Bluesfest Gallery – Day 6
Lebreton Flats was just as lively as ever during the weekend at Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest. The lineup included The Tragically Hip, Erykah Badu, Justin Nozuka, Shawn McDonald and some other fun acts.
Here are some pictures from Day 6 of Bluesfest by photographer Ming. To see more of his photos visit: http://photogmusic.com/
Measuring Bluesfest’s mass appeal
As Ottawa’s largest annual music festival gets under way, numbers published by Bluesfest organizers show its broad popularity among local residents.
Elizabeth Howell, The Ottawa Business Journal
During the last five years, 55 per cent of Ottawa’s population has attended Bluesfest.
This year alone, more than one-fifth of Ottawa households will make the trek to LeBreton Flats, according to projections published by Harris/Decima based on surveys of visitors.
Bluesfest brings in 250,000 vistors on average and last year attracted more than 350,000. It brings in $60 million in visitor spending every year.
This year’s edition will bring a big physical change to the venue, as the main stage will now be parallel to the width of the festival site at LeBreton Flats.
Organizers say this will make it easier for patrons to view the stage, which previously was placed in a narrow corridor at the extreme east edge of the field.
Read more on the OBJ website: Measuring Bluesfest’s mass appeal
Bluesfest tunes up its philanthropy efforts for another festival year
Sabine Gibbins, EMC Ottawa East
EMC Events – There’s no singing the blues when it comes to Bluesfest and their giving spirit.
The not-for-profit organization, which is best known for bringing world-renowned and authentic local artists to Lebreton Flats for a summer music festival, is determined to once again reach out to the community through their various local community programs.
AJ Sauve, director of communications for Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest, says giving back to the community is one of the festival’s main roles it indulges in full-time.
“Aside from planning the music festival, Bluesfest does a lot of work in the community,” says Sauve. Take Blues in the Schools for instance. The educational program was created to promote, preserve and perpetuate the art, culture and heritage of blues music, and to examine the music’s influence on other genres. Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest brings artists/educators to Ottawa and partners them with local musicians for a two-week residency in Ottawa-area schools.
The program began in two Ottawa-area schools in 1999 and has since seen tremendous growth. Each spring, visiting artists and educators take part in the Blues in the Schools program to thousands of students in Ottawa schools, providing exceptional in-class training and instruction over a two-week period to students.
Read more on the EMC Ottawa East website: Bluesfest tunes up its philanthropy efforts for another festival year
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.
Ottawa South loses Capital Hoedown
Emma Jackson, YourOttawaRegion
Photo by: Emma Jackson
For all its festival potential, Ottawa South was snubbed again as the Capital Hoedown country music festival announced it would be hosting its August country music festival at Lebreton Flats instead of at the Rideau Carleton Raceway.
Citing similar concerns as the SuperEx board when it decided to cancel bringing the exhibition to empty lands it owns in Ottawa South, Capital Hoedown and Concert International president Denis Benoit said he was concerned about getting the raceway’s space ready for the summer event.
“We’d have to convert it, level it out, take the trees out, and because the entertainment lineup is as big as it is we didn’t want to take any chances,” he said.
Full story on the YourOttawaRegion website: Ottawa South loses Capital Hoedown
Reggae fest to bring in more Caribbean heat
TIM WIECLAWSKI | METRO OTTAWA
Local reggae fans are in for an unforgettable weekend this August, according to the president of the third annual Ottawa Reggae Festival.
“We hope that the community comes out to support this event,” said festival president Benjamin Williams at the official media launch Wednesday. “We’re geared up and ready to go.”
Williams would not predict how many people they expect attend the festival, but he hoped the lineup would be exciting to the whole city.
Full story: Reggae fest to bring in more Caribbean heat
Bluesfest attendees should use common sense
Bruce Ward, The Ottawa Citizen
He said organizers rely on those attending Bluesfest to use common sense to combat the hot, humid weather.
“People are adults and we can’t micro-manage their behaviour but we do strongly advise people to stay hydrated — there’s lots of water on site.”
Fans can duck into the air-conditioned War Museum if they get hot and tired, Sauve said.
“Thankfully, the museum is air conditioned and we have access to that. You can pop in there if you start to feel a little tired.”
He added that the Bluesfest has several medical experts on site and an army of about 4,000 volunteers to help anyone who feels discomfort because of the heat.
Full story on the Ottawa Citizen website: Bluesfest attendees should use common sense
Game Summit Seeks Help at Ottawa International Children’s Festival
From May 26 to 30 we’re hosting a Family Games Pavilion at the Ottawa International Children’s Festival. We need help all day long during the five days to assist families to learn and play games.
Our Family Games Pavilion will be set up very prominently in front of the War Museum with two large 20×20 tents and a small 10×10 tent and the outside space just in front of the three tents. We’re bringing along giant games, i.e. Chess, Checkers, Connect 4… and we’ll have the tents loaded with games of all sorts for families with kids of all ages.
We need a minimum of 4 Host Ambassadors at all times (Wed-Sun) to help participants (over 17,000 of which the festival had last year) learn and play with the games. You’ll receive one of our new “Are You Game?” Blue T-Shirts and other perks for helping out. The weekend won’t be so much of an issue, but we’re looking for people available for the three week days (Wed-Fri).
If you’re available at any time during that week to join our team of Ambassadors, please let us know by sending an email to amy@gamesummit.ca.
For more information, visit Game Summit or Ottawa International Children’s Festival.
Ottawa Bluesfest lineup announced: Festival nabs Rush, Drake, Keith Urban, Arcade Fire, Great Big Sea and Santana.
Lynn Saxberg, Canwest News Service
One of the biggest summer music festivals in the country, Bluesfest runs from July 6 to 18 on the grounds of the Canadian War Museum at LeBreton Flats. This year’s event starts on a Tuesday, a day earlier than the festival’s traditional start date, but includes a day off on July 12. The newly devised schedule divides the festival into two separate weeks.
In all, about 230 acts are performing at Bluesfest, including about 60 from the Ottawa area. Concerts take place on five outdoor stages and in the museum’s indoor Barney Danson theatre.
Last year’s festival attracted more than 350,000 people, according to statistics gathered by the festival.
Full story on Canada.com: Ottawa Bluesfest lineup announced
Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest announces blockbuster line-up
Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest organizers have announced the line-up for the 2010 edition of the festival. This year, scheduling will run from Tuesday, July 6 through Sunday, July 11 (Monday will be an off-day for fans and organizers to re-charge their batteries) and re-commence Tuesday, July 13 through Sunday, July 18. Festival organizers are expecting another year of great attendance while offering a dynamic festival experience, for what Billboard Magazine has ranked as one of the top-10 festivals in the world.
Confirmed Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest acts to-date include Alexisonfire; Anders Osborne & Johnny Sansone; Andrew Bird; AfroReggae; Arcade Fire; Aterciopelados; Babe Ruth; Basia Bulat; Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba; Bear in Heaven; Big Jeezus Truck; Big Soul Project featuring Roxanne Goodman; Bill ‘Sauce Boss’ Wharton; Bjorn Berg; Blonde Redhead; Campbell Brothers; Caravan Palace; Carolyn Wonderland; The Cat Empire; Champion and His G-Strings; Charlie Winston; Coolooloosh; Crowded House; Culture Reject; Curtis Salgado; Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Band; Down With Webster; Drake; Dream Theatre; Eamon McGrath; Elvis Perkins; Ethiopique; Faber Drive; Foghat; Furthur featuring Phil Lesh & Bob Weir; Garaga; Gipsy Kings; GOOD2GO; Gord Downie and the Country of Miracles; Great Big Sea; Great Lake Swimmers; Group 1 Crew; Grupo Fantasma; Iron Maiden; James Hunter; Jimmy Cliff; Joan Jett; Joe Krown Trio with Walter Wolfman Washington & Russell Batiste; John Butler Trio; John Hiatt; John Kilduff; Keith Urban; Ken Workman & the Union; Kevin Costner and Modern West; Kings Go Forth; Konono No. 1; Lady Tramaine Hawkins; Laurent Bourque; Levon Helm; LIGHTS; Loudlove; Lukas Nelson; Marc Cohn; Marcia Ball & The Voice of The Wetlands All Stars featuring Tab Benoit, Cyril Neville, Anders Osborne, Johnny Sansone, Waylon Thibodeaux, and Big Chief Monk Boudreaux; Marianas Trench; Martin Sexton; Matt Andersen; Matthew Good; Matt Schofield; Metric; Moneen; Monster Mike Welch; NEWWORLDSON; Nicolas Collins; Occidental Brothers; Octoberman; Ozomatli; Passion Pit; Paul Rishell & Annie Raines; Planet Smashers; Renaissance; Richie Righteous; River City Junction; Robert Farrell Band; Robert Randolph & the Family Band; Roger Hodgson; Ronnie Baker Brooks; Roy Rogers & The Delta River Kings; Rosanne Cash; The Rural Alberta Advantage; Ryan Montbleau Band; Santana; Septentrional d’Haiti; Slyde; Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes; Staff Benda Bilili; Steel Pulse; Steve Dawson’s Mississippi Sheiks Project; Steve Hackett; Steve Winwood; That 1 Guy; That’s the Spirit; Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience; The Aggrolites; The Budos Band; The Constellations; The Ethics; The Flaming Lips; The Hold Steady; The Lost Fingers; The Love Machine; The Mohawk Lodge; The Moody Blues; The Musical Box; The Swell Season; The Whigs; The White Wires; Timber Timbre; TJ Wheeler; Tommy Castro; Too Slim and The Taildraggers; Trevor Hall; Tye Tribbett; We Are Wolves; Weezer; Woodhands; and Yatkha, with more to be announced.
Once again, Canada’s capital city will become a music Mecca during this 12-day arts extravaganza—drawing fans from far and wide. The festival site at LeBreton Flats Park offers a variety of food and merchandise concessions and is fully licensed. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 24.
Please, see www.ottawabluesfest.ca for detailed performance schedule and ticket information.
