Ottawa Bluesfest is a family thing, too: Sharing a love of music
On a hot and muggy Wednesday evening, three generations of music fans from Montreal descended onto LeBreton Flats ready to rock out all night at Bluesfest.
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Joel Perron, son Gabriel Perron and grandson Victor Perron came to watch Def Leppard play on the RBC Stage.
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All three wore the band's T-shirts as they posed for a photo in front of the food stalls near the festival entrance and held up the sign of the horns.
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For Joel, this was an opportunity to share his love for the band and to make lasting memories with his family.
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'We're here because of a Def Leppard show as three generations of fans who like this group,' Joel said.
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'My children listened to this band when they were children, and now it's the same thing for my grandson.'
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The Perrons were one of many families at Bluesfest on Wednesday night, sharing their love for rock music and live concerts with the younger generation despite the sweltering weather.
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Some pushed strollers with young children in the main area near the RBC Stage as they filled up water bottles and bought food. Others tried to corral their toddlers to prevent them from getting lost in the crowd. Teens huddled inside the air-conditioned Canadian War Museum and discussed which acts they wanted to see with their parents.
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'I think it will be a nice memory for sure. Victor is too young to speak, but I know he will remember the show for sure,' Gabriel Perron said with a smile from ear to ear.
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Sloane Hilderley-Barr, 6, came to Bluesfest on Wednesday evening with parents Alicia Hilderley and Andrew Barr. It was Sloane's first concert ever.
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'Andrew and I have been coming most nights so far, and Sloane was jealous and wanted to come, too, so we're here for her first show tonight. She really likes rock music,' Hilderley said.
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Barr, who plays in a rock band, said his daughter wanted to see a real live rock drummer.
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'We love concerts. We go to a lot. She wanted to be part of it, and we figured it was time,' he said.
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Sureen Gosal brought his two young sons Arjun Gosal, 6, and Jeevan Gosal, 4, to Bluesfest on Wednesday after he volunteered in its first week.
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Sureen said he wanted to see Def Leppard, but would be going home with them early because the band's performance was only going to start past the kids' bedtimes. The three of them would instead spend their time exploring the grounds and discovering new artists.
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Ottawa Citizen
2 days ago
- Ottawa Citizen
How Bluesfest became one of the best music festivals in Canada
Article content Mark Monahan, the co-founder and executive director of Bluesfest, found himself at this year's festival casting back a couple of decades to the event's four-year stint at Ottawa City Hall. Article content The sight of a baby at Bluesfest brought Monahan back to the festival's early days, when he and his wife, Reine, had a young family. At the time, their youngest (of four) daughters was about the same age as Harley. Article content Article content Article content For three decades, Ottawa Bluesfest has taken over the city for two weeks in July, featuring major concerts on multiple stages and attracting tens of thousands of music fans of all ages. Article content It has grown into one of the biggest summer music festivals in the country, generating a buzz for being well-organized, multi-generational and diverse — with a picturesque location on the grounds of the Canadian War Museum at LeBreton Flats Park, next to the Ottawa River. Article content The biggest shows this year saw crowds of 30,000 or more turn up for Green Day, Lainey Wilson and Hozier, and total attendance is expected to surpass 250,000 visitors. With all those people spending money on restaurants, services and often hotels, the economic impact for Ottawa-Gatineau is estimated to be in the neighbourhood of $40 million. Article content Article content Article content When the festival started in 1994, nothing much happened in the city in July. Colleges and universities were on summer break, Parliament was adjourned, and many Ottawa-area residents flocked to their cottages. Article content The addition of a blues festival to the July calendar was a welcome development, and prompted a flurry of media coverage during the slow summer news period. The low ticket price encouraged the curious to take a chance, and within a few years, Bluesfest was bursting at the seams. It moved several times in the early years, from Major's Hill Park to Confederation Park to city hall. It settled in its current location at LeBreton Flats Park in 2007.
Vancouver Sun
2 days ago
- Vancouver Sun
How Bluesfest became one of the best music festivals in Canada
Mark Monahan, the co-founder and executive director of Bluesfest , found himself at this year's festival casting back a couple of decades to the event's four-year stint at Ottawa City Hall. The trigger? His first grandchild, 11-month-old Harley, was paying a visit. The sight of a baby at Bluesfest brought Monahan back to the festival's early days, when he and his wife, Reine, had a young family. At the time, their youngest (of four) daughters was about the same age as Harley. Back then, Monahan used to rent a hot tub for his on-site trailer compound, and the kids loved it. Get top headlines and gossip from the world of celebrity and entertainment. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sun Spots will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'We don't have the hot tub anymore,' he said, smiling at the memory, and clearly delighted to welcome a third generation to the festival family. 'But it feels like a full-circle moment.' For three decades, Ottawa Bluesfest has taken over the city for two weeks in July, featuring major concerts on multiple stages and attracting tens of thousands of music fans of all ages. It has grown into one of the biggest summer music festivals in the country, generating a buzz for being well-organized, multi-generational and diverse — with a picturesque location on the grounds of the Canadian War Museum at LeBreton Flats Park, next to the Ottawa River. The biggest shows this year saw crowds of 30,000 or more turn up for Green Day , Lainey Wilson and Hozier , and total attendance is expected to surpass 250,000 visitors. With all those people spending money on restaurants, services and often hotels, the economic impact for Ottawa-Gatineau is estimated to be in the neighbourhood of $40 million. But what is it about Ottawa that allowed Bluesfest to flourish? How did a government town come to host one of the biggest parties in the country? The answer lies in the combination of timing, talent and a multi-pronged connection to the community. When the festival started in 1994, nothing much happened in the city in July. Colleges and universities were on summer break, Parliament was adjourned, and many Ottawa-area residents flocked to their cottages. The addition of a blues festival to the July calendar was a welcome development, and prompted a flurry of media coverage during the slow summer news period. The low ticket price encouraged the curious to take a chance, and within a few years, Bluesfest was bursting at the seams. It moved several times in the early years, from Major's Hill Park to Confederation Park to city hall. It settled in its current location at LeBreton Flats Park in 2007. As it grew, the festival dealt with some serious setbacks, including an ill-fated attempt to expand to other Ontario cities in 2005, the tragic stage collapse in 2011, and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 edition of the festival was called off because of the global health crisis, but a drive-in version of it took place that summer. Through it all, the festival's legions of volunteers remained its most steadfast supporters. The volunteer program started with 200 bodies in 1994; this year, volunteers numbered more than 2,300. 'Volunteers have always been some of our best ambassadors,' said Monahan, noting that about 70 per cent of them return year after year. One woman, Nicky Swift, was given an award last year to mark 30 years of Bluesfest volunteer service. When asked why they keep coming back, several volunteers who crossed my path this summer told me they liked meeting people and seeing concerts for free. Of course, Bluesfest is not free for most people to attend, but it's worth knowing your ticket dollars have a purpose beyond the festival operations and talent budget. The festival is a non-profit charitable organization, with a volunteer board of directors made up of local professionals and business owners from different walks of life. Its mandate as a charity is to bring music education to children and youths through the Blues in the Schools and Be in the Band programs . These programs not only help the festival cultivate new generations of live-music fans (and performers) but also build anticipation in the weeks leading up to the festival. Bluesfest's last day is devoted to showcasing the kids' hard work on the LeBreton stage, a finale that attracts dozens of family members and friends . Another factor that differentiates Ottawa's Bluesfest from other festivals is its commitment to local and regional artists. 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And let's not overlook the programming. While most people buy tickets based on the main-stage headliners, there are always some great shows on the side stages and in the opening slots. This year's highlights included Father John Misty, the Decemberists and Men I Trust on the River stage, plus a terrific slate of blues programming on the LeBreton stage, along with intimate performances in the museum's dark, air-conditioned Barney Danson Theatre. 'We've always got something for everyone,' said Monahan, 'but this year was well-rounded, too. 'The level of attention to the whole lineup, from the regional acts to the mid-level to the side stages, is quite intense,' he added. 'We spent a year on this. We're not dropping something in and then doing another festival a month from now.' Because the festival runs smoothly and treats artists well, it has a good reputation in the industry, with credit to the efforts of 20 full-time staff members working out of the Bluesfest office. To make it a year-round job, the team also organizes Ottawa's CityFolk festival at Lansdowne Park in September, and the Festival of Small Halls. 'We have 173 years of collective experience just at this festival,' Monahan said. 'We have all of these ties to the community, and all of us have raised our families here.' Young Harley is testament to that, whether he grows up to be a volunteer, worker, musician or fan. lsaxberg@ We love where we live, and throughout the summer, we are running a series of stories that highlight what makes our community unique and special within Canada. Follow along with 'How Canada Wins' right here .
Calgary Herald
2 days ago
- Calgary Herald
How Bluesfest became one of the best music festivals in Canada
Article content Mark Monahan, the co-founder and executive director of Bluesfest, found himself at this year's festival casting back a couple of decades to the event's four-year stint at Ottawa City Hall. Article content The sight of a baby at Bluesfest brought Monahan back to the festival's early days, when he and his wife, Reine, had a young family. At the time, their youngest (of four) daughters was about the same age as Harley. Article content Article content Article content For three decades, Ottawa Bluesfest has taken over the city for two weeks in July, featuring major concerts on multiple stages and attracting tens of thousands of music fans of all ages. Article content It has grown into one of the biggest summer music festivals in the country, generating a buzz for being well-organized, multi-generational and diverse — with a picturesque location on the grounds of the Canadian War Museum at LeBreton Flats Park, next to the Ottawa River. Article content The biggest shows this year saw crowds of 30,000 or more turn up for Green Day, Lainey Wilson and Hozier, and total attendance is expected to surpass 250,000 visitors. With all those people spending money on restaurants, services and often hotels, the economic impact for Ottawa-Gatineau is estimated to be in the neighbourhood of $40 million. Article content Article content Article content When the festival started in 1994, nothing much happened in the city in July. Colleges and universities were on summer break, Parliament was adjourned, and many Ottawa-area residents flocked to their cottages. Article content The addition of a blues festival to the July calendar was a welcome development, and prompted a flurry of media coverage during the slow summer news period. The low ticket price encouraged the curious to take a chance, and within a few years, Bluesfest was bursting at the seams. It moved several times in the early years, from Major's Hill Park to Confederation Park to city hall. It settled in its current location at LeBreton Flats Park in 2007.
