Westboro ends 12-year tradition with launch of new summer festival
Westboro’s new street festival Westboro FUSE is gearing up for its inaugural summer party that will kick off with the “MEC Westboro Mile,” a family-friendly running race through the village.
Festival activities were announced Tuesday afternoon at MEC on Richmond Road, where area business owners received a taste of what to expect during the three-day festival, happening June 10 to 12.
Westboro Village BIA chair Dan Hwang explained to the crowd that the new festival will reflect an evolving community that is healthy, hip and dynamic.
“Westboro has changed a lot in the last 20 years — (it’s evolved) from a quiet relatively low-key neighbourhood to become one of the most vibrant and soughtafter communities to live, to eat, to work and to play in, in Ottawa,” Hwang said. “In 2015 we decided we needed to revisit our brand to make it fresh and relevant for years to come to better understand our changing community.”
Westfest, the music festival that has been a mainstay in the neighbourhood for 12 years, has been moved to Laroche Park, June 4 and 5. While the BIA had supported Westfest with a yearly grant of about $125,000, its executive director Mary Thorne confirmed Westboro FUSE will receive $100,000, along with the support of area businesses.
Westboro FUSE is organized by Aboriginal Experiences, Arts & Culture. Its executive director, Trina Mather-Simard, said the new event will include more family programs along with performances like standup comedy routines, DJs and live music.
The full lineup has yet to be announced, but so far the Peptides will open on the main stage Friday. Saturday night’s lineup features Canadian talent that includes Caveman Techno, The Riot Police, Ukrainia, and HiFi Showband, a high-energy dance band.
In 2015 we decided we needed to revisit our brand to make it fresh and relevant for years to come …
The family programming will include dog shows at the Real Canadian Superstore on one end and a zip line starting from Golden Avenue on the other end. In between, activities will include contemporary dance performances by Vancouver company Aeriosa, fire artists, a craft beer garden, food stands and street yoga. The Ottawa Gynmastics Centre will have a “tryout” zone,
“Dovercourt (Recreation Centre) will also offer a stay-and-play program,” said Mather-Simard. “Parents can leave their children for a couple of hours in the great supervised care of Dovercourt. They can have a mini camp experience and (parents) can enjoy some shopping and dining.”
When it was announced that the BIA had cut ties with Westfest last year, some community members who benefited from the festival crowds were irked — particularly Sheba Schmidt, co-owner of West Ends Kids, across from MEC. She said she didn’t receive any communication from the BIA about the decision.
However, she has since joined the BIA board and is happy to be involved in the planning of Westboro FUSE.
“At the end of the day, it’s all behind me,” Schmidt said. “It’s been exciting to be part of Westboro FUSE. There will be different types of food for kids. In my opinion there wasn’t much (before) and now there will be. I’m really excited.”