The third annual Halloween Happy Cat Haven benefit dance is at the Gibsons Legion Hall on Saturday, Oct. 30, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. with the classic rock music of The Ranters, cash prizes for costumes, raffles and more. Tickets are at Happy Cat Haven at 760 School Rd., Quality Farms and Peggy Sue's in Sunnycrest Mall, or call 604-989-6345.
The Song Butchers also play the Gibsons Legion, but in the lounge, on the same evening, Saturday, at 8 p.m. Wear your Halloween disguise and win the best costume contest.
All Hallows' Eve
Halloween is the night of many titles: All Hallows' Eve, Samhain, Celtic New Year, Day of the Dead. Celebrate at a costume ball and dance with DJ Yum Yum, guest Graham B, and the live music of Blackberry Wood at the Roberts Creek Hall this Saturday, Oct. 30, at 9 p.m. Blackberry Wood is a combination of original alt-country-ragtime-Gypsy music and up-to-date fun grooves. Between sets, Yum Yum will be spinning party tunes. Tickets are $20 at Liquid Living Room in Gibsons (604-886-4292) and MELOmania in Roberts Creek (604-885-3607). Costume prizes will be awarded. Visuals are by Honeybee, food by Trish, décor by Coastal Creativity. Proceeds go to the Hall and S.P.A.C.E. Can you volunteer? Call Lee at 604-886-4292.
Pumpkin Spiral
At the Art Farm near Langdale, you can enter your carved pumpkin into the Halloween Pumpkin Spiral Walk from 4 to 8 p.m. on Saturday and 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday evening. For details, see www.deercrossingtheartfarm.org.
Family fun night
Bring the whole family to a hauntingly great Halloween evening filled with fun, food, frights and frivolity on Oct. 30 from 5 to 10 p.m. at the Welcome Woods Community Hall on Redrooffs Road, Halfmoon Bay. Enjoy a barbecued dog or burger (veggie too), refreshments, a costume parade, games with prizes, a DJ and dancing, bar service and 50/50 draws. Bring your carved pumpkin for judging and prizes. Tickets are adults $10, children $5, available at Pastimes or Halfmoon Bay Community School office. Phone 604-740-5909 for details.
CBC item
CBC radio's weekend morning show, North by Northwest (at 690 AM or 88.1 FM), will be featuring an item about the book Women of Pender Harbour: Their Voices, Their History. Authors Dorothy Faulkner, Elaine Park and Cathy Jenks are interviewed by Sheryl Mackay, to be broadcast on Sunday, Oct. 31, shortly after the 7:30 a.m. newscast. Tune in to hear a Sunshine Coast boost.
Secrets film
The Sunshine Coast Film Society presents The Secrets, an Israeli film in Hebrew/French with English subtitles, on Monday, Nov. 1, at 7:30 p.m. at the Heritage Playhouse, Gibsons. Naomi is the brilliant and pious daughter of an ultra-orthodox rabbi. When her mother dies, she is expected to marry her father's protégé. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she and her new friend Michelle befriend a mysterious, terminally ill woman who has committed a crime of passion. Sponsor for this film is the past chair of the Film Society, lawyer Alison Sawyer. Membership and tickets are at the door. See www.scfs.ca for more.
New novel
Nina Haedrich and her husband Doug Ingold invite you to the launch of Ingold's latest novel, The Henderson Memories, published by Wolfenden, a California company. What happened to the Hendersons in Brazil? The story, which centres on a daughter's search for her parents' hidden past, is set in present day Vancouver and in the Brazilian state of Bahia in 1965. The novel is based on the Sechelt author's personal journal from his time as a Peace Corps volunteer in Brazil. Hear the drums. Take the journey. The launch is on Tuesday, Nov. 2, at 7 p.m. at the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre in Sechelt. Signed copies will be available.
Quantum activist
There is a revolution going on in science. While mainstream science remains materialist, a substantial number of scientists are supporting and developing a paradigm based on the primacy of consciousness. Dr. Amit Goswami, Ph.D, a pioneer of this revolutionary new perspective within science, shares with us his vision of the unlimited potential of consciousness as the ground of all being. The Quantum Activist tells the story of a man who challenges us to rethink our very notions of existence and reality. The film shows on Tuesday, Nov. 2, at the Roberts Creek Community Hall at 7:30. Admission is $8. For more information, contact 604-886-2780 or www.blackcatcinema.ca
Arts for adults
The Arts Building in Gibsons is beginning a new series of no-experience-necessary workshops for adults. The first one, Discovering Drawing with Bronwen Payerle, is an introduction to the fundamental techniques in drawing. It begins Wednesday, Nov. 3, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., and runs for two Wednesdays. For more information, see www.artsbuilding.org or phone 604-740-7790.
Enviro films
The Green Team, Sunshine Coast Conservation Society, One Straw Society and St. Hilda's Anglican Church are hosting the third annual Environmental Film Festival on Nov. 5 and 6. Gasland starts off the festival on Friday at 7 p.m. at the Gibsons Heritage Playhouse.
Karen Campbell from the Pembina Institute will present the film and lead discussion on the important topic of extracting natural gas, called fracturing, and the harmful effects it is found to have on nearby water systems. Saturday will include two more films: King Corn and Fresh as well as an eat local lunch, an eco trade fair and a cooking demonstration. For more, see http://gibsonsunitedchurch.ca/gogreen.htm.
Gallery show
Ourselves & Others is a portrait exhibit by the Life & Limn painting group to run Nov. 3 to 28 at the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre in Sechelt. The opening reception is Wednesday, Nov. 3, from 7 to 9 p.m. and all are invited. The new show includes the following artists: Diedre Goodwin, Monica Robb, Mudito Drope, Jan Poynter, Cindy Riach, Russ Tkachuk, Marjory Lambert, Brian Romer and Marilyn Marshall.
Music grant
Sunshine Coast Community Services and Coast Cultural Alliance are pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for this year's Music for Youth endowment grant. Applicants may request funding assistance for opportunities such as music lessons, musical instruments or studio time. The value of the 2010 grant is $500. The grant is open to Coast youth ages 13 to 19 requiring financial assistance.
Deadline for applications is Nov. 19 at 4 p.m. An application may be completed by youth themselves or by a nominator who would like to recommend a youth, with the consent of the youth. Applications can be found on the front page of www.suncoastarts.com.
Let me know about your arts event, but keep it brief. Email [email protected] or phone 604-886-4692 before 5 p.m. on Tuesday. The column covers events one day to one week ahead only.
