About Gil’s Hootenanny

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 is hell-bent on reviving this form of entertainment for folks of all...

Gil’s Hootenanny, Ottawa’s annual community singalong, celebrates songs of hope and protest with exuberant audience participation.  While not currently in the lexicon of many people, Gil’s Hootenanny is hell-bent on reviving the ‘hootenanny’ for folks of all ages. Gil’s Hootenanny traces its roots...

When Gil Levine died at 85 in 2009, three words in his obituary, “… plan a hootenanny”, were the beginning of Gil’s Hootenanny, an Ottawa tradition now into its 14th year and getting stronger.  Held each year on May Day, this annual celebration of the collective power of song to change the...

Celebrating Helen Levine at Gil’s Hootenanny “Bread and Roses” is a feature of the Gil’s Hootenanny repertoire. For 2019’s Hootenanny, this historic song will take on a special significance, as it was a favourite of Helen Levine, who died at...