Bob Belanger and Sebastien Richard were talking to visitors during CITT’s Rendev-Vous 2008. They were in the Show Distribution booth at CITT’s Trade Show.

Photo/Victor Svenningson

Helen Willard
Stage Expo Sales Manager

CITT held its 18th Annual Conference & Trade Show in Ottawa August 14 to 17. The trade show was in the historic Government Conference Centre, which opened in 1912 as Ottawa's Grand Trunk railway station. The lovely Beaux-Arts style building stands across from the stately Chateau Laurier hotel on the banks of the Rideau Canal. The monumental waiting room of the former train station, called the finest room in Canada, was modeled after the great thermal baths of Rome. The building hosts a variety of conferences, including the G20 in 2001.

It was a unique setting for the CITT trade show, where many USITT member companies were spotted, including AC Lighting, A.C.T Lighting, Cirque du Soleil, Electronic Theatre Controls, GALA Systems, Jack A. Frost Ltd., MDG Fog Generators, Ontario Staging Limited, Osram Sylvania, RC4 Wireless Dimming, Robert Juliat, Rosco Laboratories, Show Distribution, Stagestep, Staging Concepts, Strand Lighting, and Wenger Corporation.

A wide variety of conference sessions were held in the Arts Court, formerly the Carleton County Courthouse, and now the home of the professional arts in Ottawa. Off-site activities included a venue tour of the Irving Greenberg Theatre, new home of the Great Canadian Theatre Company, a backstage tour of Wicked at the National Arts Centre, and a tour of the Parliament Buildings Chamber and Sound & Light show.

Pre-Conference workshops included Fall Arrest Certification, Pyrotechnics Certification, Fireworks Display Certification, RF Microphone Master Class, and The Basics of Rigging and Flying Performers. Attendees enjoyed a variety of special events, including the Junk Challenge Adventure, the New Products Breakfast, the Corporate BBQ Luncheon, SWAG BINGO, the Health & Safety Breakfast, and the Awards Banquet.

Ottawa is a charming city and a lovely setting for the CITT Conference, with the majesty of Parliament Hill towering above the Ottawa River. The National Capital region includes Gatineau, Quebec, which is just across the river, and home to the Canadian Museum of Civilization.

RENDEZ-VOUS 2009 will be held August 13 to 16 at the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton, Alberta.

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