It’s a short list but big news as Oshawa Tourism and the Convergence Music and Art Festival has been named a finalist for the annual Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO) Awards.
The recognition celebrates the efforts of the organization, a division of the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce, in Visitor Attraction & Tourism Product Development for the hugely successful festival, which has taken over downtown Oshawa for the past two years, bringing thousands of people to the city streets.
“This festival brought Oshawa’s vibrant music, arts, and cultural scene to life, showcasing our community’s authenticity, diversity, and creativity,” said a statement from Oshawa Tourism. “Thank you to everyone who supported this journey – from our performers, vendors, and partners to the thousands who joined us in downtown Oshawa.”
Convergence, held in September the weekend after Labour Day, was a day of music, art and feel-good vibes.
The music was the big deal, and there were nearly two dozen acts throughout the day on three stages, setting up Oshawa’s own celebrated Dizzy and headline act TALK to finish out the event.
The art was the co-main attraction and the former Oshawa Bus Terminal was the epicentre of all that is artistic with ARTBLOCK, a series of works – including a crane sculpture by noted Ajax artist Geordie Lishman (‘Taking Flight,’ a tribute to his late father, celebrated sculptor and goose whisperer Bill Lishman) – that were part of a Points of Connection collection inside the terminal.
Mary Krohnert of the Living Room Community Art Studio
Mix in food trucks, a punk rock alley and live wrestling and you have a winning formula.
“Nearly 14 years in the music industry and yesterday was the best festival I’ve ever been to. Seeing Oshawa lit up with excitement, fun and so much energy was an unbelievable joy. Every inch of the downtown was filled with art and music and happy faces – it was like nothing I’ve ever seen before in the city,” said Amanda McCauley, an events coordinator with the Oshawa Chamber.
Wrestling in downtown Oshawa
Durham Region Tourism and Marketing Manager Jacquie Severs agreed. “The wrestling people. The soccer people. The music people. The art people. The community groups. The businesses. Derby girls. Ghostbusters. The girl dressed up like Barbara Maitland. The folks in space suits. The punks. The kids dancing. The makers. The city. The politicians. The cooks. The volunteers, the staff. All local people pulling together, mostly volunteers to be clear, just because everyone wants a great, fun, creative, truly Oshawa event. People really want it.”
Real estate agent and long-time Oshawa booster Robert Bell’s response was a little more direct: “Wow. Oshawa knows how to have fun!”
The EDCO Award winners will be announced at the annual EDCO Conference and Showcase February 4-6 in Toronto.
The ‘Folks in space suits’