Indugle yourself in some culture across Canada; Disney On Ice returns to Kingston, Ontario

   One-Tank Trip for Sept. 19/15

   (c) By Jim Fox

   A little culture can only be a good thing, so here’s the chance to indulge.

   Culture Days, the Canada-wide annual weekend celebration, returns from Sept. 25 to 27 with activities across southern Ontario and beyond.

   The national movement has some 7,500 artists and organizations in more than 900 cities and towns.

   “They are opening their doors to the public to offer hands-on experience and/or behind-the-scenes access for free,” said Aubrey Reeves, Culture Days Ontario director.

   This year, the sixth annual Culture Days weekend coincides with Craft Year 2015, a year-long, nation-wide festival promoting craft as a key player on the Canadian cultural landscape, she added.

A youngster conducts a professional orchestra at a Conduct Us event during Culture Days. (Photo by Karina Douglas)

   There will be more than 150 craft activities across Ontario, allowing access to the public to learn about crafts from time-honoured traditions to contemporary interpretations.

   “The public will be invited into the workshops of these makers, and in many cases they will be encouraged to roll up their sleeves and try a variety of craft techniques for themselves, learning directly from accomplished artisans,” said Emma Quin, executive director of Craft Ontario.

   A crafty focus

   Some examples of Culture Days’ activities with a craft focus include a behind-the-scenes look at Jaroslav-Jerry Vrabec’s Metal Works Studio in London.

   He merges engineering and aviation training with “artistic sensibilities” to create striking metal and mixed media sculptures.

   Teresa Seaton will demonstrate copper-foiling techniques for stained glass at her Burlington gallery.

   Paint your own clay tile at the Gardiner Museum during the Bloor St. Culture Corridor Hub in Toronto.

   Celebrate 55 years of the Thunder Bay Weavers and Spinners Guild with demonstrations, workshops and displays of weaving looms, spinning wheels and other equipment.

   In Gravenhurst, Linda Kristin Blix will host a drop-in family friendly introduction to printmaking using simple techniques and materials.

   More culture, please

   In London, MakerBus will attempt a world record for the longest human circuit, now at 1,113 people.

   It’s happening at Ridout and Dundas streets on Sept. 26 from 10 a.m. to noon.

   There’s a robot-inspired art show at Covent Garden Market and belly dance workshop at the North London Optimist Community Centre.

Spectators are invited to join the dancers from Red Slam in Toronto at a Culture Days event. (Photo by Alejandra Higuera)

   Other events include Calligraphy and Henna at the London Mosque; Discover Chinese Culture through Art, Cuisine and Music; Showcase of South Asian Culture; and Behind the Curtain at the Grand.

   Kitchener-Waterloo and Cambridge events include the Grand River Bead Society; 12th Annual Traditional Pow Wow; Cambridge International Festival; A Novel in an Hour; Drum Circle; Sound FM Studio open house; and Waterloo Park’s 125th anniversary.

   Guelph offers Beginner Hip Hop; Native Bead Workshop; Make and Take a Print Swap; Happy Making Street Pianos; Guelph Book Bash; Beginner Tap Dance; and the Fourth Day Puppet Show among others.

   There’s the Meaford Scarecrow Invasion; Goderich photograph activities; Bobbin Lace demos in Stratford; Capitol Theatre open house, Windsor; and Maker Circle: Game Maker and Chocolate Maker in Woodstock.

   For all the details: on.culturedays.ca

   Canada-wide events: http://culturedays.ca/assets/Tipsandtools/CD2015_FeaturedActivities.pdf

   Disney takes to the ice

   Disney On Ice returns to Kingston after a seven-year absence to present Treasure Trove, with opening night tickets as low as $12.

Disney On Ice Treasure Trove features the Circle of Life. (Feld Entertainment)

   “Treasure Trove sets the gold standard with a magical medley of Disney tales in one jam-packed ice show that commemorates the legacy of Disney animated films,” said publicist Beth Merrick.

   This skating spectacular from Feld Entertainment features seven performances from Oct. 1 to 4 at Rogers K-Rock Centre.

   Disney On Ice is also coming with Dare to Dream to Toronto in December and in London and Hamilton in March.

   Treasure Trove includes Disney’s 50th animated feature with Rapunzel and Flynn and the worlds of the other favourite princesses, Tiana, Cinderella, Jasmine, Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, Mulan and Snow White.

   Set sail with Peter Pan, Tinker Bell and the cantankerous Captain Hook and his pirate pals and trek the wilds of Africa with Simba, Nala, Pumbaa and Timon as they discover the true meaning of the Circle of Life.

  The grand finale of Disney On Ice Treasure Trove highlighting animated films. (Feld Entertainment)

   Alice and the Mad Hatter march with the Queen of Hearts’ Army of Cards while Woody and Buzz Lightyear and the toys are back in town.

   Tickets start at $15at www.ticketmaster.ca; 1-855-985-5000. 

-30-

Jim Fox can be reached at onetanktrips@hotmail.com

For more One-Tank Trips: http://1tanktrips.blogspot.ca