Featuring internationally-acclaimed DJ’s
And performers on 2 Stages:
With live performances from Bridges, Karl Wolf, Ria Mae and Virginia to Vegas!
About Glowfair 2018
Glowfair Festival is a non-profit organization, and takes place on June 14-16th 2018. In 2014, the Bank Street BIA, headed by Executive Director Christine Leadman, wanted a main street festival unlike anything Ottawa had ever seen. They wanted to involve Bank Street’s restaurants, bars, merchants and other Bank Street members. They wanted to give back to the community, by creating an entirely free community event. A collaborative effort by all merchants and members of the BIA, it is a platform through which members can showcase their part of the reimagined Bank Street. And it is the BIA’s way of saying thank you to their growing community.
Glowfair’s Mission
The Glowfair Festival mission is to develop and empower the local community through initiatives with music and the arts. Glowfair aims to provide opportunities to underserved youth while supporting a mission of inclusion and diversity. In June, we celebrate our creative and vibrant community along Bank Street in Ottawa, with our partners from all around the world. This year, Glowfair Festival will be working to support and give back to charitable organizations that support youth and promote the arts for community improvement.
Charitable Initiative
For 2018, Glowfair Festival is partnering with the Michaëlle Jean Foundation as the official charity. The Michaëlle Jean Foundation is a national charitable organization that uses the arts for collective impact model to enable underserved youth to use creativity to change their lives and their communities. Through their programs, thousands of young people have been empowered to use the arts to build new solutions to pressing issues affecting them. These young leaders are proving that the arts can change lives and give hope to communities hit by such challenges as violent extremism, the disproportionate incarceration of minority youth, delinquency, violence and suicide.
Current Major Sponsors
Glowfair Festival is proud to be sponsored by Morguard, the Federal Government of Canada through Heritage Canada, the Province of Ontario, Alt Hotels, Corus Entertainment, Quiet Events, the Bank Street BIA, and Ottawa Special Events. In April, we will announce a full list of our confirmed sponsors and festival partners.
Audience Demographics
According to a survey conducted by Active8, in 2017 over 55,000 people attended Glowfair. The majority of these attendees were in the 18-45 age range. These attendees were from Ottawa, surrounding regions, across Canada, and international destinations. In 2018, based on the survey results, it is expected that 60,000 people will attend.
Festival Details
Glowfair Festival takes place across 8 city blocks down a major main street in Ottawa, known as Downtown Bank Street. Each of these blocks focuses on a unique theme or element to celebrate the diverse community that Ottawa is known for. The blocks are the following:
Gloucester – Nepean: Swing City
Giant glowing swings on a major downtown street – what could be more magical? Explore Swing City with friends and see Bank Street from a whole new perspective!
Nepean – Lisgar: Art Chaos (Chaos D’art)
Talented and internationally known local artists come together to turn the block into a celebration of visual and street art.
Lisgar – Cooper: Enchanted Glow Forest (la Forêt Enchantée)
Mystical glowing butterflies dancing through the LED trees – glowing jugglers – you never know what you may find when walking through the forest.
Cooper – Somerset: Glow Yoga (Yoga Lueur) (Friday Night)
The health and wellness community comes together to offer a glowing experience! Stretching beyond what you thought was possible – a unique experience unlike any yoga you have tried before … silent yoga – is sure to leave you glowing from head to toe.
Kids Zone (Saturday Day)
Glowfair is an event for the entire community, and children of all ages are sure to be entertained in the Kid Zone! With jugglers, face painters, super heroes, giant Jenga, and acts on our mini-stage, Glowfair brings you an entirely free family experience!
Turtle Island (Saturday Night)
New for 2018, Glowfair is graced with tradition, culture and true recognition of the land. Indigenous artists, performers and elders will come together on Turtle Island with stunning music and dance performances, as well as a traditional village recreation. This block is lead by cultural ambassador Jason Gullo, a renowned Indigenous dancer, visual artist, and educator.
Somerset – MacLaren: Nigel Walker’s Market Place (Marché Nigel Walker) (Friday Night) An opportunity to meet some of Ottawa’s finest health and wellness small business owners, and to shop an incredible selection of locally produced goods.
MacLaren – Gilmour: Vaudevillage
Featuring classic circus-themed performances by Capital Tease, a well-known LGBTQ burlesque group bringing tradition to the modern world, the ladies of Capital Tease produce a sex-positive and family friendly vaudeville-style variety show. With emphasis on the class, poise and beauty of the traditional pinup, these women mix their own styles to offer a truly amazing spectacle of all things beautiful. La Scène also gives a space to Ottawa Capital Pride to promote their August festival and mission of LGBTQ and ally inclusiveness.
Gilmour – James: Rainbow Bright Rink (Rink de l’Arc-en-Ciel)
A 70s/80s retro-inspired roller-skating rink! Roller skates will be available for rental for all ages and sizes, sip on some lemonade or some soda from the “pop shoppe” – but don’t forget to stop at the candy bar first.
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