Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

2010 Lunafliks launches July 7

For seven summers, Whistler's Late and Unique Nighttime Alternatives (LUNA) group has transformed the shores of Lost Lake into a cinematic paradise designed specifically to appeal to Whistler's film aficionados.

For seven summers, Whistler's Late and Unique Nighttime Alternatives (LUNA) group has transformed the shores of Lost Lake into a cinematic paradise designed specifically to appeal to Whistler's film aficionados.

A parade of locals and tourists wind their way to the park via free shuttle or by foot along the Valley Trail, armed with blankets, chairs, hoodies and good friends to join in the experience. As the sun sets, music from local DJs fills the air and the smell of popcorn and BBQ goodies wafts across the audience, enticing the taste buds and senses as everyone waits for the film to roll on the inflatable screen set up against the beautiful backdrop of the lake.

This year, the eighth season of the Lunafliks series, promises to transport the audience from Whistler on a journey around the world through a selection of films set in Sweden and across the North Sea to Buenos Aires and Paris.

The series kicks off on Wednesday, July 7 with the screening of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, a film based on the first of a trilogy of books by the late Swedish writer Stieg Larsson. The story centres around the dysfunctional, powerful Vanger family and their search for a young girl who disappeared almost 40 years ago. Disgraced financial journalist Mikael Blomkvist is hired to investigate the mysterious disappearance and he finds help from a tattooed and troubled computer hacker. The pair link the girl's disappearance to a number of murders, and the mystery begins to unravel.

Entry to Lunafliks events is $7 per person, or $24 for a season pass, with music and BBQ starting at 8:30 p.m. and the film starting around 9:30 p.m. Free shuttle service from the village is provided by local adventure companies. In the event of rain, the screenings will be moved indoors to the Lost Lake Passivhaus. Check for weather updates on the afternoon of each screening by calling 604-966-4800.

 

WAC on the lookout for Bizarre art

Okay, well not exactly bizarre art, but art for Bizarre Bazaar, Whistler's original artisan market.

The annual event features over 100 artisans from throughout the Sea to Sky corridor and the province working in a range of mediums including ceramics, fine art, wood, glass, jewelry, metal, leather, aromatherapy, food and clothing. In addition to the assortment of handcrafted goods, the two-day event also includes local entertainment and a silent auction, attracting over 5,000 visitors each year.

The Bazaar is a juried process, with the majority of products handcrafted. At least 65 per cent of accepted artisans will be from the Sea to Sky region. Anyone interested in selling their wares at the 2010 Bizarre Bazaar must submit an application, which includes clear photos, a detailed description of their work and a photo or drawing of their booth set-up. Visit www.whistlerartscouncil.com for guidelines and to apply online. The deadline for application is Friday, Aug. 13 at 4 p.m.

Whistler Reads seeking memories

Whistler's beloved local book club, Whistler Reads, wants devout readers to try their hand at flexing their writing muscles, all in preparation for their next big event with B.C. author Matthew Hooton, the talented new writer who penned Deloume Road.

They're asking any and all keen readers and writers to write a 500-word story about a childhood memory and send it to paulas@bookbuffet.com. The winning submission will be read aloud at the event with Hooton on Saturday, July 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Whistler Public Library.

Published by Knopf Canada, Deloume Road weaves together themes of life, love and tragedy, all set within the confines of Vancouver Island during the first Gulf War, in "a small rural community where the children's lives play out unchangingly in the woods and secret places - until they discover an object from the past that will come to haunt them all."

Pick up your copy online or at Armchair Books (Whistler Reads members get a 10 per cent discount) and join the discussion, which is hosted by Hooton. For more information or tickets to the event, visit www.bookbuffet.com.

 

Start (art)walkin'

ArtWalk 2010 is officially up and running as of today (Thursday, July 1), but art enthusiasts should start warming up for the main event, the opening reception, which takes place on Friday, July 9.

The free walking tour showcases a range of local and regional artists and artisans whose work is on display in cafes, retail stores, commercial galleries, hotels and restaurants throughout the summer months. The premise is pretty simple: pick up an ArtWalk brochure, and meander throughout the village, checking out the wares along the way.

But if you want to really immerse yourself in the local artistic community, the opening reception is the way to go.

The party kicks off at 6 p.m. next Friday night, as ArtWalkers make their way from Marketplace to Skiers Plaza, taking in the visual arts and tunes provided by Dr. Dave, Brother Twang and Stone Soup Marimba along the way. Whistler Brewing Company and Barefoot Wine & Bubbly will also provide the drinks at HotSpot venues.

Anyone who still hasn't gotten their fill of artistic offerings from the three-hour opening reception can make their way to the official after party, which will be hosted at the FireRock Lounge.

Art to come alive at Squamish festival

Music might be taking centre stage at the two-day LIVE at Squamish festival planned for Labour Day weekend, but there are still plenty of opportunities for visual artists and artisans to get involved in the inaugural event.

Nestled between three musical stages, which will showcase a range of electronic, indie, blues and rock music, the audience will have a chance to peruse the Artisan and First Nations Village and take in a range of art installations and live art demonstrations.

Festival organizers are on the hunt for contemporary art forms to showcase to the crowds. They are asking anyone interested in getting involved to visit www.whistlerartscouncil.com and check the "Calls For Entry" section located on the right side of their homepage.

Summer of Funny, Part II

The countdown is on for anyone out there who thinks they can tickle people's funny bones with the written word: they've got just a few short weeks to craft a comedic for the second annual Summer of Funny humour-writing contest sponsored by Pique Newsmagazine .

The inaugural competition in '09 yielded so many quality submissions that Pique staffers simply couldn't agree on a clear winner. So the powers that be decided to divide the $400 prize purse among the eight entries that stood out from the pack.

And since none of the writers complained, Pique has decided to give the contest another whirl this year. The rules are the same - all written submissions will be accepted, from anywhere in Canada, and can be in the form of stories (up to 2,000 words), poems, plays/scripts, or long-format jokes. We'd even accept cartoons.

The prize money will be the same, as will the review by Pique writers and staff. If there is a clear winner this year they may receive a larger share of the purse at our discretion, otherwise we may decide to simply run a wide selection of pieces this year and divvy up the prize money equally. Humour is subjective after all and we'd like to give our readers a chance to decide.

Send all entries to andrew@piquenewsmagazine.com before Monday, Aug. 23 for inclusion in our Labour Day long weekend issue. Please include a brief biography and mailing address.