children’s Festival inspiring and just plain fun
Westfest promises three days of free, family-friendly fun in June
Phil Ambroziak, EMC Events
Westfest opens Friday, June 11 with a night devoted to “Rootsy Women.” Among those to take to the stage will be headliners Dala, the Inuit throat singers Nukariik, Madison Violet, the Marigolds, Peggy White and DJ Jas Nasty. The following night will feature a “Westfest Pop Explosion” headlined by the ever-popular Sloan. Other performances will be provided by Will Currie and the Country French, the Balconies, the High Dials and Bloomistry. The festival comes to a close Sunday, June 13 with “Ottawa Night.” This night will feature performances by Ottawa artists of all genres. Among those scheduled to perform are MonkeyJunk, the White Wires, TokyoSexWhale, GOOD2GO, the Kingmakers, Ken Workman and the Union and Autumns Canon. Also on hand will be Mi’kmaq dancer Thomas Clair among others.
“Westfest has evolved into what is now 14 city blocks of festival site,” she said. “This 100 % Canadian, multidisciplinary art festival’s focus still remains on accessibility and the community. I’m pleased to welcome everyone from the National Capital and the Gatineau Region to Westfest 2010.”
Read the full article at EMC online: Westfest promises three days of free, family-friendly fun in June
Teens rate rides at SuperEx
TERRI SAUNDERS, Sun Media
After 14 rides, many of them worthy of making even the sturdiest of stomachs a little queasy, 13-year-old Morgan Connelly decided enough was enough.
“I think I’m done,” she said, lowering herself to the ground. “Do you think I could get something to drink?”
She was just two rides away from matching the 16 her friend, Brennan McNamara, 13, managed to complete as they joined thousands of people at Lansdowne Park Thursday for opening day of this year’s SuperEx, which runs until Aug. 30.
The two teens gamely took on the challenge of riding as many of the rides at the fair as they could and then rating them on a scale of 1 to 10.
See the ratings @ Ottawa Sun online: Teens rate rides at SuperEx
SuperEx rides again
KENNETH JACKSON, Sun Media
Every year they gather before the tall red gates peering in through the bars with wide eyes.
Their anticipation boils to the point of gleeful exuberance until finally the gates open and the kids rush in like water through a broken dam.
Today is the opening day of the 121st SuperEx and it’s free.
Let the fun begin.
Full story on Ottawa Sun online: SuperEx rides again
ONE CHANGE: FUEL PILOT PROJECT LAUNCHING AT SUPEREX
An exciting new pilot project designed to help Ottawa residents save fuel and money, protect the environment, and improve vehicle safety is launching at noon today, opening day of SuperEX at Lansdowne Park.One Change: Fuel, along with its partners-Natural Resources Canada, The Ontario Trillium Foundation, and Canadian Tire-are on hand to kick-off this unique pilot project. Staff and volunteers at the One Change: Fuel booth at SuperEX are distributing 1,000 free tire gauges and fuel-saving Canadian Tire coupons throughout the day to local area residents, along with an empowering message: simple actions matter. Each digital tire gauge and valuable coupon will result in annual savings of up to $90 in fuel and auto-service, and cut 140 kg of CO2 emissions.
Four years after the launch of the award-winning Project Porchlight campaign in Ottawa, the One Change: Fuel pilot campaign will see the delivery of 12,000 additional free fuel- and money-saving digital tire gauges along with Canadian Tire coupons to Ottawa residents. As part of the campaign, nine participating Canadian Tire stores will host family-friendly tire clinics during August and September, where consumers will learn how to properly check their tire pressure.
