City Sounds brings 24 LIVE outdoor musical performances to various locations in Ottawa

The Ottawa Music Industry Coalition (OMIC) is excited to announce the launch of City Sounds – a series of 24 FREE musical performances across multiple locations in Ottawa! Starting Friday, August 20, 2021, and running for three consecutive weekends, OMIC in partnership with numerous Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) and local business associations will bring some of Ottawa’s top musical performers to public spaces across the city from Orléans to Kanata! Each performance is family-friendly and FREE to attend! For the full schedule of concerts and locations, visit https://ottawamic.com/city-sounds-sons-de-la-ville.

As the city re-opens its economy, animating public spaces safely and attracting increased traffic to local businesses is vital to economic recovery. City Sounds was developed in partnership with the City of Ottawa and the Mayor’s Economic Partners Task Force. The Task Force was launched by Mayor Watson in March 2020 and brings together senior leaders from key business organizations to share challenges, insights and opportunities to support Ottawa’s economic response, recovery and rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. City Sounds brings together the music industry and local Business Improvement Areas and Associations to work collaboratively in order to animate public spaces and create economic spinoff for the benefit of small businesses. City Sounds also supports paid performance opportunities for Ottawa musicians eager to play for live audiences and encourages the rebound of the live entertainment sector.

“It is great to see our Economic Partners Task Force members finding ways to collaborate on recovery efforts. That is why I am excited to support City Sounds, which brings together the Business Improvement Areas and Associations and the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition to work collaboratively to animate public spaces and create economic spinoff benefits for both musicians and small businesses. The more we work together and support each other, the faster we will overcome the impacts the pandemic has had on our city.” — Mayor Jim Watson.

City Sounds aims to encourage Ottawans to explore the city, catching a free musical performance, and then exploring all the treasures of that local neighbourhood. City Sounds kicks off on Friday, August 20 at 6 p.m. in Ottawa’s Chinatown “home to exotic culture, flavours and warm hospitality. Treat yourself with endless authentic dining gems and feel the pulse of the community!” — Yukang Li, Executive Director of the Chinatown Business Improvement Area.

“We cannot express how thrilling it is to play live again. City Sounds is such an amazing initiative that not only gets the musicians back and active but puts the thought in people’s minds that there is a thriving arts scene in Ottawa. We are so grateful to have the opportunity to share our sounds with the city,” says local musicians Unsociably High who will be performing in Chinatown on Friday, August 20, 2021 at 6 p.m. by the iconic Chinatown Gateway.

“OMIC is so grateful to the City of Ottawa for its continued investment into our local music sector to showcase local talent across the city. These are all future potential JUNO nominees!  We are excited to bring these performances across the city to draw in attendees and to encourage them to shop the neighbourhood after the performances in support of our local small businesses. It is only through mutually supporting each other’s sectors that our city, as a whole, can thrive.” — Jamie Kwong, Executive Director of the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition.

Follow the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition’s Facebook Page for regular updates: https://www.facebook.com/OttawaMIC

List of participating artists:

Jumpin’ Joel Flash

Kmbrly Snstrm

The Powergoats

Sophie D’Orléans

Alanna Sterling & The Silvers

Danielle Allard

The Broken Bridges

Kristine St-Pierre

Derek McKinley

Crystalena

Taming Sari

Jessica Pearson and the East Wind

Raphael Weinroth-Browne

KAR33M and Twelve07

Tara Shannon

John Ian

Unsociably High

Double Experience

The Riot Police

Mad Gamma

Segue to Jazz

Terrence O’Brien

Blake Alexander

Lucas Haneman Express

List of participating Business Improvement Areas (BIA) and Associations:

Sparks Street BIA

Glebe BIA

Westboro Village BIA

Chinatown BIA

Elgin Area Business Association

Heart of Orléans BIA

Manotick BIA

Wellington West BIA

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