You know, one good thing about being in a pandemic is there are virtual events all over the place! And you can go to all of them, even if they are all over the place!
Now, if you don’t like virtual events you are out of luck, but I urge you to give them a try…they are a great way to get out of your COVID living room and learn or see something amazing!
If you go on Facebook and click events you will see a host of wonderful and different events for you to take part in. There are virtual and informative tours of great places all over the world, there are virtual lectures, inspirational and motivational talks, virtual concerts, and virtual workshops of all kinds, including writing and art. And you don’t have to look and see where the event is located, just click and go! It really is amazing.
One example of how we benefit from this is Third Age Learning Lakehead. Probably most of you are familiar with this lecture series, presented three times a year at St. Paul’s Centre, pre-COVID, on a variety of topics including music, climate change, and more.
Well, now comes Third Age Learning Lakehead Thunder Bay! And we here in Orillia and area get to sign up too, thanks to the miracles of modern technology. The theme for this virtual five-week series of lectures is Pivot(al): Possibilities for a Post-Pandemic World. A theme that I am sure is dear to all of our hearts.
The series starts March 24 and runs live on Wednesday mornings from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., although, being virtual, if you cannot attend at that time, a link of the recording will be sent to you later and you can watch it at your convenience.
There is an incredible lineup of speakers (another advantage of being virtual, they don’t have to be flown in at too great an expense), and they include Dr. Charles Levkoe, Drew Hayden Taylor, Dr. Max Haven, award-winning journalist Linda McQuaig, and the acclaimed Canadian activist and author Maude Barlow.
This is really a series not to be missed. You can get more information and purchase your $59 (plus HST) ticket here.
Of course, creatives close to home are taking advantage of the virtual way of life too, and offering workshops and events based right here in Orillia, online.
Creative Nomad Studios (CNS) has two virtual events this week. The first is on Thursday at 1 p.m. and is on Alcohol Ink and Yupo paper. It’s a free workshop, and you can simply watch, or follow along with your own materials, or buy the materials from Creative Nomad and follow along that way. For more information and a link to the live class, click here.
The second CNS event is another free Friday night throwdown, on Friday, March 12 at 7 p.m. Five artists will be painting, live, and you will be the virtual audience. The audience throws down a subject and the artists have to paint it! Plus, in order to add to the fun and stress, the audience can continue to throw down ideas, subjects, colours, etc. during the event and the artists must add those in to their work.
So, yes, it’s going to be a fun and hilarious virtual time. Check out the live link here.
Another local institution that is doing great things in the virtual event department is the Orillia Public Library. The building is still closed and open for curbside pick up only, but the virtual events are alive and well. Join other trivia fans this Friday night at 8 p.m. for Trivia Through the Decades, by registering here. This is a free event.
Or, March 16 at 6:30 p.m., take a virtual trip to Scotland with Connections Custom Travel operations manager Samantha Cowan. She will talk about what draws Canadians to Scotland, and her top five Scottish must-dos: a hotel, a unique stay, an experience, a place, and a battle. Register for this free event here.
The library is also presenting an author’s talk with journalist Peter Jennings, who will read from his latest book, Until I Smile at You: How One Girl’s Heartbreak Electrified Frank Sinatra’s Fame. Jennings will read from the book and answer audience questions. This event is on March 25 at 2 p.m., and you can register for it here.
Don’t forget about Tea with the Dames, a joint Mariposa Arts Theatre and Lakehead University Office of Community Engagement virtual event, this Sunday at 4 p.m. Here are all the deets and registration.
Also don’t forget, the joint venture by the Orillia Opera House and Oakville Centre for the Arts, of several livestream concerts throughout the spring and summer. For all the details and to buy tickets, click here.
Hope you have a great virtual week! We are here, virtually, might as well enjoy it!
Don’t forget to safely support your local shops and galleries as we are in the red zone and they are all open.
If you have arts news, send it to [email protected] by Tuesday at noon to be included in this column.
