Ottawa Grassroots Festival – April 23-26

The Ottawa Grassroots Festival, a small volunteer-run, family-oriented springtime folk festival spearheaded by Bob Nesbitt, returns Thursday-Sunday April 23-26 for its fourth year. It takes place at the Montgomery Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion, 330 Kent Street in Ottawa. There are ticketed concerts Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights and all kinds of free events Saturday and Sunday during the day.

Tickets for the evening concerts are $20 (Thursday), $25 (Friday or Saturday) – or $45 for a three-night festival pass.

The Thursday evening concert will be MCed by Alexandre Maheux and features Franco-Ontario performers Sarah Bradley, Eric Dubeau and Stef Paquette.

Old Man Luedecke

The Friday evening concert will be MCed by Tonya Price and begins with a short performance by The Sparrows, a children’s choir directed by Chris White, followed by feature-length sets by Shawna Caspi and Old Man Luedecke.

The Saturday evening concert will be MCed by Arthur McGregor and begins with Max Cossette singing “The Grassroots Festival Song,” followed by feature-length sets by Lyndell Montgomery & Terry Gillespie and Connie Kaldor.

The Saturday and Sunday daytime events include workshops, kids’ activities and concerts, performances, choirs, jam sessions, open stages and much more.

A daytime event that I’m particularly looking forward to is a song circle that I’ll be hosting with

Connie Kaldor

Connie Kaldor, Old Man Luedecke, Shawna Caspi and Terry Gillespie. That’s on Saturday from 2-3:30 pm on the second floor Grass Stage.

Visit ottawagrassrootsfestival.com for all the details including the full schedule and information on all of the performers, or to order tickets (also on sale at the Ottawa Folklore Centre and Compact Music).

Should be a great weekend.

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--Mike Regenstreif