CentreCity

Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year Events

There's plenty to keep you occupied in the Centre City this coming Valentine's Day.  You might also know that Chinese New Year falls on the 14th as well.  So now you have twice the reason (as IF you needed one!) to paint the town red this coming weekend.  We thought we'd offer up just a few ideas in case you hadn't already mapped out your plans.

 (photo by Stevefaeembra on flickr)  

A little walk

Put on your comfy shoes, grab a few lattes and hit the streets of Centre City...walk over to the Langevin Bridge over the Bow River and check out those twinkly LED lights that now cloak the structure.    Or, invent your own urban running route or walk through the East Village.  If you're a romantic at heart, make up a scavenger hunt for your loved one and along your walk, hide little notes or presents to find.  Put your own stamp on it and it'll surely be a Valentine's day to remember.  

A little art 

Grab your date and head out to the Glenbow Museum to check out the new exhibit scheduled to open on the 13th - it's called "The Nude in Canadian Modern Art".  It's sure to get you chatting and maybe blushing just a little, too and that's a good thing on a first date!  My favourite group of paintings is from Kent Monkman, titled "The Triumph Of Mischeif".   There are also plenty of art galleries in the Centre City that you should check out.  Art can be a great conversation-starter and Calgary has just some amazing talent to show off.  Also don't forget about the OPEN SPACES:  Window to a View exhibit at the Telus Convention Centre LRT Station.

A little culture

 
 Help bring in the year of the Tiger in Calgary's historic Chinatown.  Beginning at noon on the 14th, catch the gold dragon and multiple lions dance at the West entrance of the Chinese Cultural Centre.  There will be trade booths set up there and you're also invited to take part in painting the biggest mandarin tree in town. It's a chance for you to learn how to use a Chinese paint brush and ink.  There plenty of other festivities happening in Calgary's Chinatown all weekend long so check out this poster for more details on all the family-friendly exhibits and food celebrations that are in store. 

A little food

How about merging your Chinese New Year celebrations with Valentine's Day and head out for a tasty dim sum meal in Chinatown?  You could try U and Me Restaurant at #201 - 233 Centre Street S.W.  Or if you have another favourite dim sum restaurant, leave us a comment and share! 

 

(photo from www.where.ca)

Or go for a scenic walk through Prince's Island Park and then settle in for your Valentine's meal at the River Cafe.  They're putting on an amazing multi-course tasting menu for the evenings of the 13th and the 14th.  

A little rock 

 

 Bring in the year of the Tiger with a bit of rock and a lot of roll with Calgary Band The Ex-Boyfriends.  This show is at The Palomino which is located at 109 - 7th Avenue S.W. It starts at 9:40 on February 13th and you can flip flop between celebrating Chinese New Year's Eve and commiserating with friends about those EX-es of yours.  For a preview of their music, click here. 

If you have any other great Valentine's/Chinese New Year in the Centre City ideas that you think we absolutely must know about, make sure to leave us a comment!

Snowblower Blew Our Socks Off!

If you were in attendance at our Snowblower event on Saturday night, then all I have to say is, "I know, right?! It was fantastic!"...and if you didn't have a chance to go, here are some photos from what was just a spectacular night of DJs, dance, fire and lights...

All in all, it was a great turnout with both young and old packed into the Olympic Plaza for an amazing night of entertainment - such a great kickoff for tonight's Olympic torch celebration.  

And if you weren't one of the thousands of Calgarians who lined the streets today to catch a glimpse of the torch as it made its way to the Olympic Plaza, you still have a chance to see it on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Click here to find out more.  

Olympic Spirit Rekindled in Calgary

Time to dust off your Calgary '88 Sun Ice ski-jackets and get ready to fully embrace that winter Olympic spirit.  

The Centre City is hosting several Olympic-themed events in the coming days. So whether you're an arm-chair Olympian, a future gold-medal-winning bobsledder, or just a Calgarian with deep feelings of nostalgia for that Winter Olympic celebratory air, make sure you check out the following free events.  

The Olympic Torch - held by the first Torchbearer selected, Patricia Moreno.

January 16th SNOWBLOWER - High Performance Rodeo is putting on a night of beats, lights, fire performances and maybe even a little dancing.  Beginning at 5 pm, a collective of electronic musicians from all over the world will be playing a live concert at Olympic Plaza.  Some of the featured musicians include Mr. Scruff from Manchester, UK, Pretty Lights from Denver, Colorado (look at their website if you have a moment - it's gorgeous!), Beats Antique from San Francisco, California and Calgary's very own DJ Bruno Changkye.  For full information on this concert, click here.

January 18th - A family friendly event at Olympic Plaza.  Again beginning at 5 pm, this is a chance to take in some great live music, dancers, performers and painters - and you'll see plenty of Calgary Olympians from past Olympic games. And if you're keen to follow the torch as it makes its way to the Plaza, just after 4 pm, it can be seen heading north on McLeod Trail.  Then, it will be carried on a route from 17th Ave. SW, 14th St SW, and 9th Ave. with its final arrival scheduled for 7 pm at Olympic Plaza.

This is your chance to see the beauty of that flame in our city, once again.  You are asked to bring a donation for the Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank along to the event.  For more information, click here. 

To read more about other 2010 Winter Olympic events in Calgary, and also to learn about road closures during the torch relay festivities click here.

The Calm Before the Green (and blue, red and white) Storm...

The finishing touches are being made in Calgary's Centre City to ensure the estimated 15 - 20 thousand visitors to calgary are well-entertained before, during and after the big Grey Cup Championship game.   

Events over the coming days range from free pancake breakfasts to gala affairs and everything in between - and of course then there's the actual game.  

Local musicians, artists and designers will be featured in the Grey Cup festivities and it's pretty much guaranteed there's something for everyone.  

Enmax Illuminate Calgary is the highly anticipated light installation display set to run November 27th and 28th (5 - 11 p.m.).  People who work and live in the centre city have likely had a chance to watch a bit of the set up of the exhibit (with a modicum of bewilderment, no doubt!).  Even if you're not a football fan - you MUST try to get out to see this interactive and awe-inspiring light art display. 

   

It's Our Party...

...and we'll celebrate if we want to!  

Since we're the host city for the 97th Grey Cup championship, and since our team lost its opportunity to play in the game, here's the deal:  Calgarians still love a chance to celebrate, no matter what the circumstances.  So let's put on our game faces anyway and just paint the town (Stampeders) red, regardless!  Lots of Calgarians are of course still planning to attend the game - they've likely just had to drastically modify their team of choice.  Many others have taken advantage of the situation by putting their Grey Cup championship tickets on the market for upwards of a thousand dollars.  

It's not just about the game, though, people!  The City of Calgary has so many great events planned - you'd be hard pressed to NOT have a good time in the centre city this week and weekend even when your favourite team isn't playing. 

 (photo of Stephen Avenue Grey Cup party set up before the festivities get underway)

Here are some of the highlights of what's on the agenda (full agenda including start and run times here) starting Friday November 27th - and there's a lot of free stuff - perfect for the whole family.  

1.  (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) Calgary Herald Olympic Plaza Family Fan Fest.  This means - pancake breakfasts in November, people! There will also be plenty of exhibits, family-friendly entertainment and music from Em, Souls of Freedom, the Heebee Jeebees, The Dino Martinis, Lindsay Elle and more (check link above for exact dates of band performances). 

2.  (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) Scotiabank CFL Experience at the Telus Convention Centre.  Here's your chance to shake hands with CFL alumni and all-stars.  And you might even want to try some of the interactive camp drills and games they'll have set up.  

3.  (Friday, Saturday, Sunday)  Enmax Street Festival and Stage (Stephen Avenue) - This is being called "The Midway" of the CFL.  It's where you'll find all kinds of CFL-related displays, activities, vendors and performances from The Cripple Creek Fairies, The Lions, The Dudes, Mad Cowboys, Michael Bernard Fitzgerald, Fuzzcat and again - much more (check link above for exact dates for band performances)!

4.  (Friday and Saturday evening) Enmax Illuminate Calgary (Stephen Avenue) - putting on an amazing light show - a must-see for all ages. If you happen to take in any of this event, you have to let us know what you thought of the contemporary light installations.  Click here for a preview. 

5.  (Saturday 11 a.m.) Safeway Grey Cup parade -  route starts at 6th avenue and MacLeod Trail SE and Calgary's own t-v star from "24", Elisha Cuthbert, is the grand marshall.  

6.  (Saturday) CFL/NHL alumni ball hockey and skills tourney. 

*7.  (Sunday) Grey Cup family viewing party - at the Saddledome (*must pre-purchase tickets at Safeway or SportChek for 10 dollars).  So if you've sold your real tickets to the game - and you're still just kind of a little bit itching to see how those other teams do, you can watch it at the Saddledome on the big - really big - screen.  

And lastly, to speak about the so far unspoken...we're taking a straw poll of sorts - who will you be pulling for if you do plan on watching the game? The Saskatchewan Roughriders or the Montreal Alouettes?  We won't tell anyone, we promise!  

First Thursday Extravaganza!

Look no further than the Centre City if you're wondering what to do tonight. Check out this HUGE list for all the arts happenings - including the 5th birthday of our beloved Centre City arts venue, Art Central! Thanks to Melissa at CADA for fillin' us in!

5-9pm, Art Central's 5th Birthday Party and ACAD's Regalia Wearable Art 

100 7 Ave SW, FREE

Join Art Central for their 5th Birthday with the much-anticipated wearable art show, Regalia, presented by students of ACAD’s and Dee Fontans’ Wearable Art - Object and Body Class. Music by one of our favourites, DJ   Bruno, exhibition openings, holiday shopping and much more! Admission is free and all ages are welcome.   Regalia begins at 8 pm. Look out for the INFLUX’s Cake Walk on the stairs before the show!

 

 

7:30pm, Honens International Piano Competition Finals I

Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts

Jack Singer Concert Hall, $40-85

One of the world’s most prestigious events of its kind and Canada’s leading presenter of music for piano. Three finalists perform with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra led by conductor Christoph Campestrini. Tickets through Honens.com.

 

8am – 9pm, #garden

Truck Gallery +15 Window, 235 9 Ave SE

#garden is a piece that investigates the social media impulse. Several potted plants are set up in the exhibition space, rigged with electronic sensors and a water pump. Based on sensor data, the #garden will communicate its mood nightly via Twitter, a social media “microblogging” platform. Twitter users can give the #garden water by responding to its posts.

 

7:30 – 10pm, Opening: 2009 Studio Art Sales Fundraiser

Triangle Gallery of Visual Arts , 104-800 Macleod Tr SE, FREE

This fundraising event offers affordable, small format works in a variety of media: painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, glass, ceramics, textile, mixed media compositions by Western Canada’s leading and emerging artists and designers. They are perfect for Christmas! Proceeds from the sale will support Triangle’s art exhibitions and education programs.

 

6 - 7:30pm, The 24th Annual Gemini Awards at First Thursday

Calgary Arts Development, lower level, Art Central

Tell us what Calgary Culture means to you and be entered to win tickets to the 24th Annual Gemini Awards held November 14th in Calgary. Stick around as we screen some of Canada's favorite TV shows. 

 

7:30pm, Alberta Theatre Projects presents I, Claudia

Martha Cohen Theatre

Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts, $18-82

This extraordinary one-woman show maps the raw but beautiful interior life of a misfit adolescent. Claudia, twelve and three-quarters, finds herself suffering from the triple afflictions of puberty, unpopularity and her parents’ divorce.

 

5-9pm, The Smokin 45s

The Palomino, 109 7 Ave SW, FREE

The Smokin 45s are Calgary’s premier rockabilly band. Led by singer and drummer Mike Fury and backed by stand-up bassist Rob Oxoby and guitarist Scott Martin, the 45s combine rockabilly, country, and rock and roll. The Smokin 45s will bring the swing for a hip-shaking, drink-taking party for all.

 

7:30pm, North British Columbia Canoe Trips by Laurel Archer

W.R. Castell Central Library, lower level meeting room 1

616 Macleod Trail SE, FREE

Discover new canoe routes and re-visit old favourites as Laurel Archer presents a slide show based on her new book.

 

For more information about these events or for full listings visit CalgaryCulture.com/FirstThursdays and follow us on Twitter @CultureDistrict.

 

Thefuntheory.com

You may have already seen these videos floating around on-line. Take a moment to watch them and ask yourself what behaviours we need to influence in Calgary's Centre City. Let me know what you come up with. Who knows, we could see thefuntheory infiltrate our city too! 

 

  
  

Save Beat Niq

It's been around for 14 years and has showcased over 2500 artists on its stage. Now, Beat Niq, Calgary's only venue for live jazz, may have to close its back alley door for good.

Supporters are hoping one last effort will save this Centre City jazz club. Tonight and tomorrow night, Beat Niq is holding a last-ditch membership drive with three consecutive nights of gala performances by some of Canada’s premier jazz musicians. 

Everyone is invited to come out. There will be close to 20 bands, a silent auction featuring some incredible items and a chance to save one of Calgary’s few downtown venues for live music. 

For more info visit www.beatniq.com 

Lead with Culture: Building the Extraordinary

For those of you who haven't seen this video before, Calgary Arts Development posted a video several months ago outlining the 15 arts spaces projects that, through our Arts Spaces Investment Process, were being recommended to receive funding.

Calgary should be proud of this unique set of projects.  Hopefully many of them go ahead.

Lead with Culture: Building the Extraordinary from Calgary Arts Development on Vimeo.