Canada’s indie supergroup the Stars will officially kick off the 2014 summer festival season in Ottawa tonight and unleash the dragons on Mooney’s Bay at the 20th Annual Tim Horton’s Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival.
The Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival is a not for profit event founded in 1993. The organization held it’s first inaugural festival in 1994 as a small half day event that is now a multiday celebration of the arts, sports, culture and heritage. The festival is North America’s largest dragon boating event with over 200 teams in corporate, community and competitive categories. The festival offers free admission to multiple stages with world class entertainment, amusement attractions, extreme sports demonstrations, a variety of artisans, exhibitors, delicious culinary treats, beach side bar, children’s area and non-stop racing. The Tim Hortons Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival is made possible by the continued support of Canadian Heritage’s Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage, Celebrate Ontario and the City of Ottawa Partnership Program.
Claude Munson
Kicking the show off tonight at 6:30pm is singer-songwriter from Ottawa, Claude Munson and his band The Storm Outside. Claude’s music has been described as a unique blend of melodic yet haunting sounds in whirlwind of emotional folk-rock.
The Zolas
After the storm clears and the waters become calm Vancouver based indie rock band The Zolas will take to the stage at 8:00pm. After debuting with Tic Toc Tic in 2009, The Zolas scaled the precipice of cult status across Canada, thanks to a loyal fanbase carried over from Zach Gray (vocals, guitar) and Tom Dobrzanski’s (piano) earlier years as Lotus Child. Despite being a relative newcomer, The Zolas were the 4th-most heavily tracked band on the Verge for the first half of 2010. The Zolas were also nominated for Album of the Year at The Verge XM Awards in 2011.
Stars
When it comes to indie rock in North America there are a few names that stand out. Stars are at the top of that list. In 2004 the group burst onto the international music scene with ‘Set Yourself on Fire’ and ten years later in 2014 the is still going strong their latest, best, album, ‘North’ was released in 2012. There is little doubt that the Stars will be shining at Mooney’s Bay park in Ottawa tonight and this performance will set the tone for one of the biggest, best, festival season’s Canada’s Capital has ever seen. Stars take to the stage at 9:30pm.
Admission to the Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival is 100% free all weekend long. For more information visit www.dragonboat.net
