The Volunteer Team Behind Bluesfest
(and CityFolk)
VOLUNTEER APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN🤘
We are as excited as you to start welcoming new volunteers for this year’s festival!
Let the weather be the only surprise this season! ☀️💨🌦 Please carefully read each job description that interests you to see the job expectations and requirements.
Note**: New volunteers must complete one shift (or the July 5th on-site training) before being eligible for a free show, and must remain in good standing (attending all scheduled shifts, adhering to the code of conduct, etc.).
Volunteers can only register for one department (all shifts within one area) New shifts are added often, check back for your desired shifts.
If you think that nothing beats the combination of crisp, cold beverages and live music, join our Beverage Services team to meet other enthusiastic volunteers who share that passion!
This department is responsible for taking, processing and delivering drink orders in a timely manner to our parched patrons. With multiple locations and countless beverage options throughout the festival site, every shift is a new experience!
Beer Tents
Are you quick on your feet and like staying on your toes? Do you work well with others and excel at two-way communication with a variety of other team members? If you answered ‘YES!’ to all of these questions, join our Beer Tents team where you’ll sign up to sling suds and other cool refreshments for our thirsty patrons.
Click HERE to read this Opportunity’s full job description
Beverage Cashiers
Do you have Smart Serve AND a finely-tuned set of observation skills? Can you find the line between firm and fair? Then we’ve got a place for you on the Cashiers team, where you’ll ensure our festival-goers get their ice cold beverages in an orderly manner!
Click HERE to read this Opportunity’s full job description
Our Fundraising team has a real drive for raising money for our Be in the Band & Blues in the Schools charity
The Fundraising volunteers are responsible for assisting the festival’s established fundraising objectives.
FUNDRAISING AMBASSADORS (15-17) (18+) **NEW**
These volunteers sell 50/50 raffle tickets, limited edition Mardi Gras beads, and unsigned
commemorative festival posters, plus spread the news about our incredible music education programs and community music and arts programs including Be In the Band and Blues in the Schools.
Click HERE to read this Opportunity’s full job description
CUSTOMER CARE (15-17)(18+)
Are you a problem-solver who is amped to be on the frontlines at the festival? Are you all about making people’s experiences as smooth as possible? If so, join our Customer Care team and support festival-goers by assisting them with their questions and special requests, and providing them with the directions they need to fully enjoy the festival and all its amenities!
info booth (15-17)(18+)
Do you consider yourself a festival guru, who has attended the festival and feels like they know everything about the ins and outs?
Are you someone that is able to keep cool as a cucumber and organized amidst chaos?
Are you someone who lives to make sure everyone has the same exceptional festival experience, regardless of disability or limitation?
If so, consider joining our Customer Services team and help festival-goers with any and all questions, directions, comments, and concerns.
Click HERE to read this Opportunity’s full job description
bike park (15-17)(18+)
You know a thing or two about bikes? Think of this team as the ultimate valet service for bikes. While these shifts are among some of the latest shifts in the Volunteer department, this energetic team loves to encourage green transportation!
Click HERE to read this Opportunity’s full job description
Gates (15-17)(18+)
Always wanted to be at the front-line of a giant festival? If you are a natural leader who’s calm in the face of chaos, consider the Gates team, and welcome our guests into this great festival!
Click HERE to read this Opportunity’s full job description
FESTIVAL OPERATIONS (15-17) (18+)
Seeing thousands of people a day means that RBC Ottawa Bluesfest is among Ottawa’s biggest and most anticipated music festivals! Because the festival is such a huge operation that requires a lot of collaboration and teamwork, our Festival Operations department is an essential team in keeping the festival running smoothly.
If you’re ready to be part of the festival’s backbone and do some heavy lifting, both literally and figuratively, come join the department that all other departments depend on: Festival Operations!
signage (15-17)(18+) **NEW**
Do you like telling people where to go and how to get there? Is your favorite movie a Mel Gibson thriller involving aliens and strategically-placed glasses of water? If so, all signs are pointing to you feeling right at home on our Signage team!
The Signage team is a small but important group of volunteers that do mostly pre- and post-festival work installing and removing signage throughout the festival grounds.
Click HERE to read this Opportunity’s full job description
Green Team (15-17)(18+)
Are you a committed team player who can work with minimal supervision? Do you have a zeal for the environment and know the value of making a difference in your community? If so, Green Team would love to see you in the field!
Our intrepid Greenies work throughout the site, keeping the festival clean and green.
Click HERE to read this Opportunity’s full job description
Inventory Control (18+)
Are you constantly praised for being efficient, punctual and willing to move all around the festival? If you are 18 years of age or older consider joining our team and help keep the festival running in tip-top shape by managing and delivering supplies to areas in need.
Inventory Control (I.C.) maintains and supplies all materials required by festival staff. This area is responsible for managing pre-festival inventory and purchasing, daily on-site dispatch, delivery, pick-up and post-festival inventory and storage.
Click HERE to read this Opportunity’s full job description
Tablet Support Team (FORMERLY it team) (18+)
Are you someone who knows their way around technology and who enjoys building and troubleshooting networks? Are you savvy with finicky tablets and ready to jump in and support our Beverage Services and Customer Care teams with some ?
If so, join our experienced team of professionals and help the team set up, maintain, and take down various I.T.-related equipment around the site and keep our digital systems up-and-running.
Click HERE to read this Opportunity’s full job description
Road warriors (18+)
Are you a natural leader who loves being on the front lines of the action? Are you outgoing and looking for an additional challenge?
Do you want to take part in an elite team that specializes in ensuring safety in the festivals paths, roadways and parking garages? This key role at the festival allows you to have a serious impact by using your quick eye to alert patrons, staff or volunteers of any safety concerns. The Road Warriors are an elite team of volunteers that specialize in ensuring the safety of our patrons and volunteers so that they may make the most of their festival experience.
Click HERE to read this Opportunity’s full job description
VIP (18+)
Have you mastered the art of exceptional customer service? Are you always thinking about how to improve the patron experience? If so, we’re looking for someone just like you to volunteer with our festival VIP team!
Volunteers in our VIP areas get to showcase their impeccable customer service skills and make each VIP’s VIP experience completely unforgettable. Remember—we can’t spell ‘exclusive’ without ‘u’!
Suites
Do you live your life by the 3 simple rules of location, location, location? Do you know your way around premium, one-of-a-kind experiences and how to best maximize the value for each individual? Do you have strong interpersonal skills and the ability to anticipate customer needs? If so, the Suites is looking for mature, professional volunteers to provide top-notch customer service in this licensed VIP area.
Click HERE to read this Opportunity’s full job description
VIP Club
Do you have great customer service and would like to be part of our premium festival experience? If you’re 18 years of age or older, join the VIP Club team and help provide a distinguished experience for our guests, all while being part of the action. We’re looking for your know-how and the thoughtful insight you can bring to the team and our VIP ticket holders.
Click HERE to read this Opportunity’s full job description
VOLUNTEER SUPPORT (15-17) (18+)
If you’re a team-player, ready to create a welcoming and comfortable environment for other enthusiastic volunteers, and prepared to be the first-point of contact for hundreds of volunteers, check out our Volunteer Support department!
The goal of this department is to support the rest of our awesome volunteer teams and ensure they have all the tools and resources they need to succeed onsite, whatever their assigned tasks and responsibilities may be!
Alternates (15-17) (18+)
Do your friends call you the jack-of-all trades? If you’re someone that is adaptable and comfortable learning new skills on the go, the Alternates position is a fun and always changing position for you! This team helps fill the gaps on other teams when they need extra support. You’ll get to try a variety of experiences – a great first time volunteer role!
Click HERE to read this Opportunity’s full job description
GENERAL VOLUNTEER APPLICATION
Unsure which team to join? Fill out our “General Volunteer” Application!
The Volunteer Services team will manually place you, based on your interests (subject to each areas vacancies). This is for public areas only, all privately recruited areas apply HERE.
GENERAL VOLUNTEER APPLICATION (15-17) (18+)
As the Volunteer Services team will manually process every general volunteer application, please expect a delay (currently at least 24 hours) until shift selection/team placement. You will receive an email once placed.
The Volunteer Team Behind Bluesfest
- Keanna Louis-Charles (she/her) musician, educator, community advocate (Volunteer Services Manager)
- IT Assistant (Jason G.) (VS Support Team)
- Holmer B., Debby D., Christina V. (Volunteer Advisory Team)