Gil’s Hootenanny, Ottawa’s annual community singalong, celebrates songs of hope and protest with exuberant audience participation. While the word “hootenanny” may not be in everyone’s lexicon, Gil’s Hootenanny has been hell-bent on reviving this form of entertainment for folks of all ages.
Gil’s Hootenanny traces its roots back to folklegends Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie who popularized hootenannies in the 1950s-1960s as informal folk music gatherings with the audience singing along. In the 2025 movie “A Complete Unknown”, there is at least one scene with Pete Seeger leading folks in a hootenanny. Joan Baez famously noted that “A hootenanny is to folk singing what a jam session is to jazz”.
Gil’s Hootenanny brings people together on May Day to share the stories, struggles and victories of working people and the peace, environmental and women’s movements. First presented in 2010, Gil’s Hootenanny has seen increasingly larger audiences singing together and experiencing the power of song to change the world. As Pete Seeger once said, “A good song reminds us what we’re fighting for”.
Singing together can go a long way towards building community and strengthening social bonds. It also supports our physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing.
Headlining this 17th annual and final Gil’s Hootenanny is one of Canada’s finest roots musicians, Ken Whiteley. A prolific songwriter, gifted and versatile musician, and powerful singer, Whiteley delights his audiences with his participatory humour, grace, and energy. His music communicates themes of freedom, love, and social commentary, making him a perfect fit for the Gil’s Hootenanny’s sing-along concert format.
Gil’s Hootenanny will take place at 7:00 pm on Friday, May 1st at 30 Cleary Avenue, the campus of the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa. The venue is accessible, has ample parking and is serviced by OC Transpo.
Tickets for Gil’s Hootenanny are $20. Kids are welcome to attend free of charge.