Here is a recap of the entertainment stories from the first half of this year in chronological order:
Jan. 12
A new exhibit titled The Days of Augusta was getting ready to open on Jan. 14. Pictures of Augusta, a Shuswap and Metis woman, taken by Robert Keziere were accompanied by audio and visual recordings. All donations to the exhibit were given to the Stemete7uw’i A Gathering Place Friendship Centre.
Jan. 19
Lac la Hache artist Bobbie Crane’s work was on display at the Showcase Gallery. The title of the exhibit was The Appreciation of Nature, with 90 per cent of her paintings about wildlife, said Crane. “I’m a naturalist. I strive for photographic realism in my paintings, although I often include a spiritual theme.”
Jan. 26
The South Cariboo Sustainability Society was hosting a Winter Film Series. The first film screened on Jan. 24 on Permaculture with several examples of what folks could do from larger commercial farms to backyards gardens, according to South Cariboo Sustainability Society secretary Peter Jarvis. “We’re such a small group, we can’t really do any ‘heavy lifting’ - all we can do is encourage people and educate people in that sort of way of thinking and handling things.”
Feb. 02
Kathy Crawshay’s work was on display in the Showcase Gallery. The exhibit displayed mixed mediums with watercolour, ink, acrylic and oil, many featuring children set in an outdoor landscape. “Most of them are quite whimsical … kayaking, snowshoeing, skiing - all outdoors.”
Feb. 9
Parkside featured Robert Brunet’s aerial photography. “Most of my pictures I take between 200 and 300 feet in the air. It gives you an opportunity to see something you can’t see from the ground.” Most of his photography is of the Canim Lake area, where he lives.
Feb. 16
Singers in the South Cariboo were treated to a workshop and concert by the Capilano University Singers on Feb. 11. Members of Peter Skene Ogden Secondary School’s (PSO) music program and the Eclectica Choir participated. “I was hoping [my students] would take away just the experience of being part of a large ensemble, said Jasmine Kreschuck who runs the music program at PSO.
Feb. 23
Blackberry Wood, a Vancouver-based “alt-country gypsy-circus,” came to perform at the Critical Mass Pop-up Gallery. “It’s foot stomping dancing music,” said Gus Horn, the mind behind the pop-up gallery. The band was joined by Swamp Donkey and Electric Tesla.
March 2
The Great Plains country duo was getting ready to perform in Lac la Hache on March 5. Saskia Delaronde, one of the two duo members said she loves coming to the smaller communities. “You get to actually connect with people that never go to the bigger places. You get to connect with the people who are having a hard time getting out. You get to connect with, as I look at it, the salt of the earth.” Up to 50 percent of ticket proceeds was set to go to OAPO #176 in Lac la Hache.
March 9
Eight artists from the Cariboo Artist Guild contributed pieces to be put on display in the Showcase Gallery with a theme of Equinox, which proved to be a bit of a challenge. “Confusion,” said Tom Godin, who contributed two paintings. “It was a bit of a head scratcher.” He added that the point of a theme is really to force people to create new works.
March 16
The Parkside Art Gallery exhibit showcased multiple local artists, accepting submissions from artists all around the South Cariboo with Spring into Spring as the theme. “It’s a little bit a a dreary time here. The snow doesn’t go fast enough and you are waiting for spring and this helps people get over this,” said Claudia Ring who organized the show.
March 23
The Solid Rock Cafe in the 108 held one of its sessions featuring local talent with music ranging from jazz to blues, bluegrass, gospel, pop and swing.
March 30
The 100 Mile Performing Arts Society’s Steel Magnolias performance was opening at Martin Exeter Hall. The play followed a group of women who gathered regularly in their local beauty parlour. “It makes you cry and laugh,” said Barbara Hooper, who played Clairee.
April 6
Sheryl Fremlin’s work featuring a variety of watercolour horse was on display at the Showcase Gallery. “I like it because it is very luminous and I enjoy putting the colour on the paper and having it spread and do all these fun unusual things.”
April 13
The 41st annual 100 Mile Festival of the Arts was set to take place from April 18 to 28. The festival provides a venue for students as young as six and old as 80. “It all helps people to develop good well-rounded personalities that work well with other people and get stuff done,” said organizer Ginny-Lou Alexander.
April 20
Grads lit up the stage in the annual Grad Fashion Show, held on April 13. “I’ve got a few things up my sleeve so you’ll just have to wait and see what I’ve got out there, but be ready for something special,” said Reid Davidson as he prepped with his peers on the boy’s side of the stage. The event raised and estimated $2,500.
April 27
Bill Bourne performed at the Parkside Art Gallery between paintings, pottery and felted works. Bourne says he was on his way north when someone up there suggested Bourne should stop for a performance in 100 Mile House. “I love this country,” said Bourne. “[I hope to] keep my head down and get some grooves happening, that’s really what it’s all about,” he said prior to the performance.
May 4
Painter Eva Heese and felter Claudia Ring’s works were featured in the Showcase Gallery. “I call it my Canada coat,” said Ring. “The panels on the bottom, they depict the things that drove me to move to Canada.
May 11
The Front Porch, Canim Lake Drummers and the Eclectica Choir all performed at Martin Exeter Hall to celebrate Canada 150, raising roughly $1,200 for the 100 Mile Hospital Auxiliaries and Fisher Place/Mill Site Lodge. “This is Canada’s 150th birthday but we know very well that there were people here before the political institution of Canada was born. The First Nations People have been here for hundreds and thousands of years … I hope they acknowledge [that] in all of the Canada 150 celebrations,” said Barbara Hooper, a long time choir member.
May 18
The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, was celebrated in 100 Mile House as imitated by Donny Edwards. “What’s nice about here is that people loved the show, but they are respectful of the show.”
May 25
On the one year anniversary of the free monthly dinners at St. Timothy’s Outreach, five fiddle players and a guitar player livened up the evening. “I think all the students were quite happy with their performance and the outcome,” said Friendship Centre co-ordinator Rob Diether.
June 1
Martin Exeter Hall was filled with the sounds of cello and piano by Martin Krátký, the principal cellist of the Kamloops Symphony and pianist Naomi Cloutier. “It went really well. We were pleased with the number of people we had in the audience and considering it was a nice summer afternoon on a Sunday,” said organizer Marilyn Buyar.
June 8
The Showcase Gallery featured the work of denise swift. “It’s a conglomeration of the multitudes of media that I play in.” The works ranged from playful to spiritual, with clay characters, bark faces and paintings evoking vast landscapes.
June 15
The Peter Skene Ogden Secondary School Senior Band, Concert Choir, Guitar Ensemble, Jazz Band and Tour Band performed An Evening of Music. “The music program is like a family within the School and it’s very inviting. The more kids that join it, seems like the more [others] want to,” join it as well said music teacher Jasmine Kreschuk.
June 22
Lydia Kinasewich won the Ian Graham Memorial Scholarship for the most outstanding performer in the Speech Arts Division. “It felt really good though because I’ve put a lot of effort into speech arts and I’ve done it for so many years. It was really rewarding.”
June 29
Parkside featured Parts of a Whole, which explored the relationship between individuals and communities. The show was created by fibre artist Trish Chung and glass blower Jemma Van Osch. “With fibre, as well as glass blowing, you are using very basic materials and the processes are ancient,” said Chung.
“The material has an innate quality of its own.”