Singer, songwriter and entertainer Charlotte Diamond has been appointed a Member of the Order of Canada. Over the past 30 years, Diamond has made an enduring contribution to Canadian children’s music. The award citation lists her as: “A singer, songwriter and entertainer, she has engaged children with her gentle melodies and catchy tunes that get them singing, dancing and learning. Her understanding of how music and lyrics are foundational to literacy has also helped teachers, as she has produced learning guides that focus on brain development and language patterns in young learners.” Diamond often performs with her son Matt who lives on the Sunshine Coast. She will be performing for the Pender Harbour Music Society in October.
Bronze winner
Light Messages Publishing is pleased to announce A Theory of Expanded Love by Caitlin Hicks has been recognized as a bronze winner in the 18th annual Foreword Reviews’ IndieFab Book of the Year Awards. The book, Hicks’ debut novel, has received many awards, reviews and accolades since it was published in June 2015. Winning bronze at the IndieFab Book of the Year Awards is one of the most prestigious recognitions for independently published books. Narrowed down from nearly 2,000 entries, the winners in 66 categories are considered the year’s best books published by independent publishers, university presses, and self-published authors. Hicks is an author, international playwright and performer from Roberts Creek.
Coffee House
Pender Harbour Days Coffee House is at the Madeira Park School of Music this Friday, July 8. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.; music starts at 8 p.m. with Katrina Bishop (singer/songwriter), Kenneth Norman Johnson (pianist/composer), Sully and Simon (guitars and vocals), and Keiran Semple (guitarist/singer). Coffee and goodies will be sold. Suggested donation at the door is $10. See penderharbourmusic.ca
This weekend
The Zoltan Kodaly Children’s Choir (Hungary), a 2016 Kathaumixw Choral Festival touring choir, performs at 2:30 p.m., Sunday, July 10 at Gibsons United Church, 724 Truman Rd. Tickets are $15 at Laedeli in Sunnycrest Mall and Strait Music in Sechelt.
Harbour Days
Pender Harbour Days is an annual celebration of marine heritage with historical boats, land-based heritage displays, sailing competitions, an arts fair and entertainment, over the July 8 to 10 weekend. This festival is a community-wide event supported by the Pender Harbour Living Heritage Society and Pender Harbour and District Chamber of Commerce. See the full schedule at www.penderharbourdays.ca. The festivities include a dinner dance at Madeira Park Legion on Saturday night. Buy dinner and/or dance tickets and hear Playback, a great ‘60s and ‘70s band. Phone 604-740-6144.
More music
Music in the Landing is back for a full weekend of live music in five outdoor venues in Gibsons. At the Friday Market at Dougall Park from 1 to 3 p.m., the Beachcomber Ukulele Group (BUGS) presents fun and familiar tunes while you shop for your fresh produce. Friday from 7 to 8 p.m. take a walk down the pier to the Gazebo to hear Reg and Lynne and the Other Guy featuring Reg and Lynne Dickson, guitar and vocals, with Warren Allan on bass. Saturday 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Bad to the Bow are back with their lively fiddle tunes at the Info Centre. A new feature band performs from 7 to 8:45 p.m. in Winegarden Waterfront Park. Bring your picnic blankets and lawn chairs to enjoy the sounds from Georgia Fats playing, “gritty, diesel-soaked blues” from Barry Taylor, Boyd Norman and Joël Fafard. Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Sundial stage next to the Sunday Market, hear Mimosa, a Vancouver based group with two players who live in Gibsons, Anna Lumiere, keyboards; Karen Graves, sax, flute, vocals; Rebecca Shoichet, vocals; and Bernie Arai, drums. Mimosa creates a joyful cabaret sound from Parisian to Latin filled with enticing originals.
Fibreworks
This Saturday, July 9, you are invited to an artists’ reception for Edge of the Forest from the Surface Design Association Canada, from 2 to 5 p.m. at FibreWorks Studio & Gallery, 12887 Sunshine Coast Highway, Madeira Park (at the yurts). Canadian members of the association create a collection of work inspired by our geographical location. Call Yvonne Stowell at 604-883-2380 for more.
Sechelt summer
The Sechelt Summer Music series kicked off last weekend with free outdoor concerts. This series featuring local musicians will take place on Saturdays from noon to 2 p.m. until Sept. 3 in the gardens next to the Sechelt Public Library. “The outdoor location is ideal for a picnic lunch, so bring the family and your lawn chairs!” said Siobhán Smith, Arts, Culture and Communications coordinator. This Saturday, July 9, hear David J. Taylor at noon and Steve Weave at 1 p.m. playing new originals and well-known favourites. A complete schedule of performances can be found at www.sechelt.ca/play
NUA
The group NUA holds a concert for the release of their new CD, Flow, at 1014 Woodley Rd. in Roberts Creek on Sunday, July 10. The outdoor house concert takes place at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 at the door (doors at 6:30 p.m.). Call 604-886-4768 for more.
Book awards
Whistler Independent Book Awards 2016 announces the long-listed nominees for the inaugural Whistler Independent Awards. Local Mark Cameron is a finalist in the fiction category for his indie published book Good Morning, Sunshine. Nominees have been selected because of the quality and publishing professionalism of their books in various categories. Finalists will be announced on July 18, and the winners announced at the Whistler Writers Festival, October 13 to 16.
Arts program
Calling all artists between the ages of 13 and 18. The Sunshine Coast Arts Council is launching a multi-disciplinary art program this summer over four weeks featuring four different art forms. It involves two classes from two different instructors each day of the week (July 18 to 22, art; July 25 to 29, drama; Aug. 1 or 2 to Aug. 5 or 6, music (dates to be determined by participants); Aug. 8 to 12, craft. Phone: 604-885-5412 or email [email protected] for more.
Landing Gallery
The Landing Gallery’s Summer Show features several new artists. This month’s feature artist is Charmaine Bayntun. She works in water colour and acrylic, and her current show features coastal and local scenes. She also does commissioned work and animal portraits. The gallery also shows the work of guest artist Traude Doelker for the month of July. She is a tapestry artist who draws her inspiration from extensive travels with her husband. She uses a variety of threads in her work, including wool, silk and natural yarns as well as grass, newspaper and recycled plastic bags. The gallery is on Marine Drive in Gibsons.
Brave Mike
Janice Williams (Junco Jan) is hosting Brave Mike 5 on Thursday, July 14 from 6:30 to 8 p.m., at her home above Gibsons Cinema. Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, issue – five minutes (timed) per person to read, sing, rant, chant! Park on the Home Hardware side, and go up the back stairs on the hotel side for “comfy, free, scary fun!”
Noon deadline
Send your notice of arts events by Tuesday at noon for Friday’s newspaper to [email protected] or phone 604-886-4692. Please include a contact person’s phone number or email in your notice.
