“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.” That’s the opening line of George Orwell’s 1984. Writers are universally advised that to hold on to readers, they must draw them in from the beginning, like Orwell often could.
This Friday, Sept. 28, at the Sechelt Library, at 7 p.m., the B.C. Federation of Writers is sponsoring Chapter One. It will be a chance for writers and readers to discuss the first chapter of a novel, or the first page of a short story. Admission is free, but seats are limited. Call the Sechelt Library at 604-885-3260 to see if spaces are still available.
An early taste of October
Celebrate the change of seasons at the Sechelt Oktoberfest Craft Beer Festival and Artwalk. It will be a chance to enjoy good bands, local beer and cider, and to chow down. Surely there’ll be bratwurst. Local businesses will hold sidewalk sales, there will be a bouncy castle, party ponies, and the Halfmoon Bay Apple Festival will have a display.
It runs Saturday Sept. 29 from noon to 5 p.m. on Cowrie Street, from Trail to Wharf. Local crafters Persephone Brewing, Gibsons Tapworks, 101 Brewhouse and Distillery, Brickers Cider, plus a few Lower Mainland brewers will be on tap.
Meanwhile, you can have much of the same all under one roof on Saturday at Pender Harbour Oktoberfest. Beer, cider, food, music, an auction, starting 6 p.m. at Pender Harbour Community Hall. Tickets are $35, from Harbour Insurance, Oak Tree Market, and Madeira Park Veterinary Clinic.
Rick Scott returns
Singer, songwriter and storyteller Rick Scott began his career on the West Coast 45 years ago. He was a member of Pied Pumkin and has gone on to release 19 albums. The three-time Juno nominee is Canada’s leading proponent of Appalachian mountain dulcimer. Presented by the Sunshine Coast Association for Community Living, Scott performs Saturday Sept. 29 at the Sechelt Legion. Doors at 5 p.m., music at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 at the door or at SCACL.ca.
Out of ConTEXT
Just up the highway past Madeira Park, from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29, you can catch the opening reception for Out of ConTEXT at FibreWorks.
“Members of Sunshine Coast Surface Design Asso-ciation embrace wordplay through their use of colour, texture and pattern. Meet the artists and enjoy the day,” the association said in a release.
Admission is free at 12887 Sunshine Coast Hwy. Exhibition closes Oct. 28.
Katrina Bishop
Katrina Bishop, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, brings her original and diverse music that mixes elements of pop, jazz, funk and more to Gibsons Heritage Playhouse Sunday Sept. 30, at 2 p.m. Check out selections from her album Hop Scotch at katrinabishop.com for a taste of her pleasing and remarkable talent. Tickets $20 at Laedeli Gifts, Sechelt Visitor Centre, EarthFair Store in Madeira Park, and on her website.
Public Art and Murals Tour
Celebrate Culture Days 2018 on Sunday Sept. 30 with a free Public Art and Murals Walking Tour of downtown Sechelt. The professionally guided tour will provide an opportunity to experience some of the community’s locally made art, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Meet at the Sechelt Public Library, 5797 Cowrie St.
Meet the Artists
Meet painter Jennifer Goodwin and weaver Eugenia Stephenson as they discuss their work 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the Doris Crowston Gallery, Sunshine Coast Arts Centre, on Trail Avenue in Sechelt.
Death of Stalin
This wickedly funny film compresses about nine months of Russian history in 1953 around the death of dictator Josef Stalin. The cast includes Jeffrey Tambor and Michael Palin, whose characters help illustrate the human weakness, duplicity and psychopathy among the Russian politburo (and, no doubt, among other political institutions in other places at other times). “Hilariously absurd and frighteningly human,” it screens Monday, Oct. 1, 7:30 p.m. at the Heritage Playhouse, Gibsons.
What’s Your Story?
Something you might want to plan ahead for: On Sunday, Oct. 7 from 1 to 3 p.m., Sunshine Coast Arts Centre hosts a seminar on the power of story in our lives. Playwright, performer and author Caitlin Hicks is offering this introductory seminar called “What’s Your Story?” Hicks will explore how our own story can define our life’s decisions and our sense of who we are in the world. Cost of this first workshop is $50 plus GST. Two additional workshops will provide ongoing assistance for those who want to develop their stories further.
Submissions
If you have an event you’d like considered for Art Beat, let Rik Jespersen know at arts@coastreporter.net by noon Tuesday. Space is limited.
