Ottawa delights at Turkish Festival
Tracey Tong, Metro Ottawa
Dancers perform the Whirling Dervish, which marked its 800th anniversary three years ago.
Ottawa’s Turkish-Canadian population might be small, but that didn’t stop tens of thousands of people from attending the fourth annual Ottawa Turkish Festival over the weekend — and festival volunteer Selim Asmer has a pretty good idea why.
“Turkey has a very rich history,” said Asmer. “It’s the only country in the world located on two continents — Europe and Asia.” And it combines the best of both, he said.
The festival, said organizer Ahmet Sanli, “allows us to share our culture. Here, they can discover the wonders of Turkish culture.”
Read more: Ottawa delights at Turkish Festival
Appreciate Rideau, says festival director
Tracey Tong, Metro Ottawa
Michel Gauthier adds a padlock to artist Monique Martin’s interactive Love Locks art installation outside the Bytown Museum, which allows festival goers to express their love for the canal. (Photgraph by Tracey Tong)
In the summer, we run, cycle and walk alongside it. In the winter, we bring out the skates and go for a spin on its frozen surface.
But for the most part, people take the Rideau Canal for granted, said the executive director and founder of the Rideau Canal Festival.
While there is “a lot of love out there for the canal,” said Michel Gauthier, “People don’t understand that the Rideau Canal is in the same club as the Great Wall of China and the Pyramids of Egypt. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site.”
Read more: Appreciate Rideau, says festival director
Music will fill the chambers
Violinist Isabelle Faust is making her Chamberfest debut with pianist Alexander Melnikov Aug. 4 at 7 p.m. at the Dominion-Chalmers United Church.
TRACEY TONG, METRO OTTAWA
Ottawa’s classical music festival has just wrapped up, but the executive director of the Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival isn’t worried about what that will mean for his festival.
“People are saying to me that you can never have too much good music,” said Glenn Hodgins.
“I think people have an appetite for great artists and the great masters of our time.”
In its 17th year, Chamberfest, which begins Saturday and runs through Aug. 7, is the biggest festival of its kind in the world, said Hodgins.
Read more: Music will fill the chambers
Getting into the swing of all things Turkish
Tracey Tong, Metro Ottawa
A dancer performs at last year’s Ottawa Turkish Festival.
The Ottawa Turkish Festival gets into full swing next weekend, but people can whet their appetites for all things Turkish starting this weekend.
Documentary screenings at the Ottawa Public Library, cuisine demonstrations, a flag raising ceremony and various language classes at the Turkish Cultural Centre start as soon as this Saturday as part of the Ottawa Turkish Festival, which puts on its main event next weekend, July 24 and 25.
Read more: Getting into the swing of all things Turkish
Music in a classical turn: New festival expected to attract 40,000 to 50,000
TRACY TONG | METRO OTTAWA
Music lovers in the capital might be pumped for Bluesfest, but Ottawa’s newest music festival, opening today, is creating a buzz among a different musical circuit.
The classical music festival Music and Beyond brings international legends, including soprano Kathleen Battle, acclaimed pianists Peter Serkin and Menahem Pressler, one of the world’s top vocal groups, the Hilliard Ensemble, and the renowned Canadian Brass to Ottawa — some for the first time.
The festival features 350 musicians playing in 82 concerts.
Full story on Metro Ottawa online: Music in a classical turn
In Pictures: Weather fails to keep crowds from dragon boat festival
TRACEY TONG, METRO OTTAWA
Dragon boaters and their fans proved themselves a tenacious bunch this past weekend.
The weather, which changed from hot and sunny to cloudy and rainy several times during the Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival, failed to deter people from attending North America’s biggest dragon boat festival.
Read more: In Pictures
Celebrate Bicycle Commuting on Clean Air Day
Date: Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Time: 12 noon – 1 p.m.
Location: Marion Dewar Plaza, Ottawa City Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue West, Ottawa
Councillor Clive Doucet, in collaboration with the Netherlands Embassy, invites you to a Clean Air Day event during Environment Week.
The event will feature inspiring speakers, cycling groups, a “best dressed” bicycle commuter contest (prizes for best male and female participants) and refreshments.
To participate in the “best dressed commuter” contest, submit a photo of yourself on your commuter bike, dressed in your favourite duds and you’ll automatically be entered. Photos can be submitted through the Clean Air Day – Ottawa, Facebook group - or by e-mail to best.dressed.2010@gmail.com Prizes will be awarded on June 2 at City Hall.
Leading up to the event we will promote the Commuter Challenge to encourage active transportation, transit use and car pooling.
For more information, visit: http://www.clivedoucet.com/, http://www.netherlandsembassy.ca/, http://www.commuterchallenge.ca/.
Special thanks to Metro Ottawa for sponsoring the Commuter Challenge and Clean Air Day in Ottawa.
Also coming up soon is Bike to Work Week, June 7-11, 2010. For more information: http://www.ottawa.ca/residents/onthemove/cycling/b2ww_en.html
