The National Capital Commission (NCC) welcomed today the Ice Hog family, Winterlude’s official mascots, to Canada’s Capital Region. Papa and Mama Ice Hog and their twins Nouma and Noumi arrived at Jacques-Cartier Park, in Gatineau portaging a rabaska canoe to highlight Samuel de Champlain passage in Canada’s Capital Region.

The 400th anniversary of the passage of Champlain in the Capital Region will be featured at Winterlude’s Snowflake Kingdom, North America’s largest snow playground, presented by the Ville de Gatineau and the NCC.

The 35th edition of Winterlude will take place from February 1 to 18, 2013.

“The arrival of the Ice Hog family sends the signal that the Capital Region is preparing to host hundreds of thousands of visitors during Winterlude,” said Guy Laflamme, Senior Vice-President, Capital Experience and Official Residences at the NCC. “The NCC is calling on local residents to join Winterlude’s team of volunteers, which annually provides their time, talents and energy to the success of the event.”

Join the fun and discover why hundreds of people volunteer for Winterlude each year. As a volunteer, you could:

• assist with various activities
• escort the Ice Hog family, Winterlude’s furry mascots
• act as an information officer

The NCC especially need volunteers who speak French and are available daytime during the week (Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays) to help welcome students and visitors to Winterlude’s Snowflake Kingdom in Jacques-Cartier Park in Gatineau. With its giant snow slides and a multitude of activities, the Snowflake Kingdom is an exciting place to rediscover the joys of the Canadian winter.

To register as a volunteer, interested persons may contact the NCC Volunteer Centre by phone at 613-239-5373 or by email at [email protected] .

The Ice Hog family will make several public appearances leading up to Winterlude. The young and young-at-heart can receive one of their famous hugs at the following locations:

November 30 at 7 pm: Gatineau Santa Claus Parade

December 15 at 3 pm at Baribeau Arena : Intrépides Gatineau midget AAA hockey game

In a few weeks, the NCC will unveil the official Winterlude program. Until then, follow Winterlude on Twitter @Winterlude (#Winterlude) and FACEBOOK.

For more information about Winterlude, please contact the NCC at 613-239-5000, 613-239-5090 (TTY), 1-800-465-1867 (toll-free) or 1-866-661-3530 (toll-free TTY), or visit the NCC’s website at www.winterlude.gc.ca.

Craft Beer Week needs volunteers who are passionate about beer and want to help celebrate Craft Beer in the capital!

There are 4 shifts over the 2 day festival. Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th of August. Each shift is 6 1/2 hours. The morning shift is 10:30am to 5:00pm and the evening is 4:30pm to 11:00pm.  The festival is still recruiting for ticket/merchandise sales, logistics, stage hands and security.

If you have time and want to be part of something special, please email: [email protected]

Ottawa International Children’s Festival May 30th – June 3rd, 2012 Great opportunity for volunteers! We are currently accepting applications for anyone who loves working with children to help bring this festival to life! We offer flexible daytime schedules as well as on-site experience in positions such as ushers, site maintenance, and tent hosts. Please see our website for full list of volunteer opportunities: ottawachildrensfestival.ca/volunteer/ or call 613-241-0999. *Volunteers that are available the during the hours of 9am to 7pm between the dates of Wed. May 30th- June1st are urged to call!

Bryan Michaud, Orléans Star 

The second Orléans Festival will be held June 3-4. In order to maximize the event\’s success, organizers are looking for 150 volunteers.

\”There is really a great variety of tasks,” explains Jennifer Robinson, the head of the Orléans Festival\’s communication committee. “We need people to help us move materials before, during and after the festival. There is also the cleanup when the festival is over. We need people to help us greet visitors and give out information on the activities to do on site.\”

For more information or to sign up as a volunteer, go to orleansfestival.ca.

Become a part of our energetic volunteer team and connect with other like-minded theatre lovers from across the country, while lending invaluable support to this exciting national celebration of contemporary Canadian theatre. The Festival will take place in Ottawa, Ontario from June 3-11, 2011.

Once again, The Magnetic North Theatre Festival (MNTF) will be looking for 150 enthusiastic volunteers to make this one-of-a-kind showcase of national theatre a great success. Your time and energy will assist MNTF in operating this outstanding festival, while supporting some of Canada’s finest theatre artists. You can look forward to an entertaining and rewarding experience.

For more information or to become a volunteer visit the MNTF website BECOME A VOLUNTEER section or contact Wendy Turpin at (613) 947-7000 Ext. 264.

The National Capital Commission (NCC) invites residents of Canada’s Capital Region to become volunteers for the 33rd edition of Winterlude to be held from February 4 to February 21, 2011.

Every year, hundreds of volunteers contribute their time, talents and energy during Canada’s winter celebration. The NCC invites residents to put on their toques and mittens and join this dynamic team. We are looking for outgoing individuals of all ages to work with children, to host the ice carvers, to escort the Ice Hog family, Winterlude’s furry mascots, and to act as information officers. There is a particular need for individuals who speak French and are available to weekdays (Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays) to help us welcome school kids and visitors coming to the Sun Life Snowflake Kingdom in Gatineau’s Jacques-Cartier Park.

Individuals interested in helping the NCC welcome the thousands of visitors who will come to Canada’s Capital Region for our famous February festivities can contact the NCC Volunteer Centre by phone at 613-239-5373 or by e-mail at [email protected]

For further information, members of the public may also visit the NCC website at www.canadascapital.gc.ca/volunteers.

OTTAWA, ON –The Ottawa Festivals announces $133,000 grant funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), a project developed to strengthen volunteerism in the festival and events sector to be carried-out over the next two years.

“The Ontario Trillium Foundation funding helps our festivals in Ottawa grow by reinforcing their capacity to hire and engage young volunteers who are an essential resource for festivals,” said the Honourable Madeleine Meilleur, MPP for Ottawa-Vanier.  “Not only does this grant reinforce volunteer tradition among youth but it supports festivals which are important drivers of tourism and the economy in Ottawa.”

 John Brooman, President of Ottawa Festivals and Executive Director of the Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival, accepted a plaque signifying the investment in the Ottawa community from OTF representative Bob Wilson. Michael Chan, Minister of Tourism and Culture, sent a congratulatory message that was read to the crowd of more than 300 festival organizers, volunteers and supporters.

“Without the number of incredible volunteers that step forward every year, most festivals would not happen. It’s as simple as that,” says Brooman. “We are extremely excited about the Ontario Trillium Foundation supporting this project so that, as an industry, we can help provide real meaningful experiences for those who want to commit their time to these community events. We are all better for it.”

Ottawa Festivals will undertake research to develop a better understanding of why people volunteer, and the expectations of those who do. The project will result in an online tool developed to match volunteers with opportunities; resources to help train volunteers; and best practices for engaging and retaining volunteers through improved communications strategies and more relevant opportunities.