There is so much happening I can barely keep up. We are apporaching the middle of March now and are almost a week away from Caribou Carnival. There is lots going on this weekend first though, many event are down at the Snowking’s Castle.
On a warm, sunny, afternoon, while I’m sure you were working hard, I got to venture down to the Snowking’s Snow Castle to look around. The castle has been under construction since December when the windows were first being constructed and is just about ready for the first weekend of events. The crew was putting the last touches on the roof while we were there.
The castle is every kids, dream snow fort, with several rooms and path ways. When you enter the castle through the front door you will pass the admission box and proceed into what I assume is the common area. In this area you’ll find an igloo, slide, viewing point, bathrooms, and open ceiling. When you follow another tunnel you’ll enter into the, what I am going to call, Great Hall part of the castle. This is where the concerts, showings and weddings take place. This room is enclosed and can be heated if needed. At one end is the performing stage, with bleachers at the other and a large floor area. There is a wedding altar and art gallery to the side of the floor. In all it is an amazing structure and something very rare. Something as special and spectacular should be seen by everyone, so I hope you take the time over the next 3 weeks to head down and see it.
Although busy I got the chance to ask the Snowking a couple questions about the castle and how it was going this year. I asked him if the warm weather we have had is affecting the castle at all and his response to me was ultimately no. Although he did point out that the once clear windows are now opaque but other than that everything was going as planned and they will be ready for the weekend.
Finally are the photos and a video. The photos are in a slight bit of an order, we walked into the castle and enter the common area. From there we went into the great hall and then back into the common area. The video is much the same. You can see all the photos by going to our flickr set.
Have you been to the castle yet this year? What do you think?
The first weekend of March is almost here and with the nice weather we have been having here in Yellowknife why not get out and experience some northern events.
CORPUS is known for its precise and surrealistic humour that combines music with theatrical imagery and forces dancers and audiences to meet in both traditional and unusual environments. They push the boundaries of where reality meets fantasy and you never know where you will be sitting.
Using movement, clown, animal characters, and pure silliness, CORPUSbrings new energy to the land of the dance world. From a bucolic country scene where sheep behaviour is studied by the audience to engaging with the 217th Canadian Flying Squadron, who have been left without any planes, CORPUS Dance will have you smiling at all the serious silliness.
CORPUS has presented across Canada and around the world, appearing at Just for Laughs (Montreal), Canada Dance Festival (Ottawa), Dancing on the Edge Festival (Vancouver), One Yellow Rabbit’s High Performance Rodeo (Calgary), the Sommet de la Francophonie (Moncton), Festival d’Été du Québec, Awesome Children Festival (Australia), the Singapore Arts Festival, La Fira de Teatre de Tarrega (Spain), Festival International de Théatre au Benin (West Africa), International Straattheaterfestival (Belgium), and Watch This Space (London, UK).
I keep expecting events to slow down, but I don’t think that will be happening anytime soon. March looks like to be a big month with both the Snowking Festival and Caribou Carnival happening. Here is what is happening this weekend though:
Thursday, February 25:
Arctic Energy Alliance 2009 Energy Awards: 7pm at the Explorer Hotel. Anyone interested in finding out what the Arctic Energy Alliance is currently doing to reduce costs such as high heating, transportation, power bills and climate change may attend their 2009 Energy Awards and Initiatives Meeting.
Friday, February 26:
The Twisters: The CBC True North Concert Series and Saturday Night Blues present: The Twisters. 12 rounds of swings, stinging powerhouse blues. Featuring Special Guest: Steve Slade. Hosted by: Holger Peterson. Located at The Top knight Pub starting at 7:30pm. Tickers $20 at CBC North, 5002 Forrest Drive. Contact: 920-5400.
DJ Johnny Volumes: Deejay Johnny Volume spins the best Ska, Funk, Soul, Motown, and so much more!! 9:00pm – 1:00am at the Twist Bar
Saturday, February 27:
The Twisters: The CBC True North Concert Series and Saturday Night Blues present: The Twisters. 12 rounds of swings, stinging powerhouse blues. Featuring Special Guest: Steve Slade. Hosted by: Holger Peterson. Located at The Top knight Pub starting at 7:30pm. Tickers $20 at CBC North, 5002 Forrest Drive. Contact: 920-5400.
Sit Down Stand Up: Comedy and Music show at the Twist Bar starting at 8pm featuring Mel Leonard, Loren McGinnis, Tim, Heidi Raulin. All funds go to the Vagina Monologues VDAY Campaign.
Sunday, February 28:
Amazing Family: From the Recycling Bin to Stage Join us for some musical magic. Mix science, conservation and a lot of creativity to make your own musical instruments. Afterwards, COSY will entertain us with some kid friendly tunes and the opportunity to try out our recycled sound. Happening at the Museum at 2pm.
Snowking Winter Festival Kick-off Fireworks: The opening ceremonies for the Snowking Winter Festival will take place today at 8:30pm with Fireworks down at the castle on Yellowknife Bay.
Yellowknife has it going on! Film Fest and Heritage Week all in the same week, amazing. We are all going to have busy schedules taking in all the good stuff this City has to offer. Along with the Yk Film Fest it is Heritage Week as well. This week is being put together to celebrate Yellowknife’s energetic history. You can do so by attending some of the events that are being put on all across town.
Although many of us may only move to the north to work, I have found my peace with it and enjoy this City. The City has grown on me, even though through my school years I wanted nothing more than to move south. I have discovered that Yellowknife is a very unique and relatively young City. Although the Yellowknife Dene have been in the area for generation the town of Yellowknife did not form until the mid 1930’s when Gold was first discovered. From the first discovery of gold to now Yellowknife has grown and changed in many ways. From being the hub for over 12 gold mines to now the hub of 3 diamond mines.
Here are the Heritage Week 2010 events:
Monday, February 8
Tour of the Legislative Assembly 12:10 – 1:00pm
Join us for an informative and fun tour of the Legislative Assembly in honour of Heritage Week!
Tuesday, February 9
Evening Music Session 7:00 – 9:00pm Javaroma
Yellowknife’s rich cultural heritage will be on display Tuesday night with performances by Rick Poltaruk and Pat Braden!
An open mic will follow the headlining acts. Any musicians with northern songs in their repertoire are encouraged to come out and contribute to the night’s celebration!
The Evening Music Session is presented in association with NWT Music.
Wednesday, February 10
Heritage Art Show 7:00 – 9:00pm Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre
Local works celebrating the history of Yellowknife will be on display. Come down to support the vital role of art in celebrating and promoting heritage.
Music will be courtesy of harpist Susan Hoefer, with refreshments provided.
Thursday, February 11
Heritage Award Gathering
The 2009 Heritage Award will be presented to Yvonne Quick for her enthusiasm, energy and hard work towards the preservation and promotion of Yellowknife’s heritage.
Friday, February 12
Heritage Plaque Unveiling 12:15 – 12:45pm Post Office
The plaque being installed on the Post Office is in recognition of the significance of the Yellowknife Post Office to the social, cultural and business fabric of the city of Yellowknife. The plaque will be unveiled by the Mayor and refreshments will be served.
Sunday, February 14
Amazing Family Sundays 2:00 – 3:30pm Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre
A multi‐cultural storytelling event with poems, dance, song and stories. Fun for the entire family! Refreshments will be served.
This weekend is the kick off of the Yellowknife Film Festival as well as the preformance of Sugar.
1. The Yk Film Fest kicks off with a bang this Friday evening with a Gala and International Film. Check out the part one of the schedule I post a couple days ago by CLICKING HERE.
2. Sugar is a the latest performance being put on by St. Pats Drama Production. To find out all the details about when the show is on and a little about the show itself CLICK HERE.
3. Creative Metalsmithing: The Aurora Arts Society is proud to present the show by Crys Harse. Crys Harse is an award-winning metalsmith with a passion for surface texture. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally and featured in several weaving, metalsmithing, and art publications, as well as being in numerous private collections. This evening (Feb 5) at 7pm. 113 Kam Lake Rd, upstairs.
4. The Rock Indoor Skate Park will be holding a open house on Saturday afternoon from 2pm – 6pm. This is a chance for everyone to come out to the rear/back Mildred Hall School gym and see what they have been up to. There will be lots of skateboarding with games and competitions with prizes. There is also a chace they my Skype in with a Professional Skateboarder who is currently skating in Texas.
Sorry for the delay, this weekends events got caught in limbo. If you know of anything else going on let us know. Have a good weekend.
Alright, this Friday, Feb 5, is the kick off the 3rd annual Yellowknife Film Fest. I am really surprised I missed the first two, because after reading the program I can’t believe all the great content that will be at the festival. Along with some awesome movies and short films there will be some workshops and panel discussions to attend. Below is the schedule for Friday Feb 5th to Thursday Feb 11th. Although I don’t approve of PDF’s, to see a detailed description of events including titles, description, prices and credits download the festival program.
They will be preforming the show live at NACC Thursday through Saturday starting a 8pm each night. If you are not sure what the play is about, well then you’ll get a kick out of this summary:
Two unemployed musicians, bass player Jerry and saxophone player Joe, witness the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre in Chicago. In order to escape gangster Spats Palazzo and his henchmen, they dress as women and join Sweet Sue and Her Society Syncopaters, an all-female band about to leave town for an engagement at a Miami Beach hotel.
Complications arise when Joe, now known as Josephine, falls in love with beautiful band singer Sugar Kane, who has a slight drinking problem that tends to interfere with her ability to choose a romantic partner wisely. More than anything, Sugar wants to marry a millionaire, prompting Joe to disguise himself as the man of her dreams.
Meanwhile, wealthy and elderly Osgood Fielding, Jr. is pursuing Daphne, unaware she really is Jerry in drag. As much as he knows he needs to reveal his true gender to his over-amorous paramour, Jerry is beginning to enjoy all the expensive gifts bestowed upon him on a regular basis.
Total chaos erupts when Spatz and his gang descend upon the hotel and realize who Josephine and Daphne really are.
The performance is sure to be an excellent one. If you are interested in going, tickets are $20 and are available at the NACC box office or online here.
So we have arrived at the end of the work week once again, isn’t it great! It is the end of the month too and I can’t believe how fast January has gone buy, seems like only yesterday I was writing about fireworks and the holiday season.
Anyways that is not what you came here to read. You want the “Whats going on this weekend” info. So here it is.
Starting the weekend off Friday evening is the fourth night of the Northern Performers Festival at NACC. The evening starts at 7:30pm but arrive early to get a seat. The night will be featuring two of Yellowknife best Dawgwoods and Priscilla’s Revenge. Tickets are $15 and available at the NACC box office or online.
On Saturday afternoon the Family Literacy Day Fun Fair will be taking place at the Northern United Place. Children ages 3 to 7 years can enjoy songs, stories and crafts. Families from Dettah, Yellowknife and Ndilo are invited. Children must be accompanied by an adult. The Fair will take place between 2 – 3:30pm.
Saturday evening is when you can get your Scottish on, is that even a saying. Anyways the NWT Pipe Band’s annual dinner and dance in celebration of the birth date of Scotland’s famous poet, Robert Burns. Evening includes a traditional haggis dinner, Highland dancing, Scottish Country Dancing, traditional Burns’ night activities (toasts and an address to Burns) and, of course, performances by the pipes and drums of the NWT Pipe Band. The dinner and dance will take place at the Elks Hall and start at 6pm. The festivities will go until the “wee” hours of the night or at least 12am.
Saturday evening is also the final night of the Northern Performers Festival and will feature Leanne Goose. Leanne Goose, is a country/rock singer and budding song writer originally from Inuvik. She made her debut on the North American music scene with her 2008 release of her album “Anywhere”. Her powerhouse voice delivers a unique mix of Classic Country with Elvis-styled Rock n’ Roll. This is a North Star on the rise. The show, again, starts at 7:30 at NACC and tickets can be bought at their box office or online.
James Boraski and the Momentary Evolution will also be playing at Twist both Friday and Saturday night starting at 8:30pm. Ron Kent will be playing at Fuego starting at 8:30pm on Friday night and Ed Dizon on Saturday at the same time.
There you have it, or at least these are all the events I know of. If you know of more make sure you post them below in the comments.
Alright, this Friday, Feb 5, is the kick off the 3rd annual Yellowknife Film Fest. I am really surprised I missed the first two, because after reading the program I can’t believe all the great content that will be at the festival. Along with some awesome movies and short films there will be some workshops and panel discussions to attend. Below is the schedule for Friday Feb 5th to Thursday Feb 11th. Although I don’t approve of PDF’s, to see a detailed description of events including titles, description, prices and credits download 
Sugar were going down, oh wait wrong industry. Anyways the St. Pats Drama Department is back at it again with another well known play, Sugar.
