Big Bang Festival

February 17-18, 2019

Friendly – Fun – Inspired
For ages 5 to 12

The name says it all: the BIG BANG Festival will blow your socks off! The adventure features a performance by the NAC Orchestra, three virtuoso jazz musicians in an interactive and youthful take on Miles Davis, a dynamic marching band, a journey through all kinds of weird sound machines, and many other surprises. All of this energy at the NAC will put some much-needed colour into the winter doldrums.

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Thank you!

February 17 and 18 marked the first annual BIG BANG Festival in Ottawa. Serenading both big and little ears, this unique event generated a lot of buzz and attracted a joyful crowd of kids and families. Some 8,000 adventuresome festival-goers entered the doors of the NAC eager to explore its sprawling space, including backstage areas. Throughout their truly “musicolourful” meanderings, families were invited to dance to the rhythms of a band of spirited musicians, experiment with exciting sound installations and drop by the photobooth or tattoo salon before merrily venturing into one of the concert venues, where an intimate, large-scale or interactive performance awaited.

Through the BIG BANG Festival, the NAC celebrated inventiveness in both music and sound, and the artists involved— over 80 talented people—showed how relevant, resonant and colourful art for young audiences can be.

Thank you, everyone! Join us next year for another BIG BANG on February 16-17, 2020!

Mélanie Dumont, Director of Programming

Adventures in sound for the whole family

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Nimble Fingers

Ages 5-12 - What happens when a skilled illusionist starts messing around with great music? Marcelle Hudon, ingenious puppeteer and mistress of shadow theatre, joins Alexander Shelley and the NAC Orchestra for a visually captivating concert.

  • Ages 6 to 12

    Mile(s)tones

    Instruments spout all the colours of the great Miles Davis, while hypnotic videos draw you into the mix. You may even be invited to jump on stage!

  • Ages 5 +

    Music Rooms

     Who doesn’t dream to explore behind the scene of a theatre? Here is your chance: Three surprise micro-concerts as you tour behind the scenes at the NAC!

  • Ages 5 +

    Gordie MacKeeman and his Rhythm Boys

    Combine that exuberance and onstage dynamism with the stellar musicianship of his multi-instrumentalist comrades His Rhythm Boys, and you have an unstoppable roots music force.

Free activities

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Big Bang festival is produced by the National Arts Centre in collaboration with Zonzo compagnie, with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, Ottawa Tourism, Winterlude 2019, the Creative Europe Program of the European Union and by Donald T. Walcot.

BIG BANG Festival is a format developed and owned by Zonzo Compagnie.

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