\\WE ARE VOLUNTEERS AND PRIVATE CONTRIBUTORS

OHHH Canada Kids Festival Jeunesse is an entirely volunteer-run event largely funded by the generosity of your local businesses and organizations -- and you may even see a hat or two going around to help pay for things like porta-potties and fencing. Led by co-chairs Harley Bloom and Zybina Richards from Kiwanis Club of Eastern Ottawa Est, a dedicated troupe of unpaid workaholics has worked tirelessly to give Eastern Ottawa a fantastic family-friendly celebration. We answer inquiries between work calls and daycare pickups. We coordinate shuttles and stage setup by taking a vacation day. We spend our Saturdays putting out signs and adapting the program to last minute changes. We hope we meet your expectations, but if we fall short, we offer you a Canadian "sorry". Remember that these volunteers are giving up their holiday so you can have a good time, so please be kind, be respectful and have fun.

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\\GENERAL ADMISSION

Admission is free - no tickets necessary! Many of the activities are also free of charge. The bouncy castles for kids (of all ages) are $5 for unlimited bounces, and socks are required. Socks may be available for purchase for $2. There is a beverage tent and several food vendors for your enjoyment, which all carry costs.

 

\\PROGRAM 2024

We're doing things a little differently this year. We've moved locations to Millennium Park and are reimagining our event as a kid-centric spectacular. Our ever popular KidZone from Petrie Island will be expanded and run all day (11 to 5) so the little ones will never run out of things to do. Not only will the bouncy castles be bouncing and the games will be aplenty, you'll have full access to the park, the splash pad, and all the amenities of the Millennium grounds. The concessions will line the park and we'll be serving up Canada Day cake on the hour every hour. It's going to be a blast!

 

\\DIVERSITY, LANGUAGE AND REPRESENTATION

As a volunteer-led organization, our scope and reach is at times limited by the volunteers we are able to attract. Throughout our program, we have endeavoured to include representation from various communities from across the Canadian tapestry, but we also are very aware that try as we may, we can always do better. While our program is designed to be bilingual, inclusive and sensitive to First Nation communities, we welcome any interested party in actively helping us to shore up those areas where we have fallen short; your volunteerism is key to our success in this effort. That said, portions of our communications (such as the website and some social media presence) are not available in French; should you be, or know of, a resource that can help our small volunteer crew, we would love to hear from you.

 

\\FOOD AND BEER

As far as food, feel free to bring your own and have a picnic, buy some from the food concessions, or do a combo (bring some sandwiches and buy an ice cream?) You are not permitted to bring your own beer onto the island, and consumption of beer is limited to the beer tent (and as an added bonus, all the proceeds from the beer you buy goes towards community programs like OHHH Canada Kids Festival Jeunesse, hosted by Kiwanis Eastern Ottawa Est!)

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\\WEATHER

We wish we could control the weather, but we cannot. If it rains, it rains. We had a fantastic mud party a few years back, and civic pride shone through despite the downpour. We will try to have as high a threshold as possible for the fireworks. We ask that everyone remain respectful and understanding, especially for matters outside of our control. We are also keeping a close eye on the weather conditions with respect to air quality and fireworks, and will follow Public Health and Ottawa Fire Services guidance on these matters.

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Please ensure that you are aware of the Air Quality Health Index and forecasted weather conditions. We are monitoring these conditions throughout the day. Per Environment Canada, air quality and visibility due to wildfire smoke can fluctuate over short distances and can vary considerably from hour to hour. For more information on protecting yourself from outdoor air pollution including wildfire smoke, visit OttawaPublicHealth.ca

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The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is a scale that describes regional air quality and what it means to your health. The scale is numbered from 1 to 10+ and shows the relative health risk associated with the air pollution level in the community. The higher the value of the AQHI the greater the risk and the need to take precautions. When the AQHI is 7 or greater (high) for 1 hour or more, or if the AQHI has not reached the high risk category but there is an air quality concern for a particular area that is expected to last for at least three hours, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) will jointly issue a Special Air Quality Statement or a Smog and Air Health Advisory. When an alert has been issued by ECCC and MECP, Ottawa Public Health notifies service providers of vulnerable residents and provides standard information on precautions. OPH also amplifies ECCC and MECP messaging to the public via social media.

 

\\THESE THINGS ARE NOT ALLOWED

We will be abiding by the same rules that are always in effect at Millennium Park. You may not consume your own alcohol, and dogs are not permitted on the island. You will be expected to show respect for the volunteers, other guests and authorities. Failure to do so may result in being asked to leave the premises.

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