The organizer of
Capital Ribfest
has cancelled this year’s four-day celebration of barbecue and music outside Ottawa City Hall in early August, citing the “City of Ottawa’s decision to schedule major construction at Festival Plaza this summer.”
“We have no choice,” the organizer wrote on Facebook. “Our sincere apologies, but maybe the City should be investing in better
festival-designed facilities
for our growing community and for the taxpayers to attend.”
The event’s organizer, Les Gagne, did not respond to multiple emails and phone calls seeking elaboration.
But a City of Ottawa official said Capital Ribfest’s organizer was notified in the fall of 2024 and again in January 2025 of the expected construction this summer at
Marion Dewar Plaza
.
“The City received an incomplete special events permit application in December 2024 for Capital Ribfest and Music City Ottawa without a specified location,” said Dan Brisebois, director of facility operations.
Given that Capital Ribfest was previously held at Marion Dewar Plaza, staff told its organizer of the construction, “and that an alternate location would be required,” said Brisebois.
In its Facebook post, Capital Ribfest said its team was not able to find an alternate location.
Brisebois said “staff continued to follow up with (the) applicant monthly in regard to the incomplete application and received no response.”
The plaza’s interlocking paving blocks are scheduled for replacement, with work beginning in mid-July and anticipated to continue until the beginning of September, said Brisebois.
“Public safety remains the City’s top priority. Due to
safety and accessibility concerns
, the area will unfortunately not be made available for festivals during the construction period,” said Brisebois.
The Capital Ribfest, staged by Gagne and his company Feature Festivals, is not connected to Ottawa Ribfest, a separate annual festival on Sparks Street for more than 30 years.
That long-running free event is staged by the Downtown BIA and Sparks Street Mall Authority. Gagne was the executive director of the BIA from 2012 to 2014.
This year’s event on Spark Street was held May 28 to June 1, sponsored by the Canadian Pork Council and Canadian Meat Council.
The weather then was “less than ideal,” said Kevin McHale, the Downtown BIA’s executive director. Still, he said, “We had really solid crowds. Our vendors left happy.”
According to a listing at ottawafestivals.ca, Feature Festivals’ events include Ottawa PoutineFest, Capital Ribfest, Mac My Cheese Fest, Beaver Cup Pond Hockey, and Kanata Ribfest.
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