The Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest, dubbed one of the largest music festivals in the world, is expected to draw more than 300,000 people to the capital over the next 12 days.
After one year of planning and weeks of construction, Bluesfest opens on Tuesday.
"This is the Super Bowl. This is the Big One," said Bluesfest spokesperson A.J. Sauve.
Perhaps this year's festival is the ‘big one.' Headliners include Iron Maiden, Rush, Drake, Joan Jett, Weezer and Carlos Santana.
The economic spinoff for the city is also huge. This year's festival is expected to give Ottawa's economy a $65-million boost.
"It's significant impact for local businesses and for all the city, including public taxes. It's a huge generator for the city," said Mark Monahan, Bluesfest's executive director.
Ottawa Tourism says music-goers spend money on restaurants and attractions, even if they choose to bunk with friends.
"They're still eating out; they're still seeing more of the city, visiting our other attractions," said Jantine Van Kregten, spokesperson for Ottawa Tourism.
Bluesfest began in 1994 when Clarence Clemons played for a crowd at Majors Hill Park. Five-thousand people attended the three-day festival.
Since then, the festival has grown considerably, bringing in big-name acts and attracting tourists from across North America.
"There's a lot of acts we've tried to get for a long time, like Santana, Keith Urban, Iron Maiden, Rush. These are all acts that are going to be a huge draw for the city," said Monahan.
Since the festival's humble beginning, Bluesfest has made a name for itself. And, organizers say it's a name they can be proud of.
"You've got bragging rights. You say, 'We have one of the most successful festivals in the world.' People treat it as something they mark on their calendars every year; they take the two weeks off, and that's their summer vacation," said Sauve.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Catherine Lathem
