This Week's Festivals and Events

This Week's Festivals and Events:

Torchlight Shakespeare Series (Jul 2-Aug 18)
RBC Royal Bank Ottawa Bluesfest (Jul 4-15)
Music and Beyond (Jul 4-15)
Mosaika: Sound and Light Show (Jul 6-Sep 3)
Kingdom of Osgoode Medieval Festival (Jul 6-8)
Summer Fling, An Affair of the Arts! (Jun 2-Sep 3)

TORCHLIGHT SHAKESPEARE SERIES

(Jul 2-Aug 18) During July and August each summer, A Company of Fools Theatre brings their signature Torchlight Shakespeare Series to Ottawa area parks. Torchlight Shakespeare is innovative, entertaining and accessible. The Fools bring Shakespeare’s plays to life by combining the physical theatre techniques of clown, mask and puppetry with a strong understanding of the classical text to tell the Bard’s tales to Ottawa audiences. You can expect to see classical full-length plays (with a Fools twist!). Delightful entertainment for everyone, there is no better way to spend a summer evening.

"The enduring power of Shakespeare is that he writes good humans of all shapes, sizes and genders with the attendant loves and hates, fears and strengths that we all can recognize," said A Company of Fools spokesperson Jasmine Murray –Bergquist.

This summer’s Torchlight Shakespeare production is Henry V. Directed by Geoff McBride and starring Margo MacDonald as Henry, the production promises blood and battle, bravery and romance! Also featuring Simon Bradshaw, Kelly Rigole, Katie Ryerson and Virginia West, this show is sure to be a hit with fans of the Fools, both old and new.

Note: The plays are presented in English only.

Event Highlights:

Nightly performances of a Shakespeare classic
Open air performances
Family friendly
Pass-the-hat admission

General information: 613.863.7529 | info@fools.ca
Location: Parks and green spaces across the region. Check www.fools.ca for the current location on any given day.
Tickets: Torchlight Shakespeare shows are always for “pass the hat” donation in an effort to make great theatre available to everyone regardless of economic background.
Website: www.fools.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/2393525868

RBC ROYAL BANK OTTAWA BLUESFEST

(Jul 4-15) This award winning, 12-day, multi-staged music extravaganza is the largest Blues Festival in Canada and ranks as one of the most popular music festivals in North America. Thousands of national and international performers are featured at the NCC festival site at LeBreton Flats Park, adjacent to the Canadian War Museum, in the heart of downtown Ottawa. The site is fully licensed and offers a wide variety of food concessions and an even wider variety of musical genres.

Headliners this year include: Norah Jones, City and Colour, Carly Rae Jepsen, Metric, LMFAO, Alice Cooper, Iron Maiden, Nickelback, Snoop Dog, Lauryn Hill Big Wreck, John Mellencamp, Blue Rodeo and Just For Laughs Presents.

Charitable activities include its annual Blues in the Schools program; new initiatives such as ongoing music lessons for Ottawa students in conjunction with the Ottawa Folklore Centre; and the ‘Be in the Band’ mentorship program (ensemble training for younger musicians ages 12-17).

General information: 613.247.1188 | info@ottawabluesfest.ca
Location: LeBreton Flats (adjacent to the Canadian War Museum) 1 Vimy Place, Ottawa, ON
Website: www.ottawabluesfest.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Cisco-Ottawa-Bluesfest/9971056370?ref=mf
Twitter: http://twitter.com/ottawabluesfest

MUSIC AND BEYOND

(Jul 4-15) Music and Beyond is a new classical music and multi-disciplinary arts festival that presented its first festival in July 2010. Music and Beyond presents classical music in all its forms: orchestras, choirs, bands, wind ensembles and small ensembles. The festival pursues links with other art forms and cultural disciplines and music including visual art, drama, poetry, dance, architecture, science, law, food and wine and even yoga!

“I am totally thrilled with the events that we are presenting this year and pleased that we can offer a range of some of the world’s very best musicians combined with a fascinating array of world-class actors, dancers, visual artists, writers and creative people from many artistic and cultural disciplines, enthused Executive and Artistic Director, Julian Armour. “It is an honour and pleasure for us to be offering events with people like Ben Heppner, Vikram Seth, Sonia Rodriguez, Philip Craig, Karina Gauvin, Menahem Pressler, Richard Nigro, Megan Follows, Daniel Taylor and literally hundreds of others. “

General information: 613.241.0777 | info@musicandbeyond.ca
Tickets: available for purchase at the Music and Beyond office, 51 William Street (in the heart of the Byward Market)
Website: www.musicandbeyond.ca

MOSAIKA: SOUND AND LIGHT

(Jul 6-Sep 3) Mosaika is the story of Canada – our story. A powerful narrative set against the spectacular backdrop of Parliament Hill, Mosaika takes the audience on an unforgettable journey of sound and light, as we explore Canada’s physical, historical and cultural landscapes. This summer, don’t miss this free, bilingual show, presented nightly at 10 p.m. in Canada’s Capital Region.

Fast facts:
● Entitled Mosaika: Through the eyes of its people it tells the story of Canada through music, lighting effects and imagery projected onto the Centre Block of the Parliament Buildings.
● Visitors can bring a chair or blanket.
● The show runs 30 minutes. May be cancelled due to bad weather.
● Every evening, Mosaika is preceded by a uniquely interactive preshow, involving Canadians from coast-to-coast-to-coast. By logging onto mosaika-sl.ca, visitors can create videos or post messages that are considered for integration into the preshow, which is updated regularly throughout the summer with these contributions.

Festival Information
General: 613-239-5000 ● 1-800-465-1867 ● 613-239-5090 (TTY) ● 1-866-661-3530 (toll-free TTY)
General information email: info@ncc-ccn.ca
Location: Parliament Hill
Website: www.canadascapital.gc.ca/soundandlight

THE KINGDOM OF OSGOODE MEDIEVAL FESTIVAL

(Jul 6-8) Planning is well underway for this year’s Kingdom of Osgoode Medieval Festival which will see an expanded Education Day (Friday 8 July), new events for children and parents alike and additional seating for the Feast. So mark your calendars for two days of jousting, dancing, music, merchants, archery demonstrations and more! Medieval dress is encouraged but not required.

"The Kingdom of Osgoode Medieval Festival is the only one of its kind in the Ottawa area," says Queen Andrea of Osgoode (or, if you prefer, Andrea Jermacans, Public Relations Coordinator, Kingdom of Osgoode Medieval Festival). "We've had real weddings happen here, and people really get into it and wear Medieval costumes for this festival. Plus, we always have the professional jousters. When one of the knights falls from a horse, that's four hundred pounds of man and armour hitting the ground. That's worth seeing."

Friday, July 6 – Education Day (children only 4-14)
To register, download the form and mail with a cheque to Kingdom of Osgoode, Box 411, Osgoode ON, K0A 2W0.

Saturday, July 7 - The Kingdom of Osgoode Medieval Festival
Osgoode Market Square, Osgoode Main St., open 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Sunday, July 8 – King’s Feast
Osgoode Community Centre, 5660 Osgoode Main St.

Tickets:
Day Admission: $6 per person
Weekend Pass: $10 per person
Family Package: $30 (2 adults & 4 children)
Note: children under 4 are free
King’s Feast, $35 on sale at Foodland or with Trudy Quinn at 613-826-1649 or feast@osgoodemedievalfestival.com

General information:
Judy Carey at 613-826-1622 or info@osgoodemedievalfestival.com
Website: www.osgoodemedievalfestival.com

DOWNTOWN RIDEAU SUMMER FLING, AN AFFAIR OF THE ARTS!

(Jun 2 - Sep 3) An “affair” of culture featuring live theatre, music, visual art, contemporary dance and more. Make the most of your date in the Fashion, Arts & Theatre District with 2 for 1 Dinner & Show and Stay the Night offers, and shopping at Rideau Centre and on Rideau Street.

Event Highlights:

Live Theatre
Contemporary Dance
Music & Visual Arts
Value added offers
Special dining and hotel rates
Improv comedy

Event Locations:

Arts Court, 2 Daly Avenue, Ottawa, ON
National Arts Centre, 53 Elgin St., Ottawa, ON
Ottawa Little Theatre, 400 King Edward Avenue, Ottawa, ON
The Bytown Museum (2 Canal Lane, Ottawa, ON)
The Underpass (Rideau St. at Colonel By Dr.)
TD Ottawa Jazz Festival (Confederation Park)
The Rideau Canal Festival (2 Canal Lane)

For More Information:
613-241-6211 | info@downtownrideau.com
Website: Summer Fling or www.downtownrideau.com

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