Hamilton Halton Brant's art scene hits a high note

Hamilton Halton Brant Region – With a collection of new exhibits arriving and festival season in full swing, Hamilton Halton Brant offers an array of alternatives this summer sure to please arts fans of all persuasions.

All That Jazz

Jazz lovers looking for a weekend getaway have two great options in Hamilton Halton Brant. The Downtown Oakville Jazz Festival is from August 9^th through 11^th and the Brantford International Jazz Festival is from September 13^th through 15^th.

Those looking for a mid-week escape won’t want to miss Royal Botanical Gardens’ Red Hot Jazz and Cool Blues series, which features a stunning lineup of talent set against the backdrop of Canada’s largest botanical garden on Wednesday evenings through September 4^th.

Fans of country music can also head to Royal Botanical Gardens for Country Music Nights on Tuesday evenings through August 13^th.

Six Nations Spirit

Chiefswood National Historic Site’s new exhibit, Tekahionwake: the Career and Celebrity of E. Pauline Johnson honours the 100^th anniversary of this important Canadian trailblazer through the end of the year. Download a copy of the 2013 Canadian Heritage Passport at www.theheartofontario.com for a 2-for-1 Chiefswood admission coupon.

Burlington Rocks

ZimSculpt, the award-winning stone sculpture exhibit showcasing powerful works of art that depict stories of the natural world and the culture and traditions of Zimbabwe, returns to Royal Botanical Gardens from August 17^th through September 30^th. While in Burlington, stop by the Burlington Art Centre for the beautiful installation of Jane Adeney's elaborate smoke-fired ceramic sculptures and an exhibit celebrating potter, Donn Zver, who was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for the contributions he’s made to Ontario’s ceramic community.

Greenbelt Groove

Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Emmylou Harris, Daniel Lanois, Whitehorse, Basia Bulat, Trixie Whitley, Rocco DeLuca, Pegi Young & The Survivors, the Arkells and Harlan Pepper will rock Christie Lake Conservation Area at the Greenbelt Harvest Picnic on Saturday August 31^st in a celebration of the Greenbelt, local farmers, art, the outdoors and the eat-local movement.

Hamilton’s Hot

Hamilton’s creative community is creating quite a bit of buzz these days, and the city’s annual Super Crawl, from September 13^th through 14^th, is a great way to experience the excitement for yourself. The event celebrates the diversity of Hamilton’s multi-disciplinary arts community and the incredible spark that ignites when the city’s unique mix of cultures, businesses and creative people come together. For a taste of what’s in store, check out this video by Best of Hamilton highlighting last year’s event.  While in Hamilton, visit the Art Gallery of Hamilton’s landmark exhibition, “The Collaborationists,” which explores the multi-faceted works of Canadian artists Jennifer Marman and Daniel Borins. Movie buffs will want to mark their calendars for the Art Gallery of Hamilton’s BMO World Film Festival from September 20^th through 29^th. 

Creative Escape

With so many different cultural experiences taking place in Hamilton Halton Brant this summer, you may want to spend a few days. Local accommodations partners are offering visitors great savings through a variety of special summer promotions. For a complete list of accommodations offers, please visit: http://www.theheartofontario.com/special-offers/accommodations

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