WHEN THE MUSIC STOPS

“The Fight to Save Ontario’s Festivals and Events”

PART FIVE OF TEN

When the Music Stops - Part Five

WHEN THE VOLUNTEERS GO HOME

“The Leadership and Succession Crisis Threatening Ontario’s Festivals”

Ontario Perspectives • Special Investigative Series

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Ontario’s festivals and events depend on volunteers, but the most serious shortage is not always visible on event day.

An organization may find dozens—or even hundreds—of people willing to sell tickets, supervise an activity, clean tables or direct visitors for several hours. The more difficult challenge is finding people prepared to join a board, manage finances, recruit sponsors, oversee permits, supervise volunteers and accept responsibility throughout the year.

Statistics Canada reported that Canada’s overall volunteer rate fell from 79% in 2018 to 73% in 2023. Total formal and informal volunteer hours declined from approximately five billion to 4.1 billion—a reduction of 18%. Volunteer hours associated with sports and recreation organizations fell by 34%.

Ontario communities are already experiencing the consequences. Festivals in Greater Sudbury and Tottenham were cancelled or paused in 2025 because they lacked volunteer organizers, board members and event leaders—not necessarily because audiences had lost interest.

Many long-running events are supported by aging leaders who have carried responsibilities for decades. Procedures may not be written down, younger volunteers may not be invited into decision-making and no successor may be prepared to assume leadership. When one indispensable person retires, becomes ill or burns out, the event can collapse around the vacancy.

The solution is not another last-minute call for event-day volunteers. Festivals need leadership pathways, manageable positions, written procedures, mentoring, term limits and planned succession. Experience must be preserved, but new leaders must be given genuine authority to question, improve and renew the event.

ABOUT THIS SERIES

When the Music Stops is a ten-part FES Tourism special series examining the pressures confronting Ontario’s festivals and events. From funding, insurance and regulations to volunteers, weather, land use and the loss of Festivals and Events Ontario, the series explores what is at risk—and what must be done to protect the celebrations that help define Ontario.

THE MORNING AFTER

The crowds have gone home.

The music has stopped, the vendors are packing and volunteers are collecting signs, folding tables and clearing the grounds. Everyone is tired, but there is pride in what they accomplished together.

Within a few days, most volunteers will return to their regular lives.

A much smaller group will remain.

They will reconcile the finances, pay invoices, prepare grant reports, thank sponsors, respond to complaints, meet with the municipality, review incidents, store equipment and begin discussing the following year.

Some will have been doing this work for ten, twenty or thirty years.

They are the people who remember why a decision was made, which supplier can be trusted, where the electrical connection is located, how much rain the grounds can absorb, which sponsor needs an early call and which volunteer can solve a problem when nobody else knows what to do.

Their knowledge is invaluable.

It may also be carrying the event toward an unseen closing date.

A VOLUNTEER SHORTAGE—BUT NOT ALWAYS THE ONE WE THINK

When organizers say they need volunteers, the public often imagines event-day positions:

Admission gates
Information booths
Parking
Children’s activities
Cleanup
Hospitality
Setup and dismantling
Food service
Crowd direction

Those positions are essential, and many events struggle to fill them.

But a different shortage presents a greater long-term threat.

Events also need:

Board directors
Chairs and vice-chairs
Treasurers
Secretaries
Sponsorship leaders
Volunteer coordinators
Vendor managers
Programming leaders
Site and operations managers
Marketing coordinators
Accessibility leaders
Safety and emergency coordinators

These are not four-hour commitments.

They can involve months of work, legal and financial responsibility, difficult decisions and continual communication. Volunteers may be expected to understand grants, contracts, insurance, municipal requirements, budgets, digital marketing and organizational governance.

An event can have 300 volunteers during festival weekend and still be only one resignation away from collapse.

THE NUMBERS CONFIRM THE PRESSURE

Canada has a strong tradition of volunteering, and millions of people continue to contribute enormous amounts of time.

However, the direction of the numbers is concerning.

Statistics Canada reported that the overall volunteer rate, including formal and informal volunteering, declined from 79% in 2018 to 73% in 2023. The total number of volunteer hours fell from approximately five billion to 4.1 billion, an 18% reduction. Volunteers contributed an average of 173 hours in 2023—33 fewer hours than in 2018.

The decline was particularly significant in several sectors. Volunteer hours associated with sports and recreation organizations fell by 34%.

Those statistics cover much more than festivals, but they reflect a change community organizations can feel.

People still care. They still help neighbours, support causes and participate in community life. But many have less time, less energy and less willingness to accept indefinite responsibility.

The traditional model—depending on a small group of people to “do whatever is necessary” year after year—is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain.

ONTARIO EVENTS ARE ALREADY DISAPPEARING

In 2025, a lack of volunteer organizers forced the cancellation of Sudbury Graphic-Con and Capreol Days.

Graphic-Con’s leadership explained that event-day volunteers could be found, but the organization struggled to recruit people with the time and skills required to operate a nonprofit. At times, only two or three board members were actively carrying the responsibility.

Tottenham Community Week was also cancelled in 2025. The long-running celebration had attracted thousands of residents and visitors, but organizers reported that they did not have enough board members and event leads to proceed.

These events did not necessarily lose their audiences.

They lost the organizational capacity required to serve those audiences.

That distinction is critical.

A community may still love its festival, attend enthusiastically and express disappointment when it is cancelled. But appreciation does not automatically produce the people willing to spend an entire year making it happen.

THE AGING OF ONTARIO’S EVENT LEADERSHIP

Many Ontario fairs and festivals were created or expanded decades ago by:

Agricultural societies
Service clubs
Chambers of commerce
Cultural associations
BIAs
Municipal committees
Heritage organizations
Neighbourhood groups

The people who built them developed tremendous experience. They also grew older.

A volunteer who joined a committee at 40 may still be carrying it at 70 or 80 because nobody was prepared to take over.

This is sometimes described simply as an aging population, but the underlying problem is organizational.

Age itself is not the weakness. Experienced older volunteers may be the event’s most capable, committed and knowledgeable contributors.

The danger is:

No deputy has been trained.
Procedures have not been documented.
Relationships belong to individuals rather than the organization.
Important information remains in personal email accounts.
Younger people are given tasks but not leadership opportunities.
Major positions have become too demanding for anyone new to accept.
Current leaders have not established a date or process for transition.

When an organization says, “Nobody can replace her” or “Only he knows how to do it,” it is not describing strength.

It is identifying a serious organizational risk.

AN EVENT WITHOUT SUCCESSION HAS AN UNOFFICIAL CLOSING DATE

Succession planning is often delayed because it feels uncomfortable.

Long-serving leaders may worry that discussing replacement means their contribution is no longer valued. Other committee members may avoid the subject because nobody wants the position. The organization remains focused on delivering the next event, assuming there will be time to address leadership later.

Then a transition is forced by:

Illness
Family responsibilities
Burnout
Relocation
Conflict
Death
Financial pressure
A simple decision that enough is enough

The organization begins searching for a new leader at precisely the moment it has lost the person best able to train one.

Succession should not begin when a leader announces retirement.

It should begin when the leader accepts the position.

BURNOUT DISGUISED AS COMMITMENT

Festivals often celebrate the volunteer who is always available, answers every question and solves every emergency.

That dedication deserves recognition—but it may also conceal an unhealthy system.

Warning signs include:

One person included in every decision
Volunteers answering messages at all hours
Leaders unable to take holidays near the event
Repeated statements that nobody else can be trusted
Committee vacancies left unfilled
Important tasks completed at the last minute
Irritability and conflict
Volunteers feeling guilty when they say no
Families becoming frustrated by the time commitment
Leaders remaining because they fear the event will collapse without them

Burnout does not always look like withdrawal. Sometimes it looks like relentless activity.

An event may appear stable because the same people continue doing more. In reality, it has transferred organizational weakness onto the health and goodwill of a few individuals.

Commitment should never require a person to sacrifice indefinitely because the organization failed to develop support.

WHY YOUNGER VOLUNTEERS DO NOT STAY

Organizations frequently say younger people are not interested in volunteering.

That explanation is too simple.

Younger volunteers may encounter:

Meetings scheduled without regard to work or family demands
Roles with no clear beginning or end
Little training
No written expectations
Outdated communication methods
Repetitive or undesirable assignments
No opportunity to influence decisions
Resistance to new ideas
A culture that expects years of service before their opinions count
Leadership positions so large they appear impossible

A young volunteer may be willing to lead social media, coordinate a specific program or recruit a team. That does not mean the person is prepared to become overall festival chair immediately.

Organizations need stepping stones.

A volunteer should be able to move through a reasonable progression:

Event-Day Volunteer → Team Leader → Committee Member → Vice-Chair → Chair → Mentor

Not everyone will complete the entire path, but the path must exist.

THE KNOWLEDGE TRAPPED IN ONE PERSON

Long-running events accumulate institutional knowledge:

Supplier history
Sponsor relationships
Site details
Permit requirements
Passwords
Equipment inventories
Volunteer contacts
Timelines
Budgets
Marketing accounts
Emergency procedures
Lessons from previous incidents

Too often, that information is scattered among filing cabinets, personal computers, handwritten notes and memory.

When a leader leaves, the event may lose:

Access to accounts
Historical records
Sponsor contacts
Contract details
Reasons behind recurring decisions
Knowledge of what previously failed
Trust built through personal relationships

A succession plan therefore requires more than naming a replacement.

It requires transferring knowledge, access, relationships and authority.

A VIEW FROM THE FESTIVAL ROAD

TWO COMMITTEES, TWO FUTURES

Years ago, I was involved with a long-running community festival managed by several partner organizations. Each partner was responsible for a different portion of the event.

Two of those organizations followed very different leadership models.

The first relied on many of the same experienced members year after year. They understood their responsibilities and had successfully delivered their portion of the festival many times.

The second organization used a rotating three-year structure. Its committee included:

A vice-chair preparing to lead
A chair carrying current responsibility
A past chair providing advice and continuity

Effectively, every incoming leader committed to three years: one year learning, one year leading and one year helping the next person succeed.

That structure kept experienced people involved while regularly bringing new people and ideas into leadership.

During one joint planning meeting, we began discussing programming for the following year. Members of the rotating committee were interested in exploring new possibilities.

A senior representative from the other organization believed change was unnecessary. Their approach had worked successfully for years, and they saw no reason to alter it.

The discussion ended.

Both organizations remained associated with the event, but their roles changed over time. The organization that resisted change gradually assumed a smaller role. The organization with planned leadership renewal continued to prosper and lead.

Many factors influence an event’s evolution, and no single conversation determines its future. But the contrast taught me an important lesson:

Experience preserves an event’s knowledge. New leadership preserves its future.

Succession planning does not push experienced volunteers aside. It gives them an essential role in preparing the next generation.

THE PAST-CHAIR ADVANTAGE

The three-year system provides a model that many festivals could adapt.

Year One — Vice-Chair

The future leader:

Learns the role
Attends important meetings
Understands relationships
Assists with decisions
Leads selected projects
Prepares for greater responsibility

Year Two — Chair

The leader:

Directs the committee
Makes decisions within established authority
Receives support from the past chair
Develops the vice-chair
Documents new lessons

Year Three — Past Chair

The experienced leader:

Advises without controlling
Explains history
Transfers relationships
Supports the new chair
Helps prevent repeated mistakes
Gradually completes the transition

The model preserves continuity without allowing leadership to become permanent.

It also creates an expectation that every chair has two responsibilities:

Lead the event successfully.
Prepare someone else to lead it next.

WHEN EXPERIENCE BECOMES CONTROL

Long-serving volunteers can be an event’s greatest strength. They can also unintentionally prevent renewal.

Resistance may appear in statements such as:

“We tried that before.”
“That is not how we do things.”
“Young people do not understand the event.”
“Our visitors expect everything to stay the same.”
“It has worked for years.”
“Nobody else will do it properly.”

Sometimes those concerns are valid. New ideas are not automatically good ideas, and experience should not be dismissed.

But history should inform discussion—not end it.

If every suggestion is rejected because it differs from the past, younger volunteers will eventually stop offering ideas. They may continue helping for a time, but they will not become leaders in an organization where leadership does not permit change.

The purpose of succession is not merely to replace a name at the top of a committee.

It is to allow the organization to renew itself.

THE PUBLIC ALSO CONTRIBUTES TO BURNOUT

Event volunteers can spend an entire year creating something for their community and still receive more criticism than appreciation.

Complaints may involve:

Admission prices
Parking
Road closures
Noise
Food prices
Weather decisions
Program changes
Social-media responses
Lineups
Missing favourite attractions

Constructive feedback is important. Organizers should be accountable and willing to improve.

But personal attacks, rumours and hostile social-media comments can convince volunteers that the work is no longer worth the emotional cost.

The public may see a large festival and assume it is operated by a wealthy professional company. In reality, the person being criticized online may be an unpaid neighbour working late at night after a full day at a regular job.

Communities cannot ask people to volunteer and then treat them as though they are faceless service providers.

REASONS FOR HOPE

The volunteer crisis can be addressed.

Statistics Canada’s figures still show that nearly three-quarters of Canadians volunteered formally or informally in 2023. Community spirit has not disappeared.

People are more likely to volunteer when:

Roles are clearly defined
Time commitments are realistic
Training is provided
The work is meaningful
Scheduling is flexible
They can volunteer with friends or family
Their skills are respected
They have an opportunity to influence outcomes
Their contribution is appreciated
The organization is well managed

Technology can improve scheduling, communication, training and record keeping. Businesses can offer employee volunteer days. Schools and colleges can connect students with meaningful leadership experience. Service clubs, agricultural societies and community organizations can cooperate rather than compete for the same people.

Most importantly, existing leaders can make succession a normal part of organizational life.

KEEPING THE CELEBRATION ALIVE

EVENT ORGANIZATION ACTION

Every festival should:

Identify positions critical to survival
Write clear role descriptions
Divide oversized positions
Establish reasonable terms
Appoint deputies or vice-chairs
Create a mentoring process
Document procedures
Store files and passwords securely
Develop a leadership calendar
Give younger volunteers meaningful authority
Review workload after every event
Pay professionals for specialized work where possible
Recognize families affected by volunteer commitments
Thank volunteers throughout the year
Make succession a standing board agenda item

MUNICIPAL ACTION

Municipalities can help by:

Providing volunteer training
Supporting shared volunteer databases
Offering meeting and storage space
Simplifying administrative processes
Assigning staff contacts
Recognizing volunteer leaders publicly
Connecting events with schools and community groups
Funding part-time event coordination
Including succession and capacity in grant programs

BUSINESS ACTION

Employers can contribute through:

Paid volunteer days
Employee teams
Professional expertise
Leadership-development placements
Equipment and meeting space
Volunteer meals or clothing
Recognition programs

COMMUNITY ACTION

Residents can:

Volunteer before and after event day
Join boards
Accept manageable leadership roles
Attend annual meetings
Offer professional skills
Provide constructive feedback
Encourage younger family members to participate
Publicly thank organizers
Understand that events require year-round work

A SUCCESSION PLAN FOR EVERY CRITICAL POSITION

Every important event role should have four things:

A written description
What does the person actually do?
A procedures record
What happens, when does it happen and who must be contacted?
A second person learning the role
Who could step in temporarily or permanently?
A transition schedule
When and how will leadership change?

If one of these is missing, the position represents a risk.

If all four are missing, the event is depending on luck.

THE COURAGE TO LET NEW PEOPLE LEAD

Succession requires courage from both sides.

The incoming leader must be willing to accept responsibility, learn from experience and make difficult decisions.

The outgoing leader must be willing to share information, surrender authority and allow the new person to lead differently.

A former chair who continues overruling every decision has not completed the transition. A new chair who refuses all advice has discarded valuable knowledge.

Successful succession creates balance:

Respect the past. Prepare the future. Share leadership during the transition.

BEFORE THE LAST VOLUNTEER LEAVES

Most festivals do not die because the community suddenly stops caring.

They weaken quietly.

A treasurer steps down and nobody replaces her. A chair agrees to stay “one more year.” Procedures remain unwritten. Younger volunteers are never invited into meaningful roles. The committee becomes smaller, older and more tired.

Eventually, the announcement appears:

Due to circumstances beyond our control, this year’s event has been cancelled.

But the circumstances were often visible years earlier.

Ontario’s festivals need volunteers at the gates, in the parking lots and throughout the grounds.

More urgently, they need people preparing to become the next chairs, treasurers, directors and community leaders.

The greatest tribute experienced organizers can offer an event is not to remain indispensable forever.

It is to make certain the event can continue without them.

COMING IN PART SIX

Even events with strong finances, capable leaders and committed volunteers remain vulnerable to forces no committee can control.

In Part Six, When Nature Changes the Plan, we examine extreme heat, storms, flooding, wildfire smoke, damaged grounds and insecure access to the land and venues on which Ontario’s festivals depend.