Articles Tagged ‘crafts’

WEEKENDER: Bluesfest kicks off, Aziz Ansari comes to Ottawa, Osgoode gets medieval, and six other awesome events

RBC ROYAL BANK OTTAWA BLUESFEST
Ottawa’s most hyped annual music festival is finally here. For 12 days, 180 performers will rock six stages at LeBreton Flats, plus two offsite locations. Notable acts include Snoop Dogg, Norah Jones, John Mellencamp, The Sheepdogs, Lauryn Hill, Alice Cooper, Beirut, A$AP Rocky, LMFAO, and The Weeknd. You can also enjoy comedy presented by Just for Laughs. Wednesday, July 4, to Sunday, July 15. Day passes from $40, full festival pass $375, youth $199. LeBreton Flats, Vimy Place Pr., www.ottawabluesfest.ca.

MUSIC AND BEYOND
This classical music festival aims to showcase the cream of Ottawa’s musical crop, alongside other Canadian and international performers. The diversity and drama of classical music is at the forefront, with 80 different concerts over 12 days. Don’t miss Ben Heppner, one of the world’s finest drama tenors, who closes the fest on Sunday evening. Wednesday, July 4, to Sunday, July 15. Full pass $100, students $60. Single performances $10 — $40. National Arts Centre, 53 Elgin St., Mayfair Theatre, 1074 Bank St., and six other locations, www.musicandbeyond.ca.

The NAC Orchestra performs the score from Lord of the Rings.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS
Experience Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring like never before. The NAC Orchestra and a 130-voice chorus will be performing the award-winning score live while the film is shown on a big screen. Come in costume (finally a use for those elf ears!), grab a drink at the “Middle Earth tavern” set up in the lobby and take in this epic story. Thursday, July 5, to Saturday, July 7, at 7 p.m. $26-$115. Southam Hall, National Arts Centre, 53 Elgin St., www.nac-cna.ca.

Mosaika lights up Parliament Hill. Photo credit NCC/CCN.

MOSAIKA (FREE!)
The historic façade of the Parliament Buildings is the backdrop to a spectacular 30-minute visual and sound experience that highlights Canada’s physical, historical, and cultural landscapes. The current show is called “Mosaika: Canada through the eyes of its people.” Bring a picnic blanket or lawn chair, and see what Canadians from across the country have to say about our culture and heritage. Every night beginning Friday, July 6, until Monday, Sept. 3 (start time varies by month). Parliament Hill, www.mosaika-sl.ca.

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  |  July 4, 2012 at 12:00 pm

WEEKENDER: NFB movies, a theatre fest, and the Titanic’s final meal to keep you busy this weekend

The National Ballet of Canada takes on "The Seagull." Photo credit: Cylla Von Tiedemann.

THE SEAGULL
The National Ballet of Canada brings John Nuemier’s dance adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s play, The Seagull, to the stage. One of Russia’s master storytellers, Chekhov’s tragic narrative is full of deeply developed characters with complex relationships, whose emotions translate well into the choreography of dance. Thursday, April 12, to Saturday, April 14, 8 p.m. $45 to $95. National Arts Centre, 53 Elgin St. www.nac-cna.ca

LAST MEAL ON THE TITANIC
The Casino du Lac-Leamy is recreating the last meal served aboard the Titanic to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ship’s sinking. The staff of Le Baccara is serving a seven-course gourmet meal inspired by the flavours of the early 1900s (let’s see if they hold up a century later). Each course offers recommended wine selections and the main features lamb with mint sauce and asparagus salad. Only one seating is available per night. Wednesday, April 11 to April 15. $95. Casino du Lac Leamy, 1 boul. du Casino. www.casinosduquebec.com

FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES
Come see the best selections from 70 years of Canadian film. The National Film Board of Canada was established in 1939, and for Friday Night at the Movies its former executive producer picks his personal favourite short films to come out of the agency. Friday, April 13, 7 p.m. $8, students and seniors $5, family $10. Memorial Hall, 39 Dufferin St. www.crichtonccc.ca

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  |  April 11, 2012 at 3:37 pm

SUPPORT LOCAL: Spotlight on Ottawa’s inaugural Urban Craft Crawl

By Melissa Schilz

If it’s November, then Support Local month is finally here. The brainchild of Apartment 613, the Support Local campaign highlights local businesses all month in new and innovative ways. So check the website for a full list of things going on, but in the meantime let’s write about one must-attend event that caught our eye — it’s one the DIY lovers will literally be crawling all over.

The very first Ottawa Craft Crawl launches officially this Saturday (Nov. 5) at the Urban Craft Market and continues all month with awesome indie craft shows around town. So pump up your Christmas inspiration and get the chance to win a prize package at the end of the crawl.

The idea is this: head to the craft market and pick up a craft “passport,” which the organizers will behanding out at the show. Get it stamped! Then spend your month flitting to all the other participating craft shows and markets, passport in hand. Get four stamps or more and you can enter your passport in a draw at Craftalicious at St. Matthew’s Church on Saturday, Dec. 10 for the chance to win a cool prize.

One must-see event on the Ottawa Craft Crawl circuit is Almonte’s Handmade Harvest Holiday Craft Show, which will likely showcase artists whose works you have never encountered. Located in Almonte at the Old Town Hall, this show opens on Friday Nov. 4 from 4 p.m to 9 p.m and continues on Saturday from 10 a.m to 4 p.m. Admission is $2. Be prepared to bring home some funky finds and fresh ideas for the upcoming Christmas holiday!

For more information on the Ottawa Craft Crawl, check out the Urban Craft Crawl’s facebook page!

For more information on Support Local and a list of participating businesses, check out Apartment 613′s Support Local page.

  |  November 4, 2011 at 10:30 am

The Weekender: A soulful singer and a couple funky craft sales, plus four other awesome outings

Singer-songwriter Royal Wood plays at the NAC on Nov. 20. Photo credit: Ivan Otis.

ROYAL WOOD
You might have heard singer-songwriter Royal Wood when he opened for national tours with Serena Ryder, Sarah Slean, and David Gray. If you’re a fan of Grey’s Anatomy, you’ve encountered his mellow, velvet-smooth voice on the soundtrack. Here’s your chance to hear him on his own well-deserved tour to promote his latest album The Waiting. Those in the know have even gone so far as to put his talents in the same league as Sexsmith and Wainwright. Saturday, Nov. 2o, 8 p.m. $25. National Arts Centre, Studio, 53 Elgin St., 613-755-1111. www.nac-cna.ca

THE ONE & ONLY CRAFT SALE (FREE!)
For those keeners (you know who your are!) who like to start their Christmas shopping in November, the One & Only Arts and Craft Fair is the place to be this Sunday. For one day only, the Sandy Hill Community Centre plays host to an eclectic group of vendors displaying funky jewellery, stuffed toys, purses, artwork, and knitted items. But what really sets this craft show apart is the free buffet of comfort foods and sweets. Sunday, Nov. 21, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sandy Hill Community Centre, 250 Somerset St. E. www.sandyhillsoneandonly.blogspot.com

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  |  November 17, 2010 at 11:59 am

SHOP TALK: DeSerres

Photo by Angela Gordon

The holiday season is too often associated with cleverly purchased gifts and mass produced decorations bought from some big box store. This year, why not shake it up a bit and start a new tradition: a DIY holiday tradition, that is.  From the young to the young at heart, DeSerres offers something for everyone.  Whether it’s crafting tree ornaments with a loved one or experiencing a self-indulgent creative retreat, this huge store can help you out. DeSerres comes equipped with a bounty of kid-friendly supplies, ranging from piles of paper to paints in every shade of the spectrum. With aisles of inspiration ahead of you, what are you waiting for?

PLUS: If you’re looking to put all your new creative ideas to use, head over to the Raw Sugar Café (692 Somerset St. W.) this Saturday, Nov. 20 where the Ottawa craft gurus behind Les Ateliers will be holding a holiday card-making workshop.  For just $10 you can cut, glue, and design to your heart’s content. Refined skill: optional.  Enthusiasm: mandatory.  For more information, visit the Facebook event.

The Look: colourful and imaginative

Perfect for: the creative crafter or the DIY diva

USP: the online DeSerres gallery, where artists of all ages can share their work with the world

St. Laurent Shopping Centre, 1200 St. Laurent Blvd.; www.deserres.ca

  |  November 16, 2010 at 1:29 pm

The Weekender: Good bad movies, a man with no ear, and four other events to check out this weekend

BEST WORST MOVIE
Oh, c’mon. You know you’re going to enjoy this double bill. And you’ll have the best water-cooler story when the officemates ask about your weekend. Mayfair Theatre and CKCU-FM present the ultimate bad movie duo: Best Worst Movie and Troll 2. Here’s the double-bill bonus! Not only do you get to see the films, you get to meet George Hardy — cult celebrity and child star of Troll 2, considered the worst movie ever made. Here’s the second double-bill bonus! It’s licensed! $12 members; $15 non-members. Friday, Nov. 12. Best Worst Movie starts at 9:30 p.m., followed by Troll 2 at 11:45 p.m. Mayfair Theatre, 1074 Bank St. (at Sunnyside). www.mayfairtheatre.ca.

Photo by Erick Labbé

ÉONNAGATA
The plot: An 18th century French diplomat and spy uses cross-dressing as a means of disguise — to the extent that people can no longer define him as man or woman. The late, great fashion designer Alexander McQueen designed the gender-bending costumes (no surprise from the man whose work regularly appears on Lady Gaga). And just as genre-bending as it is gender-bending, the show is a mélange of dance, theatre, kabuki, and martial arts, led by principal ballerina Sylvie Guillem and award-winning choreographer Russell Maliphant. $38.74-$64.57, students $20.72-$33.63. Nov. 12 and 13 at 8 p.m. National Arts Centre, Southam Hall, 53 Elgin St., 613-755-1111. www.nac-cna.ca.  

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  |  November 10, 2010 at 11:23 am

The Weekender: Freaky animation, a folk duo, and five other fun activities

Artophile will be at the Ottawa Antique Show (Oct. 22 to 24) with rare Hollywood art by Silvano "Nano" Campeggi.

OTTAWA ANTIQUE SHOW
Spend a weekend trolling for treasure at this sale that runs the gamut from the traditional (furniture, fine china) to the extraordinary (“wearable art” designed for Karl Lagerfeld, retro handbags). There are 70 boutique vendors to choose from, but our vote for coolest wares goes to Artophile, which sells rare original Hollywood art by Silvano “Nano” Campeggi. Take home an illustration of leading lady Marilyn Monroe or film posters from classics like Casablanca. $10, under 18 free. Oct. 22 to 24. Carleton University Field House, 613-521-1970. www.asinter.com

OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL WRITERS FESTIVAL
This jam-packed festival brings the best writers from around the world to various Ottawa venues for author talks, readings, performances, and other fun events — like brunch! This is your chance to ask that favourite writer about that weird plot twist, tell the famous poet how much you love their work, and meet other local bookworms. A few event suggestions: Capital Xtra’s Transgress always makes for a great, R-rated time (Fri., Oct. 22); Tarek Fatah’s conversation with Lucy van Oldenbarneveld is bound to raise some controversial issues; and a trio of authors, including Giller Prize winner David Bergen, will explore family relationships as they play out in fiction (Sun., Oct. 24). See website for full schedule. $15, students and seniors $10, free for Carleton University students. Oct. 20 to 26. Various venues. 613-562-1243. www.writersfestival.org

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  |  October 20, 2010 at 12:28 pm

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