Happy May Day weekend!
The 80th Annual May Day this Saturday is off and running at 8 a.m. The day kicks off with a four-kilometre fun run, kids fishing derby and pancake breakfast, followed by a parade through Madeira Park at 11 a.m. and a day filled with games, music and good times. FLASHBACK ‘45: BACK TO OUR ROOTS, dress up like it is 1945 in Pender Harbour, or wear anything that is a nod to our roots in logging and fishing.
The heart of the action is the Madeira Park Elementary School field and surrounding areas. May Day will be the Harbour Gallery’s grand opening for the 2025 season with all new work. The Gallery will be open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The gallery, for those visiting, is located in one of the forestry heritage buildings across and up the lane from the school field.
The 24th Attack of Danger Bay, the world class longboard race, is an all-day event on Beaver Island not to be missed! The shuttle bus to the site of endless excitement leaves from the Oak Tree Market.
The Pender Harbour Music Society’s Karen Strong has shared this detailed insight into the performers for Sunday, May 25. This concert will provide an enchanting conclusion to their 24/25 season. Fast becoming young superstars in the world of classical music, Cameron Crozman, cello, and Meagan Milatz, piano, will provide an escape from world worries through the music of Beethoven and Rachmaninoff. The dreamy jazzy music of Gershwin will flow into summer’s fair breezes. Meagan and Cameron have included a piece composed especially for them by Graham Campbell, young Canadian musician and composer, who may be remembered for his beautiful piece entitled “Pender Harbour Paradise,” which the Pender Harbour Chamber Festival had commissioned for their 15th anniversary in 2019. Both Meagan and Cameron have received multiple awards and are sought after internationally. Recently Cameron received the Bourse de carrière Fernand-Lindsay, which aims to support ambitious young musicians in achieving their career goals. CBC Music has hailed Cameron as “Canada’s next big cello star.” Meagan Milatz has been described in Le Devoir as “a remarkable pianist with a limitless palette of expression.” Meagan is returning to the PHMS stage having previously performed with violinist Amy Hillis in 2023. Meagan was recently honoured with the prestigious 2025-2028 Mécénat Musica Prix Goyer, which is the biggest such prize in Canada and counts as one of the largest in the world of classical music. The recital promises to give inspiration and a clear assertion that classical music is alive and well and living in the talented hands of the younger generation. Tickets are $30, available at Harbour Insurance in Madeira Park and the Visitor Centre in Sechelt or on the PHSM website, penderharbourmusic.ca.
Liz Long will be the speaker at the May 27 Women’s Connection. Liz spent more than 50 years stuck in “Victimtown” after her close family member Lynda White went missing when Liz was just six years old. Five years later, Lynda’s body was found, and her case remains one of Canada’s longest unsolved murders. Having discovered her own path to healing, including inpatient treatment at a recovery centre, Liz is now dedicated to mental health advocacy and inspiring others by sharing her story. She has authored a book, Navigating Shitstorms: How to Find your True Path When Life Gets Rough. A Guide to finding Peace, Love, Freedom, and Joy. Doors open 9:30 a.m. Starts at 10 a.m. $4 drop in at the School of Music.
The final WC gathering of the 24/25 season will be a luncheon at the TuBird restaurant, Rockwater Secret Cove Resort, June 10. Information and tickets will be available at their May meetings.
The highly anticipated Pender Harbour Choir spring 2025 concert dates have been announced. “Beginning To See The Light” with Kenneth Norman Johnson, music director and Serah Strandberg, pianist. Two performances, Saturday May 31, 7 p.m. at the School of Music and Sunday, June 1, 7 p.m. at St Hilda’s Anglican Church, Sechelt. Ticket $25 available from choir members, EarthFair Store in Madeira Park and at the door.
Four hundred and forty dollars was raised in April for our graduates, with an additional $500 donated by Pender Harbour Rotary. This month’s Pender Harbour Rotary Rocks 50/50 draw will benefit Madeira Park Elementary School Lunch Program. Go to penderharbourrotary.rafflenexus.com.
The 20th Annual Pender Harbour Blues Festival is June 6,7 and 8. Buy your tickets now. Tickets and information at www.phblues.ca
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