Schedule

Ottawa Festival Summit 2026 | Nov 25, 12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. RA Centre, 2451 Riverside Dr., Ottawa, ON K1H 7X7, Canada

Wed, Nov 25

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
1 hour
Networking Lunch
Clark Hall
Food & Drink
Networking
Social
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
1 hour
FestForward Mentorship Sessions
Lounge
1-1 Conversations
Networking
1:00 p.m. - 1:15 p.m.
15 minutes
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Clark Hall
1:15 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
15 minutes
A Sector in Motion: The State of Ottawa's Festivals
Clark Hall
Keynote Presentation
1:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.
15 minutes
From Survival to Sustainability: The Future of Festivals in Canada
Clark Hall
Keynote Presentation
2:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
30 minutes
Beyond Sponsorship: The Role of Philanthropy in Festival Sustainability
Clark Hall
Workshop
2:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
30 minutes
The AI Question: Is there a role for AI in festivals?
Clark Hall
Workshop
3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
30 minutes
Who Pays for What? Understanding the visitor economy, festivals and funding - a candid conversation with Ottawa tourism
Clark Hall
Fireside Chat
3:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
30 minutes
Fireside Chat with Mary Rowe, Canadian Urban Institute: Festivals as Community Infrastructure
Clark Hall
Fireside Chat
4:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
30 minutes
What We Heard, Where We Go: The Summit Closing Conversation
Clark Hall
4:30 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.
15 minutes
Closing Remarks
Clark Hall
5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
2 hours
Fest Connect Social
The Fieldhouse Sports Bar
Food & Drink
Networking
Social