The Allied Arts Council kicks off the sixteenth annual Arts Days celebration with Word On The Street, Saturday, Sept. 21.
ArtsDays continues with a variety of events happening the following week.
“We’re sponsoring a tent this year,” said Allied Arts Council communications manager Kelaine Devine, adding it won’t be the music tent, which begins at 11:30 a.m. with Calgary blues rock band the Eric Braun Band followed by local country musician Tyra Whitson, more blues with the Steve Keenan Band at 1:35, local folk/ blues band In Cahoots, Willy Big Bull and winding up with Fred Penner at 4 p.m.
“We’re sponsoring the cartoon and comic stage with Eric Dyck and Carson Morton,” Devine continued.
Word On The Street features a variety of authors writing teen fiction, non-fiction like cook books, science fiction, Canadian authors and much more.
“But the next day, I’m really looking forward to Mimosas, Muffins and and Movies in Casa. We’ll be showing the Double Take: The Art of Elizabeth King. You’ll really enjoy it if you like stop motion animation,” Devine continued. It begins at 10 a.m.. There will be coffee , food and mimosas for $5. Admission is by donation.
The ArtWalk quilt show begins at City Hall on Monday, which also features Dawn Leite’s walking theatre tour of downtown Lethbridge.
“It’s hard to believe there used to be 30 theatres in Lethbridge,” Devine said.
there are plenty of exhibitions opening throughout the week at the Trianon, Mortar and Brick and the SAAG. The seven new exhibits at casa continue for ArtsDays as well. You can see them all during th Gallery Stroll, Sept. 29.
There are a couple of changes this year.
“ We’ve moved the SOAR Emerging Artist Cabarets from May to September because we found most of the students had left in May,” Devine observed, noting they will be at Casa on Sept. 25 and 26 featuring works by Ashley Thomson, Austin Culler, David Gabert, Garrett Mallory Scott, Integra Contemporary and Electro Acoustics (ICE). There will also be performances by Megan Wittig, Marigold, Michael Bartz, Sydney Murdoch and Zach Pollis. There will be a different lineup both nights. The cabarets run from 7-9 p.m.
Arts Days brings back the always popular Art Walk on Sept. 27 and 28. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. , 28 local businesses will be featuring local artists creating their works.
“ It’s not just walking around looking at art. There are a lot of interactive exhibits,” she continued.
The passports are back this year. You can get a stamp at every stop you go to.
“ Every nine stamps gets you entered in a draw for a piece of original art by Lynne-Hunter-Johnson,” she said.
ArtsDays ends, Sept. 29 with Family Affair In The Square at Casa featuring an eclectic line-up including Karen Romanchuk, The Lethbridge Ukulele Jam, Jon Martin and the Saturday night Trombone Club.
“ The Lethbridge Ukulele jam are always popular, They got the most comments last year,” Devine said, adding there will also be happening at the two casa kiosks.
She is hoping for good weather this year.
“We suffered because of drizzly and plus 4 weather. This year, we‘re moving things indoors if the weather is bad,” she said.
There is no charge to attend Arts Days Events, except for some of the community partner shows.
“ Donations will be accepted. All of the artists are getting paid,” she said.
More information and the schedule is at http://artslethbridge.org/events-programs/art-days/
