Ottawa Children’s Storytelling Festival

The Ottawa Children’s Storytelling Festival will return in the fall 2026 for its 32nd year. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media to not miss the 2026 Festival Announcement!

Le Festival de contes pour enfants d'Ottawa sera de retour à l'automne 2026 pour sa 32e édition. N'oubliez pas de vous abonner à notre infolettre et de nous suivre sur les réseaux sociaux pour ne pas manquer l'annonce du festival 2026 !

Recommended ages: 3-10 | Âges recommandés : 3 à 10 ans

Please note: The Children’s Festival is a shared experience for families. All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian throughout the event.

Remarque : le Festival des enfants est une expérience partagée pour les familles. Tous les enfants doivent être accompagnés d'un parent ou d'un tuteur pendant toute la durée de l'événement.

Registration Opens Fall 2026

2025 Festival Details

Storyteller Schedule / Programme des conteurs

10:00am / 10 h – Sylvi Belleau – Ages 3–5 / 3 à 5 ans – French / Français
French stories about mythical creatures and magical beasts! Contes français sur les créatures mythiques et les animaux magiques !

10:30am / 10 h 30 – Margot Castor – Ages 6–10 / 6 à 10 ans – French / Français
French stories about mythical creatures and magical beasts! Contes en français sur les créatures mythiques et les bêtes magiques !

11:00am / 11 h – Jennifer Jerome & Colleague / Jennifer Jerome et collègue – Ages 3–5 / 3 à 5 ans – English (Indigenous Stories) / Anglais (contes autochtones)
Two staff members from the Odawa Native Friendship Centre share Indigenous stories about fun creators, tricksters, and tales they heard growing up.
Deux membres du personnel du Centre d'amitié autochtone Odawa partagent des contes autochtones sur les créateurs amusants, les filous et les histoires qu'ils ont entendues pendant leur enfance.

11:30am / 11 h 30 – Jacqui du Toit – Ages 3–5 / 3 à 5 ans – English / Anglais
A variety of stories, including The Spider, a tale of mystery, trickery, and sneaky spiders!
Une variété d'histoires, dont The Spider, un conte mêlant mystère, ruse et araignées sournoises !

12:00pm / 12 h – Mary Wiggin – Ages 6–10 / 6 à 10 ans – English / Anglais
The Way of World – Norwegian folktale about a fierce dragon freed after centuries under a stone.
The Wulver – Scottish tale of a kind mythical creature with the body of a man and the head of a wolf.
The Queen of All Animals – Chinese fable about a clever fox outwitting a hungry lion.
The Way of World – Conte populaire norvégien sur un dragon féroce libéré après avoir passé des siècles sous une pierre.
The Wulver – Conte écossais sur une créature mythique bienveillante avec un corps d'homme et une tête de loup.
The Queen of All Animals – Fable chinoise sur un renard rusé qui déjoue un lion affamé.

12:30pm / 12 h 30 – Johanna Kuyvenhoven – Ages 6–10 / 6 à 10 ans – English / Anglais
Whistles and tires. Why dogs do what they do!
The Bad Umbrella, An umbrella, with a mind of its own, carries Roger off... on his way to school.
The Siberian Tiger. In this Russian folk tale, a wild tiger and a boy face off in the magical forests of the Chutka.

1:00pm / 13 h – Lynn Torrie – Ages 6–10 / 6 à 10 ans – English / Anglais
Stories about ordinary animals with magical powers — talking horses, magic roosters, drumming mice — plus adventures with mythical creatures like sea serpents and dragons.
Histoires d'animaux ordinaires dotés de pouvoirs magiques — chevaux qui parlent, coqs magiques, souris qui jouent du tambour — et aventures avec des créatures mythiques telles que des serpents de mer et des dragons.

1:30pm / 13 h 30 – Jacqui du Toit – Ages 6–10 / 6 à 10 ans – English / Anglais
A variety of stories, including The Spider, a tale of mystery, trickery, and sneaky spiders!
Une variété d'histoires, dont The Spider, un conte mêlant mystère, ruse et araignées sournoises !

Ottawa Storytellers Logo
Children watching a dragon emerge from a lake at the Ottawa Children's Storytelling Festival, with trees, mountains, a pagoda, and blue sky in the background.

QUICKLINKS

MORE CHILDREN’S STORYTELLING

An older woman with gray hair wearing a colorful patterned jacket and a white blouse performs storytelling on stage, with a young girl with a surprised expression holding a small teddy bear on her hand. The background features a painted tree with bro
A man with glasses and a patterned shirt crouches on the grass, talking to children sitting on a blanket, while a group of people listen nearby during an outdoor event.
Students sitting on the floor and chairs in a library listening to a woman speaking at a presentation or event.
A smiling woman in colorful jewelry and a red headwrap in a library, waving.
A woman smiling and holding a small stuffed animal at a book fair or library event. She is sitting between two tables covered with plush toy animals, with a background of bookshelves filled with children's books.
A woman in colorful clothing and headwrap is interacting with children sitting on chairs at an outdoor event with tents and a stage in the background.
An elderly woman with short gray hair, wearing a purple top, black vest, and dark skirt, stands in front of red, orange, and blue paper flower decorations on a wall with bookshelves filled with books.
A large audience of diverse children and adults sitting in an auditorium, attentively watching a presentation or performance. Some people are seated, while others stand against the walls. There are warning signs, a framed picture, and a woman standin
A young girl is creating colorful dragon-themed artwork in an art classroom. The table is covered with a blue plastic sheet and features painted dragon designs, with additional supplies like paint jars, brushes, and a rag nearby.
A woman stands in front of an audience in a small auditorium or theater, speaking possibly for a presentation or performance. The audience, mostly children and some adults, are sitting in rows of chairs and on the carpeted floor, watching her. Some c
Children sitting on the floor in a classroom, listening to a teacher.
A woman sitting on a yellow block, holding a book and speaking to four children sitting on red and gray mats in a classroom decorated with Christmas ornaments, including a green glittery star and a Christmas tree sticker on the window.
A woman standing in front of a classroom holding up a drawing of a cloud with a face, while a young girl sits cross-legged on the floor listening. The woman is wearing glasses, a black jacket, and red pants. The girl has glasses, a floral shirt, and
A woman with short hair and glasses sits on a green chair in front of a classroom, making a heart shape with her hands around her eyes. There are children and adults seated around her, some sitting on the floor, some facing away from the camera. A wa
A woman standing in front of a group of children sitting on a colorful carpet during a storytelling or educational session in a room with a painted green wall, decorated with a tree and a sun mural.
People sitting in a library, wearing face masks, attending a presentation or reading event.
A young woman with long curly hair, glasses, and light skin sitting on the floor of a library, appearing to be engaged in a conversation or storytelling, with bookshelves filled with children's books behind her.
Woman in orange shirt speaking to a group of children in a classroom or library setting.
Children gathered around a child sitting on a bench, raising a fist, with wolf-shaped cutouts in the background.
Audience seated in a theater watching a presentation, with some standing or sitting on the sides.
A man with glasses and a beard, wearing a red and black plaid shirt, sitting on a tree stump, engaging with children during a presentation or event.
Children and an adult playing with a multicolored parachute on stage, with a microphone on a stand nearby.
Audience seated in a cozy indoor venue with stone walls, gathered for a performance or event by a small stage with a painted woodland backdrop.
A man in a brown striped blazer and jeans speaking in front of an audience with a mic and notes in a dimly lit gallery or event space, with artwork on the walls and string lights.
Group of people standing on a stage in a theater, watching a performance. The performers are dressed in colorful costumes and are dancing barefoot.
A woman sitting on the floor and reading to a group of children in front of a felt board with farm animals and a barn scene, in an indoor setting.
A man dressed in traditional Indigenous clothing giving a presentation to children in a community center. Behind him is a green wall with a banner that reads 'Oklahoma Native Tribe Center' and features a red circle with a stylized bird. There are cut
A woman kneeling on a colorful circular rug with a young girl. The woman is holding a large inflatable dinosaur toy, and the girl is dressed in a sweater and coat, facing the woman. There are playsets and a mirror in the background.
Children and adults sitting on the floor in a room, possibly listening to a speaker or watching a presentation.