HARVEST NOIR

Founded and organized five years ago by Greg Searle and Samantha Biron, this power couple has revolutionized the standards of how Ottawa views traditional picnics. Celebrating in an avant garde style, Harvest Noir incorporates the much loved farmers market from local product vendors of the Outaouais region in form of a gala. October 3rd 2015 marks Harvest Noir’s 5th anniversary edition of the pop-up event. It has divide the event into three parts - starting with a farmer's market and vintage funfair, followed by a farm-to-table chic picnic, and capped off by "Ottawa's sexiest" dance after-party. Groups of friends of all ages dress creatively in black, gather en masse at a secret downtown location for the picnic of a lifetime accompanied by refined music, and then dance the night away at an extraordinary venue. With a participatory fashion show, a swing ballroom and a DJ dancehall, and a strong social mission, Harvest Noir is a feast for all the senses. “It’s like stepping into Alice in Wonderland” Every year guests and intrigued audiences ask the whereabouts of that year’s venue, however part of Harvest Noir’s charm is that the event is hosted in a secret location. The site is unknown to everyone until mere hours before the event. The purpose for Harvest Noir has always been an annual fund-raiser for a non-profit organization named Bioregional. All proceeds support this NGO whose mission is to “ a better, more sustainable way to live. We work with partners to create better places for people to live, work and do business.” Bioregional is an international corporation with an office and projects here in Ottawa.