FESTIVAL
NEWS

After completing a month of weekly learning sessions and submitting their final festival proposals, all 7 of the remaining NextFest teams gathered last Wednesday to pitch their festival to a jury of industry experts. It was a night resembling "Dragon's Den" with the "dragons" being jurors: Melanie Brulée  (Ottawa Music Industry Coalition), Ingrid Meza-McDonald  (City of Ottawa), Carl Karamaoun  (Latin Sparks Festival) and Jason Roy  (FrontDoor+).  5 minutes to pitch with 5 mi

As part of the NextFest competition, team members Cedar Vasara and Annie D ai ar e stitching together creativity, sustainability and cultural expression through a unique textile-focused festival. Their environmentally conscious festival aims to spotlight diverse textile art and traditions in Ottawa, encouraging participants to explore personal style, new skills and rethink their relationship with clothing. Cedar & Annie love the Capital Pride festival and are inspired by its

As part of the NextFest competition, Spaces Reimagined is transforming Ottawa’s everyday environments into immersive design experiences. Led by team members Jade Bruins  and Rula Aljumaili , they are excited to present The Spaces Reimagined Festival. The Spaces Reimagined Festival is a design showcase festival based in the Ottawa Region. It transforms everyday environments into immersive creative experiences by bringing together young designers, small studios, independent sp

As part of the NextFest competition, Over The Top is bringing forward a multisensory festival experience that blends music, art and movement. Led by team members Benjamin Allingham, Sadib Sufian, Karl Chatel   and Simon Lewandowski , Over The Top presents Uncover Ottawa. What inspired Over The Top to create a festival came from their experiences attending music festivals in the National Captial Region and their vision of what a truly memorable festival could be. Many of the

As part of the NextFest competition, Frequency Fest is bringing forward a curated vision for electronic music in Ottawa. Led by team members Gabriel Balladelli  and Sebastien Belanger , they are excited to present Frequency Fest. Frequency Fest is a waterfront festival built around curation and movement: two stages, distinct sound directions, one shared crowd. Frequency Fest is a non-profit event that prioritizes inclusion, safety, and local talent.  Frequency Fest's Inspir

As part of the NextFest competition, Post Credit Collective is bringing forward a community-driven artistic atmosphere to experience art and media in Ottawa. Led by team members Emma Poole , Pragati Parajuli and Winston Mavraganis , Post Credit Collective presents The Post Credit Festival. The Post-Credit Festival is a multisensory multi-media festival where art, sound, visuals and atmosphere work together to create a high-energy cultural event. By blending film screenings

As part of the NextFest competition, BlokJam, led by team members Julien Fontaine-Carbonneau, Scarlet Torraka, Jacob McGuire, Frédéric Doiron   and Breanna Smith , is bringing forward a powerful celebration of hip-hop culture in the National Capital Region. Raw beats, live paint, and elite breaks. One day of pure hip-hop culture on the block: BlokJam is an outdoor festival that showcases Canada's local hip-hop scene in the heart of the National Capital Region. BlokJam is insp

As part of the NextFest competition, Anti Scene is bringing unground music out of the house and into the city. Led by team members Graham Digby, Quentin Wolkensperg  and Kazmer Wolkensperg , Anti Scene presents XYZ Fest. XYZ Fest is a DIY underground music community that fights everywhere for expression through performance and the spaces that expression needs. We have been playing shows in Ottawa for about three years now. House shows have been our most successful in both a

As part of the NextFest competition, Operation CanCon is bringing forward a bold and thoughtful vision for celebrating Canadian identity. Led by team members Rebekah Waddell and James Shaheen , Operation CanCon presents The Boundless Arts & Culture Festival. The Boundless Arts & Culture Festival is a space for attendees to learn, honour, and connect with Canada's rich natural and cultural diversity through song and screen. This unique, all ages music and arts event features

On Tuesday, February 17 Ottawa Festivals will be hosting an interactive workshop on the subject of Working with Influencers in 2026 . This high-demand topic will tackle the often overwhelming nature of establishing and building successful relationships with digital creators. About the Session From small celebrations to multi-day, multi-stage festivals, influencer marketing has become a powerful tool for reaching audiences—but only when it’s done thoughtfully. In 2026, success

Board of Governors Algonquin College 1385 Woodroffe Ave. Ottawa, ON K2G 1V8   RE: Open Letter - Future of Music Industry Arts Program, Algonquin College Dear Members of the Board of Governors, As recently reported in the first economic impact of the live music sector, the industry and its related activities are significant and growing contributors to Canada’s economy, culture, and workforce, generating $10.92 billion in GDP , supporting over 101,000 jobs , and driving $3.7 bi

Your Voice Matters: Understanding the Impacts of Algonquin College Program Cuts Advocacy Update: Algonquin College proposed program cuts   Last week, Algonquin College shared a recommendation to its board of governors to suspend 30 programs across a variety of disciplines including: Music, Media and Film Foundations; Music Industry Arts; Bartending; Business Development and Sales; Hospitality – Hotel and Restaurant Operations Management; Tourism – Travel; Financial Services;

Tomorrow, January 27 at 3PM ET, Ottawa Festival Network will be hosting a virtual panel discussion on the topic of Festival Accessibility. Titled, " Overcoming Barriers" , this call seeks to share lived experiences with the ongoing and evolving task of making festivals and events more inclusive and accessible spaces for all to enjoy. About the Topic Join fellow festival organizers, producers, and cultural leaders for an interactive online panel exploring how to identify, remo

Tara Shannon, Executive Director of Ottawa Festival Network speaking at the Ottawa Festival Summit. Subject to budget approval, the City of Ottawa in partnership with Ottawa Tourism will launch a two-year pilot program to increase financial support to Ottawa’s larger, tourism-generating festivals. The Major Festivals Fund will provide an additional $1 million per year to festivals with the largest tourism and economic impact. Mayor Sutcliffe announced the new fund today at Ci

Exclusive Opportunity for OFN Members: Attention OFN members! Elevate your festival’s presence and ignite audience excitement with our...

Ottawa’s concert halls, churches and heritage sites have come alive with music, poetry and performance as the Music and Beyond Festival celebrates its 15th anniversary. Running from July 4 to 17, the festival presents a wide-ranging program that moves between classical music, jazz, literature and family events.

This year marks the festival’s 50th edition, a milestone that reflects the strength and continuity of Franco-Ontarian identity.

Join us June 12–22 for Ottawa Fringe Festival 2025, featuring 58 shows and nearly 375 live performances across nine downtown venues. Discover bold theatre, comedy, dance, and immersive experiences. Enjoy free community events daily, bilingual-friendly shows with captions, family programming, drag karaoke, silent disco, and more. All tickets are just $14, with 100% of box office revenue going directly to the artists.

The City of Ottawa recently published the Special Event By-law review and recommendations report . OFN's Executive Director, Tara Shannon...

On Monday, our Instagram account hit a major milestone… 10,000 followers! Since our debut on the platform in 2013, we have been committed...