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Arts Briefs

Adventure in skiing and environment

By Nicole Fitzgerald

World champion extreme skier Alison Gannett shares her freeskiing and environmental adventures in the Global Cooling Ski Adventure Show on Friday, Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m. at MY Millennium Place.

The one-hour multi-media presentation will include film clips and photos with first-hand-account narration from Gannett. The lifelong environmentalist has garnered international and national extreme/freeskiing titles. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with Honours from the University of Vermont and studied and taught at Solar Energy International. She also trained with Al Gore. She plans two ski expeditions for this year, France and Pakistan, which will also focus on the documentation of global warming.

She most recently dedicated her green ways to the Clif Bar Save Our Snow Winter Roadtrip, which has been traveling across North America to both inspire and educate with a focus on teaching individuals how to calculate carbon emissions, decrease and offset their carbon footprint while at the same time saving money.

Admission is a suggested $7 donation, which includes entrance, a compact fluorescent light bulb, cool tag and raffle ticket to win great prizes.

The Cool tag is a renewable wind energy credit that will reduce an estimated 300 pounds of carbon dioxide in the air, and therefore, reduce the damage of global warming. Each Cool Tag given invests $2 into the Native Energy’s Wind Builders program.

Partial proceeds from the event benefit AWARE, Whistler’s environmental watchdogs.

 

2007 Battle of the Bands open call

Bands from the Sea to Sky corridor are invited to compete in the second annual Battle of the Bands showdown Feb. 28, March 1 and 2 at Whistler’s Rainbow Theatre.

“Musicians entering the competition receive exposure and performance experience as well as a chance to win live air play and interview on Mountain FM,” said Kiran Pal, LUNA coordinator and Battle of the Bands organizer. “I am excited to hear what this year brings.”

Last year’s inaugural event was a huge success with the packed-out competition unearthing then underground talent including the likes of hip hop extraordinaire Animal Nation and hard rocking Black Swade — the barely turned teen band are now semi-finalists in the Sound Off competition in Seattle.

Non-professional bands, MCs and soloists of all ages are welcome to compete with a minimum of two original songs and a repertoire extensive enough to play a 20-minute set.

Bands and musicians must register for the event by calling Kate at 604-938-7394. The entry fee is $15.

 

New directors and honoraries at MY Place

Volunteers were honoured and new directors elected to the Maurice Young Millennium Place Society board at the recent annual general meeting.

“As many of you know, our mission includes the important phrase to ‘stimulate and engage’,” said outgoing chairperson Diane Mombourquette at the AGM, touting 2006 as the most successful year in the history of MY Place. “Because of each of you, Millennium Place is truly growing into a community resource that each of us can call MY Place.”

The community resource hosted more than 40,000 visits during 2006 with 40 community groups and dozens of businesses aided. Much of the success goes to MY Place volunteers.

Doris Harris was recognized for her countless hours of nurturing MY Place from concept to reality with the bestowal of the MY Place lifetime membership honour. Helga Ruitermann, who recently retired from a five-year service as a volunteer curator for Scotia Creek Gallery at MY Place, also received special recognition.

Directors also play key roles in guiding Whistler’s only community theatre.

Four new directors were elected, including Sue Adams, Dave Kirk, Shirley Laidlaw and Carson. Steve Milstein was re-elected. Continuing members are Jim Cook, Britt Germann, Kate Harvey, Jason Kawaguchi, Alex Kleinman, Janet McDonald and Tim Wake.

Former directors Caroline Lamont, Jane Milner, Diane Mombourquette and Heather Paul were warmly thanked for their contributions.

 

Last chance to vote for If Ullr Was A Girl contest

More than 400 girls are vying for the top-dog spot of Whistler-Blackcomb’s If Ullr Was A Girl contest with phase one of public voting closing Feb. 19 at ifullrwasagirl.com.

The North American-wide contest searches out the ultimate mountain girl in both snow and art. Girls will compete for bragging rights and $25,000 cash, which will be awarded during the Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival in April.

Phase two of the competition begins Feb. 21 when the top three amateur girls and six athletes will be awarded Whistler travel packages then move onto competing for the crown.

Along with participation in arts and sporting events, the girls must drive traffic to the website to win.

Amateur snowboarder Alison Pasemko of Whistler enticed Much Music’s 969 television show to profile her quest for the crown Canada wide. Skier Lynsey Dyer of Jackson Hole has started a scholarship fund for shejumps.com. And snowboarder Joanna Dzierzawski of Tahoe scored a blog on Heavenly’s website.

For full contest information, visit ifullrwasagirl.com.

 

Squamish celebrates Olympics with cultural festival

Squamish arts and culture comes alive at Wild at Art, a winter festival extravaganza, Feb. 16 to 25 at various sites around Squamish.

The aim is to build momentum in the artistic community in the lead-up to the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The festival kicks off with a grand gala opening Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. at Railway Heritage Park with artists and dignitaries in attendance.

Other festival highlights include the Squamish Historical Society’s Film Night Feb. 22 at the Adventure Centre; Ndidi Onukwulu gala concert Feb. 23 at the Eagle Eye Theatre; and the Poetry Quest competition Feb. 25 at the Brackendale Art Gallery (BAG).

The heart of the festival takes place Saturday, Feb. 24 and Sunday. Feb. 25 when Squamish is turned into a cultural feast with a market stroll of artisan and artist works, the Rotary beef barbecue and a mainstage tent showcasing the best of B.C. music and dance.

The Saturday mainstage show includes The Joceyln Band, Three Octaves Down, The Paperboys, Jay Knutson and Davy’s Locker.

The Sunday event showcases Squamish Nation dancers, Bhangra dancers, family entertainer Norm Foote with local children’s choirs, theatrical performances from Sea to Sky Entertainment and Squamish Youth Theatre, and music from the North Shore Celtic Ensemble.

The Railway Heritage Park will host a number of events over the 10-day celebration including sand blasting workshops Feb. 17, 22 & 25, the Ivan Sayers Fashion Show Feb. 18, Reel Wednesdays double feature film screening Feb. 21, Rotary beef barbecue and children’s paint workshop Feb. 24 & 25. In addition to special events, the park will also host a daily developer’s fair, art show and guided park tours.

Restaurants, bars and organizations are joining in the fun with afternoon and evening concerts. Gelato Carina live music from Sea to Sky corridor youth Feb. 17 along with a comedy night with Dan Jarvis on Feb. 20, open mic night Feb. 21, knitting workshop Feb. 22, live roots, bluegrass and country music Feb. 23 and west coast singers/songwriters Feb. 24 & 25.

The Grizzly Bar and Grill hosts live music from DMV on Feb. 16 and 17, Davy’s Locker Feb. 23 and 24.

The Squamish Manor Lounge hosts a Grassroots Senior Jam Feb. 19.

The Anglican Church showcases the music of Kelly Coubrough Feb. 24 and Kinnie Starr plays Feb. 24 at the Howe Sound Brew Pub.

For more information, visit wildatart.ca.