How can something be slow and exciting at the same time? When it’s Slow Sunday – a new way to celebrate Roberts Creek. From June to September, Slow Sunday will be an all-day happening in the little park space behind the Roberts Creek Library. The day starts with Board Silly, a drop-in chance to play Scrabble and other games. The Heart Market, featuring local crafts and food, will operate from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. After that, enjoy a live music concert on the Slowcalo Stage from 2:30 to 4 p.m., featuring many fabulous Coast musicians. Also planned are a potluck picnic (bring a dish and share with new friends and old) and more activities under the maple tree by the post office: buskers, qigong, family art activities, and more.
Ventures like this require community support, so if you’d like to get involved, please attend an information meeting this Friday, May 13 at the Gumboot Café at 7 p.m. You can also contact Graham Walker at 604-886-2417, or Lesley and Rob at the Eco-Freako store in the Creek.
Lester’s Gift
A book launch of Lester’s Gift by local author Judi Lees will take place at the Arts Centre in Sechelt at 4:45 p.m. on Saturday, May 14. Succinct readings will give you the flavour of the book that features, among other exotic locales, the Sunshine Coast. After his wife Cassandra is killed under mysterious conditions, Lester Whittall finds his orderly life destroyed. Who killed Cassandra and why was she in that strange location? These are the painful questions that perplex Lester, his 22-year-old daughters and the police. When he meets travel writer Rachel Jasper, it is quickly evident that her world is the antithesis of Lester’s tidy one. Judi Lees is an award-winning travel writer as well as a magazine journalist specializing in general interest, outdoor adventures and business articles.
Duo Rendezvous
Passion, technical brilliance and intense musicality come wrapped in the fabulous package that is Duo Rendezvous. Jasper Wood and Daniel Bolshoy delight in moving with grace and ease through musical genres, many of which are connected directly to dance. The audience will be treated to works by Bach, Falla, Sarasate, Jobim, Piazzolla and Monti with a little bossa nova, some tango and even Hungarian czardas. Join them on Sunday, May 15 at 2 p.m. at the Pender Harbour School of Music, Madeira Park. Tickets are $25 from Harbour Insurance, Sechelt Visitor Centre and online at Pender Harbour Music Society.
This weekend
Per aspera ad astra: Through Hardships to the Stars, a presentation of the Sunshine Coast Symphony Orchestra, is on Sunday, May 15 at the Heritage Playhouse, Gibsons at 2:30 p.m. Come early for a pre-concert chat with conductor Edette Gagné at 2 p.m. Tickets are at Laedeli in Gibsons and Strait Music in Sechelt. See the orchestra’s Facebook page for more.
The Pass System, a must-see film from the Green Films series, is on Saturday, May 14, at Heritage Playhouse in Gibsons, and on Wednesday, May 18, at the Sechelt Indian Band Hall, both days at 7:30 p.m. Admission is by donation at the door.
Lowry Olafson performs in concert with Rick Reubart at the Gibsons Public Art Gallery at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 14 – new songs, past favourites and violin originals with bass. Advance tickets are $18 at Gaia’s Fair Trade or www.lowryolafson.com ($20 at the door).
Coast Messiah Choir, accompanied by string quartet, harpsichord and trumpets, performs Messiah, Part 2 on Saturday and Sunday, May 14 and 15 (7 p.m. both days), at St. John’s United Church in Davis Bay. Tickets are $20 at Sechelt Visitor Centre and Laedeli Gifts in Gibsons, or call Joy McLeod at 604-883-9248.
Choir sale
The Suncoast Phoenix Community Choir is holding a garage sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Masonic Hall at the corner of Highway 101 and Roberts Creek Road this Saturday, May 14. No word on whether they will be singing as you shop.
Creative in the Creek
Creative in the Creek livens up your life on Thursday, May 19, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Gumboot Café in Roberts Creek, hosted by David Roche. Admission is by donation at the door with all proceeds to benefit the Syrian Refugee Sponsorship established by the Christian Life Assembly congregation. Special guest Pastor Jaz Ghag of the Christian Life Assembly Church will give an update on refugee sponsorship progress. David Yates performs on one of the most beautiful and powerful instruments in the world: the didgeridoo. Ada Smith of the Fruit Tree Project tells where it’s been and where it’s going. Michael Klein reads choice stories from his upcoming book. And back by popular demand is improv from the Gumboot’s own Paul Cowie and Jess Stephens-Whale.
Desjardins exhibition
Artist Francine Desjardins opens a show of recent work at Le Centre (French Cultural Centre) in Vancouver, 1551 W. 7th Ave. The show continues until June 30 with an opening reception on Thursday, May 19 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Writing weekend
The Federation of BC Writers will hold their annual general meeting on the Sunshine Coast this year over the long weekend, May 20 to 22. Though the meeting is for members, many of the events are open to the public. Enjoy a literary cabaret at the Gumboot Café in Roberts Creek on Friday, May 20 at 7 p.m., and workshops are open to all on a variety of writing related themes (except for one-on-one sessions with an agent) on Saturday. All workshops are free to members and $10 each for non-members, except events at Gibsons Public Library (which are free). Email [email protected] for more.
Poetry prize
Gibsons publisher Nightwood Editions was recently awarded a BC Book Prize at the 32nd annual Lieutenant Governor’s gala evening in Victoria. Transmitter and Receiver by Raoul Fernandes received the Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize.
Indie books
This year’s Whistler Writers Festival, October 13 to 16, will include the presentation of the inaugural Whistler Independent Book Awards. The awards will be open to Canadian authors or permanent residents who have independently published a book or books in the last five years. There will be a single winner, with two additional finalists, in each of four categories: fiction, non-fiction, crime fiction and poetry. The shortlist will be selected by the Canadian Authors Association (Vancouver), and the three finalists in each category will be independently judged by a panel. Eligible authors can submit their entries to the Whistler Independent Book Awards until Friday, June 3. Submissions can be made via www.whistlerwritersfest.com and www.tidewaterfestival.com
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 contact information.
