BlackBird Festival of the Arts for Young People

Ottawa Children’s Festival de la jeunesse Presents the BlackBird Festival of the Arts for Young People, November 12–17, 2026

OTTAWA, ON – October 2026 – The Ottawa Children’s Festival de la jeunesse is pleased to present the BlackBird Festival of the Arts for Young People, taking place November 12–17, 2026, at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.

The festival features four Canadian and international productions spanning circus, movement, and imaginative storytelling, including the newly added By Trial and Error by Le Cirque Content Pour Peu of Saint-Thois, France. The program invites children and families to experience live performance, with most productions recommended for ages four and up and featuring both English-language and non-verbal performances.

FESTIVAL PROGRAM

• Luminarium — Cause & Effect Circus | Vancouver, BC A visually engaging, non-verbal circus experience for ages 4 and up, inviting audiences into a world of movement, discovery, and wonder.
• By Trial and Error — Le Cirque Content Pour Peu | Saint-Thois, France New to the festival lineup, this non-verbal circus production for ages 4 and up uses physical expression, experimentation, and discovery to bring its performance to life.
• Returns Department — The Kif-Kif Sisters | Montreal, QC An imaginative English-language production for ages 4 and up, bringing creativity and theatrical storytelling to young audiences.
• While We Wait — Gale Force Theatre | Halifax, NS An English-language production for ages 5 and up, offering a theatrical experience designed to spark curiosity and connection.

Multiple performances of each production will take place throughout the festival. For show descriptions, performance times, and tickets, visit the Ottawa Children’s Festival website http://ottawachildrensfestival.ca

A FESTIVAL FOCUSED ON YOUNG AUDIENCES

As one of only three professional performing arts festivals for young audiences in Ontario, and the only one serving Eastern Ontario, the Ottawa Children’s Festival de la jeunesse plays an important role in the region’s cultural ecosystem.

The BlackBird Festival continues this commitment by bringing professional artists to Ottawa, supporting Canadian and international cultural workers, and creating opportunities for children to experience the arts in an engaging and welcoming environment.

The festival also contributes to downtown cultural activity by welcoming families, school groups, and visitors to the Canadian War Museum. Following significant challenges across the performing arts sector, this fall edition represents an important step in sustaining the Festival and maintaining its connection with audiences as it looks toward future programming in 2027.

A SYMBOL OF RENEWAL

The BlackBird Festival marks a new chapter for the Ottawa Children’s Festival, introducing a contemporary artistic identity while continuing its longstanding commitment to young audiences. The bird represents curiosity, freedom, movement, discovery, migration, and transformation, ideas that reflect the power of the arts to help young people explore the world around them.

PLAN YOUR VISIT

BlackBird Festival of the Arts for Young People

November 12–17, 2026

Canadian War Museum, 1 Vimy Place, Ottawa, Ontario

Tickets and complete show schedules: https://www.showpass.com/o/ottawa-childrens-festival/

• Single ticket: $17.50
• Family 4-Pack: $52
• Groups of 10 or more: $12 per ticket, with one complimentary ticket for every 10 tickets purchased.

For festival information, production details, and updates, visit ottawachildrensfestival.ca

About the Ottawa Children’s Festival de la jeunesse

Founded in 1985, the Ottawa Children’s Festival de la jeunesse is a performing arts festival for young audiences in Ontario. The Festival brings Canadian and international artists to Ottawa, presenting theatre, circus, dance, music, and other live experiences to inspire creativity and imagination in children and families.