I hope everyone had a great Family Day weekend. The weather cooperated for the most part and the actual day was stunning - a nice bonus for winter-weary Orillians.
Here's another bonus for Orillians. On Sunday, from 2 to 4 p.m., join Storytelling Orillia, Side by Each, and the Orillia Museum of Art and History (OMAH) for a Story Circle: On The Edge, featuring stories from the Women’s Art Show, exhibiting at OMAH from now through April 12.
Next weekend, The Cellar Singers present Bach’s St. John Passion at St. James’ Anglican Church, 58 Peter St. N. This will be stellar, so check it out Saturday, beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Looking ahead into March, Orillia Secondary School is doing Disney’s High School Musical, March 4 to 7 at OSS. This is a really fun show, and the first musical in the new school, so do come out and support! Tickets are $15 per adult and $10 for students or seniors, and can be purchased in the front office. Come out and see what a wonderful show these students can put on!
Chances are you have heard of local band, Reay. Well, the band is having an album release party, Saturday, March 7 at 8 p.m. at the Geneva Event Centre. Come out and hear the new album, Butterfly Tongue (Revisited) live, and welcome special guests VK and Legends of the Deep as well. Tickets are $10 at Alleycats downtown, www.reaymusic.com or at the door.
And a couple of deadlines and big announcements!
Feb. 23 is the deadline for emerging artists to apply to be in Mariposa Showcase. Ten lucky bands or singers will be chosen out of those who apply to perform live in Orillia in front of an audience, and three of them will be chosen to perform at Mariposa! For all the information, head over to their website.
And speaking of Mariposa, the folk fest has announced its Echoes of Mariposa spring concert, Union Duke! These guys are huge fan favourites here in Orillia and I am sure these tickets will go fast. The show is March 28 at 8 p.m. (doors open at 7:15 p.m.) at St. Paul’s Centre. Tickets are $30 in advance here. You can also purchase them for $35 at the door, but I bet there won’t be any.
Also speaking of Mariposa, hopefully you have heard John Prine and Mavis Staples are the big headliners announced so far. In addition, many many other bands and singers have been announced and it's shaping up to be a great 60th anniversary bash for the grand dame of folk music. For all the details and a link to tickets, go here. Hope to see lots of you out to Mariposa, it is one of my favourite weekends of the year!
What is another of my favourite weekends? Why, Roots North Music Festival weekend of course! Why is that?
- Great fun activity INDOORS during a crappy waiting for summer time of year.
- Excellent programming, year after year.
- VERY reasonable ticket price.
- A really fun couple of nights out hearing great music right in our hometown.
So far, headliners announced are William Prince, Steve Poltz, Begonia, Wild Rivers and Lydia Persaud. More are being announced soon, and there is lots of great talent performing late nights as well as Saturday daytime. The weekend is April 23 to 25, and headliners perform at St. Paul’s Centre, starting at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday night.
Weekend passes are only $52 including fees and can be bought right here. These do usually sell out, so grab them soon for a fun weekend of music.
Music at the bars this weekend? For sure. At the Brownstone Café, Friday, Little Nerves, Saturday at 8 p.m. Zachary Lucky (a ticketed event). At Fionn’s, Friday at 7:30 p.m., HOBO Jam Pub Nite with Mike Martyn, Olivia Duck and more. At the Hog ‘n’ Penny, Friday Lance Isaac, Saturday Christina Hutt. At Studabakers, Friday. Genevieve Cyr. At Simcoe Yard House Live at the casino, Friday and Saturday Ben Hudson Duo. At the casino, Friday Hannibal Buress, Saturday Randy Houser.
Have a wonderful week, and send me your arts news by Tuesday at noon, to [email protected].
