Commentary: Christian Belisle was a volunteer at Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest 2010.
The fat lady has sung. The curtains have closed. The 16th annual Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest has come to an end.
This sad reality is exacerbated by the fact that this year’s Bluesfest was one of the most successful in recent memory. The diverse talent satisfied even the most stubborn of musical appetites.
At the root of Bluesfest’s success are the men and women who gave their time to sling beer, keep the festival green, look after the artists and make sure that patrons got their much-needed memorabilia.
Bluesfest’s director of volunteer services, Tammy Parent, confirms that a total of 3,232 individuals fulfilled full volunteer shifts in over 20 areas at the festival this year, respectively.
“Bluesfest is about people coming together, young and old, to appreciate music. Part of the experience is having that diversity of ages and people,” says Aileen Duncan a volunteer who joined the Green Team of volunteers. The Green Team were lucky enough to be able to meet the artists in person, and join Backstage Hospitality at the event.
Volunteering at Bluesfest does not come without its many perks, including a full-festival pass, free food on site and even complimentary massages, a first this year. These volunteer initiatives are fuelled by tip money generated at the beverage locations within the festival grounds.
“If I can come and get a free meal, a massage and free admission, I don’t mind working six three-to-four hour shifts,” says Cari-Anne Hanson, who volunteered at the beer tent. “It was the best massage I ever had,” Hanson says.
Another advantage of volunteering is the opportunity to meet new people, building a social network fuelled by a mutual passion for music. “It’s so much fun to volunteer, you get to meet a bunch of people, all walks of life,” says Marnie Pennock, who says she has volunteered for four years.
“The best thing is the music and the people. It’s so great to see 20,000 people being polite [and] courteous. [A] camaraderie that you don’t see in other cities,” Pennock says. “The only unpleasant part was the heat wave!”
After all, Bluesfest is about being together, enjoying music, and having fun. “People are spreading the word that it’s a good place to be for volunteers and patrons, and I think that it’s important that we show how much [of] a sense of community Ottawa has,” says Scott St. Loui a volunteer from the welcome centre. This centre was located within the Bluesfest Volunteer Village: an exclusive, relaxed community-oriented area for volunteers located just outside the festival grounds.
“The festival becomes a real community event, you make friends, you can branch out your networks and makes the festival a lot more fun. It’s conversation fodder every day, shows you saw, highlights over the last two weeks. And the free food is amazing,” says John Freamo who says he has been volunteering at the beer tent for three years.
Tammy Parent says she was pleased with the level of stir and enthusiasm surrounding the increasingly competitive volunteer positions prior to Bluesfest this year. “We had a higher interest in the volunteer positions, and this year it’s [become] more competitive,” she explains. “We’re getting more and more people who want to do it year to year . . . we definitely have a great group.”
Stuart Beavon, a volunteer at the merchandise tent, says that, “Bluesfest will always be timeless in the hearts of many people. As timeless as rock 'n' roll itself.”