Celebrating its 40th year, Canada’s largest free music festival known as the Sound of Music is famous for its long list of local and internationally renowned musicians as well as its “something for everyone” musical assortment.
Generating more than $12 million in economic activity and drawing more than 200,000 people, there are reasons why the festival has become so popular.
This year the festival will run from June 8th to the 16th – and once again, there is no shortage of great entertainment. You will be able to enjoy the country sounds of Terri Clarke, who has toured internationally and sold more than five million albums; the classic folk-rock style of the Skydivers; and the Toronto band Goodnight, Sunrise who describe themselves as an “indie-rock-and-roll-super-fun-dance-party band.”
Other musical acts include Black Mountain Whiskey Rebellion, as well as David Wilcox and The Spoons, a Burlington band who formed in 1979 and became popular with their hit song Nova Heart. The international lineup includes the British rock band Bush who play alternative rock, post-grunge and grunge.
They will join Headstones and other bands on Saturday, June 8th for the ticketed kick-off show.
The Sound of Music is held in Spencer Smith Park and also includes a carnival, vendors, and children’s villages. On June 15th at 1 p.m., there will be a Grande Festival Parade that includes marching bands from across Canada and the United States, plus floats and performers. It will begin at Central Park and end at Central High School.
The festival’s success depends on a small staff and hundreds of volunteers.
For more information on getting involved and full details of the line-up for this year, go to the festival website at soundofmusic.ca
Please join us to celebrate the Opening of Ewa Stryjnik’s solo exhibition “So Far You See The Sky”. The artist will be in attendance Saturday, May 11, 7 – 9pm. The show will be on exhibit at Trias Gallery May 9 – 23.
Ewa Stryjnik
The artist explains, “There is no greater sky nor land than the Canadian one. The sheer grandness and scale, the wilderness, the force of the weather is like no other. The series is inspired by my trip with my dog, Mila to Iles de la Madeleine and Gaspe in 2017. After I lost my dog, Abi in 2016, my cousin sent me a song by HaBanot Nechama, “So Far”. My solo exhibition is based on it. The sky is all around us. We see it. We feel it. But we cannot touch it, just like the loved ones we’ve lost. To be closer to them, I travel. I take roads that will make me feel that I can touch the horizon, the sky. I travel far but never far enough. Painting in layers creates a sense of place between the actual landscape and memories. The action of layering, overlapping and scraping excavates fragments of remembered/forgotten story. The images are covered and revealed, inviting the viewer to look into and beyond the surface. The intention of my paintings is to evoke a sense of peace, contemplation, gratitude, joy and love.”
Trias Gallery
Weds to Sun 11am – 5pm. 11 Bronte Rd, #29, Bronte Harbour. For more information visit the gallery website www.triasgallery.com
If you love to support local talent while having a great time, Burlington MADE is THE craft show to visit this weekend. With Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and end-of-year teachers’ gifts coming up fast, craft shows can be a great place to score unique, handmade gifts that go beyond the typical gift card, but they can also feel like a search for a needle in a haystack. That’s why Stephanie Finn—founder of Stephanie Street Events, The Makers’ Club, and the director of Burlington MADE—has spent the last two years curating some of the best makers in the GTA for her series of lively craft and foodie markets.
Christine W. Photography.Christine W. Photography.
For the spring craft market, Stephanie received over 300 applications for just 60 handmade vendor spots. “Our jury spends hours reading every application,” she recalls, “searching for the makers who demonstrate exceptional innovation, creativity, and great taste. We’ve already done the hunting for you—every booth is beautiful. In fact, I’ve been been following some of these makers on social media for years, so I’m ridiculously honoured and excited that they’re participating!” She also curates shopping guides to make gift-giving even easier, especially for those who can get overwhelmed by the abundance of choice at one-day markets.
Christine W. Photography.Christine W. Photography.Christine W. Photography.
Burlington MADE is a whole family-friendly experience, with everything from coffee, tea and smoothies to get you started, to perogies and a food truck to keep you fueled. Local Burlington musicians Dan Taylor and Sarah Campbell Mills will be performing throughout the day, and kids can make yarn monsters in the kids’ craft tent run by the Art Gallery of Burlington. There’s even VIP Passes for those who like a pampered experience—those come with an express line at entry, coffee and a butter tart at the show, and a keepsake tote bag with gifts and exclusive discounts from vendors and local businesses. “Those go fast, though,” Stephanie warns, “so go to our website soon if you want one!”
Christine W. Photography. Christine W. Photography.
So if you love to shop local and support creative entrepreneurs this spring, visit Burlington MADE and pick up some artisanal hot sauce, jewellery, children’s items, women’s clothing, men’s accessories, modern decor, wooden charcuterie boards and furniture, and so much more.
The Burlington MADE Spring Craft Market runs from 10am-4pm on Saturday, May 4th, at the Ron Joyce Centre, 4350 South Service Road, Burlington. Entry is $5, free for children 12 and under. Parking is included with admission and the building is wheelchair-accessible. For more information, visit www.burlingtonmade.com.
Within the grounds of a high school, there are decades of memories within lockers and bathroom stalls, under bleachers and on the football field. There have been broken hearts and championships, school dances and graduations. With diploma in hand, many of us begin the quest for bigger opportunity, leaving behind the memories, likely never to see those four walls again – except for maybe at a reunion.
However, the alumni of Queen Elizabeth Park high school have a unique opportunity to walk those halls again – though the halls may look vastly different. In March 2012, the school re-opened after an extensive renovation under new ownership of the Town of Oakville, a community rich in arts, culture and heritage. The multi-use facility is housed inside the old QE Park high school north of Rebecca Street in West Oakville and features more than 144,000 square feet of activity space, making it one of the largest venues of its kind in Canada. It was purchased and renovated by the Town of Oakville at a cost of $27 million and, as far as they know, there isn’t another building of its kind in Canada that provides so many activities under one roof.
Since the opening, the facility has exceeded community expectations, offering a clay studio, wood shop, fibre arts centre, gallery, swimming pool, fitness studio, performance theatre, and dance studio, among many other amenities.
Susan Amaral, Manager of QEPCCC, says the next few months will be busy at the facility with rotating exhibits, drop-in classes, workshops, and more. Now is a better time than ever to visit this community gem.
Gallery and Hallway Exhibits
The gallery and hallway spaces have rotating exhibits throughout
the year. Entrance to the gallery is free of charge during gallery hours.
Main Gallery:
January – February 2019 : Children’s Photo Exhibit
February – March 2019 : Canadian Tapestry Centre
March – April 2019 : Ontario Society of Artists
April – May 2019 : ArtWorks Oakville
Corridors (Winter Exhbits):
White Oaks High School IB Visual Art program final exhibition, ArtWorks Oakville, Oakville Arts Society, Oakville Camera Club, Oakville Fibre Artists, Oakville Quilters’ Guild, Studio 3 Members, Youth Centre Exhibition, Lisa Rubic, Jay Park, Pam Read & Gina Morewood, Suzana Poposka, Laura Kay Keeling
Call for Exhibition Submissions
The Town of Oakville is developing a Public Art program to integrate artists and artwork into the development of applicable public projects. Art is to be acquired through a public process with the specific intention of being in the public realm. Public art may be temporary or permanent artworks and may include but is not limited to sculptures, mosaics, banners, earthworks, or street furniture.
The next deadline for submissions is September 1, 2019.
Drop-In Classes
All-Ages Ceramics Drop-In on Saturdays, 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Check out the clay studio whether you are a novice or a pro, or just curious about clay! Children must be accompanied/supervised by an adult at all times.
Older Adult Centre
QEPCCC has an Older Adults Centre with a wide range of activities and programs for 50+. Upcoming events include:
March 13, St. Patrick’s Day Party
Annual St. Patrick’s Day Party in the Black Box featuring a Celtic trio called Erin’s Marlore. A light lunch will be served along with some good Irish tunes. Tickets are $15 per person.
April 10, Easter Bonnet Tea & Flower Arranging Workshop
Celebrate the start of spring with tea and a flower arranging demonstration by a local florist. Wear your favourite Easter bonnet. Tickets are $8.00
which includes light refreshments.
Youth
Every year, Oakville celebrates National Youth Week with FREE activities, learning opportunities and events for youth
ages 11-19.
Throughout the week of May 1 to May 6, youth will have FREE access to all drop-in youth programs, open houses at all Town of Oakville youth centres, creative activities with the Oakville Public Library, and so much more!
School and Group Visits
With unique programming options, students can experience hands-on learning in performing arts, studio arts, recreation, youth education, heritage programs, and more.
Want to be added to the teacher’s email list about upcoming school curriculum events? Please email shelly.datseris@oakville.ca
by Annieliese Lawton
Local Link
Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre Oakville.ca
Mark your calendars as Dig Our Roots, the annual celebration of the Niagara-on-the-Lake appellation, is only three weeks away (April 12–14). During this weekend, avid wine lovers will have an exclusive opportunity to discover the rich history and unique terroir of this one-of-a-kind wine growing region.
The Dig Our Roots Winemakers Dinner will be the official kick-off to the Dig Our Roots weekend and will be held in the beautiful Upper Canada Hall Ballroom at the Pillar and Post on Friday, April 12. Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to rub shoulders with pioneers of the Ontario wine industry. The evening will begin with a sparkling reception where you can mingle with winemakers from several member wineries. Following the reception you will enjoy an exceptional dinner curated by Executive Chef, Mark Longster. As you enjoy the locally-inspired dishes and the exceptional wines that perfectly accompany them you can interact with the winemakers seated at your table. You will have the opportunity to learn about their approach to winemaking and how the unique terroir of their vineyards results in wines of exceptional quality and diversity. It will be an evening to remember! Purchase your tickets today as capacity is limited.
During the three-day weekend, the Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake will open their doors to offer unique experiences that showcase our wines, our winemakers and our terroir like never before. At these exclusive events you can gain in-depth knowledge of the unique terroir in our four distinct sub-appellations – Niagara River, Niagara Lakeshore, Four Mile Creek, and St. David’s Bench. Wineries are offering a variety of formats to suit everyone’s preference – from vineyard walks to blending sessions, library tastings, dinners, interactive tasting flights, behind the scenes experiences and more. Visit our website to review the complete list of experiences available and download the Weekend at a Glance document and the Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake map to plan your personalized itinerary for the full weekend. Purchase tickets to winery events today as spots are filling up quickly.
If you can’t make it down to Niagara-on-the-Lake this April you may still have an opportunity to learn about our unique appellation. This year the Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake are hosting a special tasting in Toronto. Three member wineries – Inniskillin Wines, Reif Estate Winery, Strewn Winery – will be offering an exclusive tasting in the state-of-the-art wine lab at George Brown College on April 2nd. The theme of the evening will be Old Vines and Aged Wines. The winemakers will guide you through a tasting of exclusive back vintage and old vine wines that reflect the heritage and quality that Niagara-on-the-Lake is able to produce. Purchase tickets today as capacity is very limited.
Join us this April to discover the rich history of winemaking in this region and unearth what makes the Niagara-on-the-Lake appellation and our wines so very special.
Downtown Oakville will be welcoming locals and visitors again to the TD Songs of Summer Music and Art event taking place throughout the downtown on Friday, August 10, and Saturday, August 11, 2018.Attendance is free and each day’s entertainment starts at 1 pm and continues into the evening.
There will be multiple stages plus many interactive art zones throughout the downtown, with over 40 live performances planned, including a variety of music genres plus performing and visual art experiences.
54-40 Unplugged and Whitehorse will be headlining on the musical stage, and – to give just a flavour of the variety of the line-up – you will be able to enjoy performances by Sol de Cuba, Oakville Chinese Network, Sitar Fusion, Canadian Arabic Orchestra, the Mississauga Swing Band, and Irish School of Dance.
A free shuttle bus service will be available, and the restaurants, bistros, coffee shops and retails stores downtown will be ready to welcome you.This is an event in your summer calendar you really should not miss!
Knowing that laughter is the best medicine isn’t new, but what is new is the lineup at the Burlington Comedy Festival this year. It’s true: there’s nothing like a good guffaw and the roster of comics appearing on stage this year will do their best to get you giggling.
This year’s funny festival features over 12 comedians, including Scott Thompson of Kids in the Hall fame, comedian/actor Kevin Pollack and Canadian writer/actor Jon Dore. It will be held at two venues: The Burlington Performing Arts Centre and the Water Street Cooker. The three-day festival begins on Family Day, February 19, starting with a Family Variety Show. The show features award winning, international circus artists including a Portuguese clown, a magician who has performed in Las Vegas and a Juggling and Acrobatic Duo from China. Seating is general admission. Tickets are $15.
The Festival concludes with two performances at The Water Street Cooker on February 20 and February 21.The best deal is Emma’s VIP Food & Funny Deal, which includes admission to the reserved seating area and a $25 dinner at Emma’s Back Porch. Total ticket price is $54. Although material will undoubtedly be funny, it won’t be censored and is intended for mature audiences only. A portion of the proceeds from the festival will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Society, Halton Unit. Tickets are now on sale!
This holiday season The Burlington Performing Arts Centre’s lobby will be lit up with a colourful and festive display of trees that is sure to spark some yuletide enthusiasm in anyone that visits The Centre. The festival is a community fundraising initiative by The Burlington Performing Arts Centre and runs from November 20 – December 21.
Over 35 pre-lit artificial Christmas trees, generously donated by Canadian Tire – Burlington Stores and sponsored by local businesses, will light up BPAC’s Lobby and Mezzanine for over 4 weeks – until their silent auction ‘winners’ take them home for the holidays!
Stop by The Burlington Performing Arts Centre to take a stroll through the Festival of Trees and light up your holidays! Visit www.burlingtonpac.ca. Don’t forget to purchase raffle tickets at The Centre’s Box Office for a chance to take your favourite tree home.
Just about everyone will want to lace up their skates and join in the fun this winter, as Rogers Hometown Hockey visits 24 communities coast to coast between October 2017 and March 2018. Dubbed the ultimate NHL fan experience, the tour will celebrate local hockey stories and the game’s biggest stars. And, as an early Christmas gift for local hockey fans, on November 25 and 26 The Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour visits Oakville for a fun-filled weekend festival of hockey.
Oakville was one of the 24 Canadian communities chosen as a stop for the tour. Join the hosts Tara Slone and Oakville’s own Ron MacLean, plus NHL alumni, and enjoy free activities, games, interactive experiences and live entertainment for the whole community. The festival will end with an outdoor viewing party on Sunday where Ron MacLean and Tara Slone will broadcast live from the Sportsnet™ Mobile Studio as the Vancouver Canucks take on the New York Rangers.
Paint the TownRed
Residents, businesses and community groups downtown and across Oakville are encouraged to Paint the Town Red in preparation for the arrival of Rogers Hometown Hockey. There are lots of ways to participate; all Oakvillians are encouraged to get involved in the celebration by decorating their local homes, businesses and/or community organizations leading up to the festival weekend.
How to get involved and help Oakville ‘Paint the Town Red’?
Have kids draw creative Canadian and hockey-themed designs on their local sidewalk and driveway
Hang a Canada flag, red and white pendants or other Canadian and hockey-themed decorations on your store window or garage door
Swap out your regular white light bulbs for red ones, indoors and out!
Rogers Hometown HockeyTour Schedule:
184 Church St, Downtown Oakville
Saturday, November 25: 12 – 6 pm
Sunday, November 26: 11 a.m. – 6 pm
Pre-Game: 1:30 pm
Game Starts at 2 pm
Free Oakville Transit Shuttle The Town of Oakville will be providing a free Oakville Transit shuttle service from the Oakville GO Station to the two-day event in downtown Oakville.
For many people, the popular St. Andrew’s Church Christmas House Tour is more than just a house tour. “What I always hear from people is that the tour gets them into the Christmas spirit,” says tour co-chair Frances Mantle. “It’s also a great way to reconnect with friends and many of the people we see get together just for the tour.”
This is the 19th house tour organized by St. Andrew’s Church, which started the tour in 1981. It’s held every other year and, for many people, it’s become a huge tradition. They’ve had visitors from London, Bowmanville and Guelph. “When we were selling the tickets last year, one person came up and said, ‘my daughter and I have done this since 1995,” Mantle says. Its popularity can be traced to the homes. This year’s tour has nine homes in beautiful southeast Oakville, including on Dunn Street, Maplegrove Drive, Morrison Heights and Chartwell.
Co-chair Sue Harason says a committee of around 15 church members started the work of finding the homes in January and this year came up with a mix of architecturally unique homes. Each home will be decorated by a local designer and dressed up in the finest Christmas attire. “It’s beautiful to see what ideas people come up with. They come up with these stunning looks,” says Mantle. It’s no surprise that the 2015 tour raised more than $90,000 from the sale of 1,600 tickets, sponsorships and advertising in the tour booklet. Even the booklet is beautiful and includes sketches of each home by Oakville artist Tanja Sassi.
Designer Brittaney Elgner, who lives on Morrison Heights and runs Olly and Em decorating company – named after her children – owns one of the homes on the tour. The theme for her decor will be feathery whites and green tones. This is her first year in the tour and she says, “We’re super excited about it. I have a lot of white in my house so I’m going to play off that with things like a frosted white tree that has green undertones and branches dusted in fake snow.” Her home is surrounded by trees and on a large lot so she decided to bring a little nature inside and decorate with white feather wreaths and natural greenery, such as olive leaves and boxwood wreaths. “I really wanted to play off the outside natural elements,” notes Elgner, who describes the vibe as “Christmassy but with more of an elegant look.” One room will have a whole wall of match houses made of little pieces of wood and little wooden mice figurines plus artificial trees.
The event is so popular that they have more than 200 volunteers during the Saturday tour. “You get the opportunity to look at these stunning homes and it’s also a great way to bring the community together. There’s a real sense of camaraderie,” says Harason. The tours will run on December 1st and 2nd this year. Friday night includes a special Candlelight House Tour and Reception. Tickets for Friday night are in high demand because there are no lineups.
There are two levels of tickets for Friday; $100 tickets that include a reception at the Oakville Golf Club and $75 tickets that are only for the tour. The Saturday tour also includes tea and cookies at the church. “We get them coming from far and wide,” says Harason. “It’s just a great day.” All proceeds go to St. Andrew’s Church, Kerr Street Mission, Community Living Oakville, and the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul Halton (Particular Council in support of the Halton Fresh Food Box Program).
