A new festival will be taking to the streets in downtown Ottawa this summer, featuring bilingual hip-hop talent from the National Capital Region.
BlokJam was the winning entry in the Ottawa Festival Network’s first festival incubator program NextFest, which launched late last year and invited entrepreneurs aged 18-25 to pitch their ideas for Ottawa’s next festival. Finalists engaged with mentors and attended training sessions, with the winners receiving funding to bring their one-day festival idea to life.
BlokJam, led by Julien Fontaine-Carbonneau, Scarlet Torraka, Jacob McGuire, Frédéric Doiron and Breanna Smith, was this year’s winner.
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“The concept combines four elements or four pillars of hip-hop: rap, DJing, breakdancing and graffiti art. The ideas will always have music mixed with visual expression. It’ll be a neighbourhood celebration, where we’re trying to get as much of the community involved,” Fontaine-Carbonneau told OBJ on Tuesday.
The event, which will take place at the end of the summer, will see a portion of downtown Ottawa turned into a block party showcasing hip-hop culture. Daytime programming, from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., will be free and include art and dance workshops for families and musical performances. Nighttime programming, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., will be a paid event with more immersive experiences.
While still in the planning stages, BlokJam will also feature local businesses to help tell the story of hip-hop culture in Ottawa, from food to music and fashion.
“We’re getting the community involved,” McGuire told OBJ. “We have amazing thrift stores and vinyl record stores that we want to promote in some way because they are keeping the physical music industry alive. Thrift stores influence the way we dress, which is very important in hip-hop culture.”
The idea for the festival grew from a perceived gap in how hip-hop was showcased in the National Capital Region.
“I’m an artist and (McGuire), too,” Fontaine-Carbonneau said. “For the last two-and-a-half years, I’ve been more involved in the events scene, but hip-hop is difficult in Ottawa because we don’t have as many festivals or events where local artists can come and showcase their talent. We felt there was a need for this kind of festival.”
Since BlokJam holds bilingualism as one of its core values, showcasing talent from both official languages was imperative.
“We saw an opportunity in Ottawa for bilingualism.The festival seeks to join both Ottawa and Gatineau, the French- and English-speaking communities, as well as promoting tourism and pushing people to cross the bridge,” Torraka said.
Next steps for the project include finalizing details with vendors and artists and getting a clearer idea on location and timeline. The BlokJam team will also meet weekly with OFN staff to update them on progress.
Fontaine-Carbonneau said he and fellow BlokJam members were grateful for the opportunity NextFest presented.
“It’s good to get some acknowledgement,” he said, adding that funding is always a barrier to getting something off the ground. “Beyond funding, NextFest (gave us the opportunity) to learn and talk to mentors.”
“At (OFN’s) holiday event, we were able to talk to many other organizers and people that have been in the industry for so long,” Torraka added. “It just felt right being there and surrounded by people that are actually supporting new generations (of entrepreneurs). Sometimes, being the youngest in the room can feel intimidating, but they’ve helped us feel the opposite of that, to feel welcomed.”
In a news release announcing the winner, Tara Shannon, OFN’s executive director, said her organization is looking forward to working with the BlokJam team.
“We are inspired by this team’s vision and their passion for ‘bridging the gap’ between Ottawa and Gatineau. With a fully bilingual, multi-disciplinary festival it will highlight the local talent we have in the NCR and motivate people to cross the river and dive into something new.”
The winner was chosen by jurors Melanie Brulée, executive director of the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition; Ingrid Meza-McDonald, manager of Ottawa 200 celebrations at the City of Ottawa; Carl Karamaoun, founder of the Latin Sparks Festival; and Jason Roy, co-founder of Ottawa-based ticket logistics firm FrontDoor+.
Other NextFest pitches
Post-Credit Festival by Post Credit Collective
Led by Emma Poole, Pragati Parajuli and Winston Mavraganis, Post-Credit Festival is described as a “multisensory multi-media festival where art, sound, visuals and atmosphere work together to create a high-energy cultural event.”
Spaces Reimagined Festival
Led by Jade Bruins and Rula Aljumaili, Spaces Reimagined Festival would transform “everyday environments into immersive creative experiences by bringing together young designers, small studios, independent spaces and local businesses to reveal Ottawa’s hidden creative pockets.”
Frequency Fest
Led by Gabriel Balladelli and Sebastien Belanger, Frequency Fest is a waterfront electronic music festival that would take place on two stages.
“Frequency Fest has a desired community outcome to strengthen Ottawa’s electronic music ecosystem by giving local artists a high-visibility platform, creating a more inclusive and accessible cultural event, setting a higher standard for safer, respectful dance spaces.”
The Boundless Arts & Culture Festival by Operation CanCon
The Boundless Arts & Culture Festival, led by Rebekah Waddell and James Shaheen at Operation CanCon, would promote Canada’s rich cultural heritage through song and screen.
“The festival aims to be a conduit for Canadian history, arts, and identity, providing the community with an accessible day of programming for attendants of all ages and abilities right here in our nation’s capital.”
XYZ Fest by Anti Scene
Led by Graham Digby, Quentin Wolkensperg and Kazmer Wolkensperg from artist collective Anti Scene, XYZ Fest would showcase Ottawa’s rich underground music scene.
“We have been playing shows in Ottawa for about three years now. House shows have been our most successful in both attendance and experience. We have built quite a community of motivated punks but are tired of hosting shows at our homes. It’s beyond us now, these musicians and culture need something else.”
Uncover Ottawa by Over The Top
Uncover Ottawa is a multi-sensory festival celebrating music, art and movement from Ottawa’s underground arts community. Benjamin Allingham, Sadib Sufian, Karl Chatel and Simon Lewandowski wanted to create something that would give Ottawa the energy it deserved.
“Over The Top’s goal is to create something different, a festival that puts people and the community first. That means being fully immersed in the music and atmosphere. At the end, festivals should be a shared, meaningful moment that embraces PLUR (peace, love, unity and respect).”
