TREE FEST OTTAWA FALL TREE FESTIVAL
PROGRAM FOR SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23RD
Location: Brewer Park by Brewer Pond
100 Brewer Way, southern end of the park
FREE ADMISSION
10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
ALL DAY ACTIVITIES
Large-Scale Photography Exhibit
PhotoSynthesis is a photography exhibit that features winning submissions of a Tree Fest Ottawa Photography Contest. The exhibit includes large-scale images and captions that express why trees are spectacular, resilient and provide benefits to our health and wellness of our city.
Play Activities:
Outdoor library and reading area, slackline, large loose parts playground and other outdoor games
Food/Drink and other Vendors
Merry Dairy Frozen Custard (from 11:00 am - 4:00pm)
Apples, apple cider and beer nuts as well as Bridgehead coffee and tea
Tree and plant-themed henna art
SPECIAL WORKSHOPS
10:00 am - 11:00 am - Open House on the Brewer Pond Restoration Project
A walking tour around the pond with Jennifer Lamoureux, Aquatic and Fish Habitat Biologist. The tour will provide information and highlights of how the Brewer Park Pond Restoration came to be. Why was the pond reconstructed? What are the social and ecological benefits? How did the pond reconstruction unfold? Who were the partners involved? What species have recolonized the newly constructed pond?
10:00 am - 11:00 am, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm Forest Therapy Experience with Andrea Prazmowski
Trees are good medicine! A walk in the forest can reduce stress, boost the immune system and offer a fresh perspective on life. A Forest Therapy Guide's role is to help you access that forest medicine and wisdom. Learn more and get a taste of this practice on this walk led by a trained guide. Come early. Max. 8 participants per walk.
10:30 am - 11:30 am and 12:00 pm - 1:00pm - Tall Tree Tales with Claire Dionne
Claire from Sunnyside Library will lead tree and nature-themed story hour for kids 0-6 years old.
11:00 am - 1:00 pm - Workshop on the Ecology of Brewer Pond lead by Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA)
Join a 2-hour workshop led by Adrienne Lewis and Rosario Castanon-Escobar, Rideau Valley Conservation Authority Aquatic Resource Technicians. The activity will consist of a benthic invertebrate/ fish sampling demonstration. They will have chest waders for the public to wear and assist in the sampling methodologies. Participants will take the opportunity to record observations as part of the post effectiveness monitoring work for the newly reconstructed Brewer Pond.
1:00 pm - 1:30 pm - Nature Trivia Game with Ecology Ottawa
Check out your knowledge about nature by competing in a trivia game led by Ecology Ottawa.
2:00 - 3:30pm - West African Hand Drumming Workshop with Kathy Armstrong from Baobab Community
Join a community drumming workshop under the trees with Kathy Armstrong, a percussionist and educator who is well-known for bringing Ghanaian music and dance to choirs, schools and community groups in North America and Europe.
3:00 - 4:30pm : Walk with Jaime Koebel from Indigenous Walks
Join Indigenous walks on a tour through Brewer Park's sneaky little location! On this 1.5 hour tour, you'll hear from an experienced spot talker on tipis and tipi pole formations along with your guide, Jaime Koebel who will talk about Indigenous stories of little people and love medicine. Enjoy a taste of cedar tea and come walk the moccs with Indigenous Walks!
More activities may be added. Check back often!
Tree Fest Ottawa gratefully acknowledges the financial support for the festival from the City of Ottawa's Community Environmental Projects Grant Program (CEPGP).
