Held each year on May 1st — May Day — Gil’s Hootenanny is an annual sing-along event that is organized by the Spirit of Rasputin’s Arts Society. The event was inspired by Gil Levine (1924-2009), the founding Director of Research at the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and a great lover of folk music. Gil’s vision of a better world included bringing people together to celebrate the stories, struggles and victories of working people through the collective power of song.

Gil’s Hootenanny features an array of artists performing “songs of protest and songs of hope”. All attendees receive a souvenir songbook, and everyone is encouraged to join in and sing along.

This year’s line-up includes:

• Lynn Miles – Juno Award and CFMA award-winning singer-songwriter

• Break Syndical – tri-lingual labour and social justice band from Montreal, www.breaksyndical.org

• Eve Goldberg – Toronto-based singer-songwriter, www.evegoldberg.com

• Ian Robb – CFMA award-winning traditional singer and member of Finest Kind, www.ianrobb.com)

• Neema Mugala – Tanzanian-born singer-songwriter and choir director – Malaika, Cheza, Sifa Choir, Voices of Praise, The Mighty Popo and Élage)

• Stephen Richer – banjo-playing protest song historian

Tickets for Gil’s Hootenanny are $15, available at the Ottawa Folklore Centre (1111 Bank at Sunnyside) and the NAC box office.  Tickets are also available through the Sprit of Rasputin’s website (www.rasputins.ca) and through TicketMaster.

For more information about Gil’s Hootenanny, see the Spirit of Rasputin’s website at www.rasputins.ca or contact Chris White – [email protected], 613-327-9621.