The Whistler Film Festival is only months away and here's your chance to save a few bucks on passes for the five-day event.
Early bird tickets are on sale now until Oct. 31, with savings of up to $100.
Early bird prices for patron passes are $450. This pass includes access to all festival screenings; reserved seating privileges; one ticket to the opening and closing galas, the filmmaker tribute and the awards brunch; a gift bag with a festival program; and a charitable tax receipt for $200.
Platinum passes, which include everything in the patron pass minus the tax receipt, are $300. Gold passes, which include access to all screenings, special presentations and galas, are $150.
In other WFF news, Soiree 2011 will be held on Oct. 1 at Araxi. The annual fundraiser is in support of the Future in Focus campaign and will include a five-course dinner prepared by executive chef James Walt. Each course will be paired with wines, courtesy of Diageo.
The $500 ticket includes the price of dinner and a $250 tax receipt. A Red Carpet Patron pass is available for $2,500, which includes the dinner, a $1,000 tax receipt and a festival patron pass.
The Future in Focus campaign was set up in 2009 to raise funds for the Rainbow Theatre renovation, the future home of the WFF, if all goes to plan. Over $1 million has been raised for the $2.5 million project so far.
An application has been made by the RMOW, on behalf of the Whistler Film Festival Society, to the Department of Heritage Cultural Spaces for a $1.1 million grant that will help pay for the renovation, the outcome of which the WFFS is expecting this month. Construction is slated for spring 2012 and to be completed in time for the 2012 festival.
The 2011 film festival will be held from Nov. 30 to Dec. 4. Tickets can be purchased at whistlerfilmfestival.com.
Music Therapy Ride rolls into Whistler
Music isn't exactly a cure-all but it can certainly help improve or maintain our health. I argued in a column last week that it could very well be the only psychotherapy anyone needs, if we're open to it.
I'm obviously not the only one who thinks so, since there's an entire profession dedicated to music therapy, where trained professionals use all facets of musical expression to aid in the maintenance of a clients health. It covers all the bases: cognitive functioning, motor skills, behaviour and social skills and, of course, emotional development and quality of life. It's good stuff and if you can, you should support it.
This Saturday, the 2011 Music Therapy Ride is rolling into Whistler. Beginning at the River Rock Casino in Richmond, participants - including Colin James and producer Chin Injeti - will ride their cars or motorcycles up the Sea to Sky and arrive in Whistler around noon.
The GLC will host an auction that afternoon, followed by a performance by Injeti, an award-winning singer and producer who worked with Eminem on his Grammy-winning album Recovery. He has worked with other heavyweight hip-hop artists, including Drake and Dr. Dre.
Injeti is well acquainted with music therapy, having spent six hospital-bound years during childhood dealing with a polio diagnosis.
He says, "Music therapy saved my life - physically and spiritually. It all started for me when I was in kindergarten. I went from a wheelchair to a walker to crutches and learned how to walk because of it. I would not be who I am without it."
So there you go. Potent stuff. The Music Therapy Ride has raised over $350,000 over 10 years, aiding music therapists and music therapy programs throughout the province, as well as funding a recording studio at BC Children's Hospital. To make a donation, visit musictherapyride.org/support.
Sea to Sky Family Fair is now free
That's right, free! Free admission! There's no better way to spend this Saturday than at a family fair that's FREE! Everyone loves free stuff,
This year's event takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the West Coast Heritage Park in Squamish and will feature a performance by Bobs and Lolo, who sing about connecting dots and silly squirrels and other things that kids seem to find interesting.
And, of course, there will be the standard children's festival fare: face painting, bouncy castle and story time. There will be a free mini rail ride, a photo contest and over 40 exhibitors. So, basically, enough stimulation to keep the kids interested for a few hours. There will be draw prizes from Executive Suites, Scandinave Spa, Britannia Mine Museum and Boomers & Echoes as well.
Oh yeah, and admission is FREE.
