Well, what a weekend just past! We had a visiting reporter from the Winnipeg Free Press here to do some research for a piece on the astonishing selection of arts and cultural events on offer in Flin Flon.
We really showed off for them, with Local Roots on Friday evening at the McGregors’, complete with indigenous drumming, the lovely Ron Burwash and a hoop dancer; a tour of NorVA and all they have to offer; then “Salty Songs” at Johnny’s Social Club on Saturday.
Of course, that show came complete with a meal, so I’m betting we came off really well.
The NorVA Centre has a fabulous line-up of classes for our kids, next week. It will be spring break, so every day there is an awesome art activity for every age group (registration fees apply).
Monday, March 28 is Kids Clay from 10 am to 12 pm for ages 5 and up. Monday afternoon from 2 to 4 pm is Clay Garden for ages 8 and up.
On Tuesday, March 29, those ages 8 and up can make Button People from 10 am to 12 pm. In the afternoon, from 2 to 4, those ages 10 and up can make Pysanka (traditional Ukranian Easter eggs).
Wednesday, March 30 is Jewellery Making for ages 10 and up, from 10 am to 12 pm. From 2 to 4 will be Batik Day 1 for ages 10 and up. Batik Day 2 is Friday, April 1 for the same group of kids.
On Thursday, March 31 there will be a tie dye class for ages 8 and up from 10 am to 12 noon. From 2 to 4 will be a ceramic painting class for ages 5.
Lastly, there is a collage-making workshop for ages 8 and up on Friday, April 1 from 10 am to 12 noon.
There are a lot of really good and interesting projects for the artist in all of us, so be sure and get your kids out to NorVA to support them. The NorVA artists are exceptionally well-qualified to teach/demonstrate.
The last Home Routes of the current season is happening on Sunday, April 10 at Doug and Ann’s, 183 Murton Blvd and again Tuesday, April 12, possibly at Johnny’s Social Club.
The performers are a duo from Toronto called The Young Novelists, consisting of Graydon James and Laura Spink. They play roots-rock and their strength is in the lyrics; Graydon has in fact published a novel, The Mall of Small Frustrations, and has two more in the works.
Graydon won the Ontario Arts Council’s Colleen Peterson Song-writing Award for “Couldn’t Be Any Worse” in October 2015. That song is on their album, Made Us Strangers, and features Jaron Freeman-Fox, another Home Routes alum, on strings.
The band won the Canadian Folk Music Awards’ New/Emerging Artist of the Year Award in November 2015 and is now busy on a national tour. They will be in Winnipeg on March 29, in Edmonton April 1 and Calgary April 2 before getting to Flin Flon.
