Every week when I start to write this column, I am overwhelmed in a very good way by all of the incredible cultural events we have in this not-very-big-city of ours.
It really is mind-boggling, especially when you consider that most of them are put together by very few or no paid staff and many volunteers. I hope all of my readers can take a moment and really appreciate this fact, just as I do every week. We are so very lucky to have all this, and live here.
This weekend is the start of three weekends of incredible live music brought to us courtesy of the Orillia Youth Centre (OYC), and more specifically, OYC Executive Director Kevin Gangloff. Gangloff has a passion for supporting live music and musicians, and indulges that passion by producing fundraising live music shows to raise money for the youth centre.
This year, instead of producing two or three live shows in the fall, he “went a little crazy” as he put it, and decided to put together many smaller shows for his fall fundraising concert series. It turned out, it was a lot more work, but he knows it will be worth it in the end. And he is giving some wonderful musicians, both local and from away, a chance to perform for all of us.
Here is the rundown of musicians performing this weekend and next, with links to their websites when applicable. Please have a listen online, then grab a ticket here and support live music and the Orillia Youth Centre. All shows in Orillia unless otherwise noted.
- Fri. Sept. 20 evening: The Griddle Pickers with Andrew Alli and Josh Small & SAMMY
- Sat. Sept. 21 afternoon: SAMMY w/ Andrew Alli and Josh Small & Bella Frances
- Sat. Sept. 21 evening: Ronnie Douglas Band w/ Andrew Alli and Josh Small
- Sun. Sept. 22 late afternoon: SAMMY & the Band with special guest Bella Frances
- Fri. Sept. 27 evening, Port Sydney: Skye Wallace with Roger Harvey and Spencer Burton
- Sat. Sept. 28 evening: Matchedash Parish with special guest Roger Harvey
- Sun. Sept. 29 late afternoon: Skye Wallace with special guest Roger Harvey
- Thurs. Oct. 10 evening: Lenny Lashley with special guests Nixon Boyd and Rebekah Hawker
- Fri. Oct. 11 late afternoon: Lenny Lashley with special guest Nixon Boyd and Rebekah Hawker
Buy tickets and enjoy!
Another phenomenal multi-event festival that is coming up is Arts Orillia’s first and hopefully not last incarnation of Future Fest. This is, according to Arts Orillia Artistic Director Kate Hilliard, “an amazing week of eco-art events and an exciting program focused on climate change, sustainability, and technology.”
The week gets started next Monday, and breaks down like this:
- Monday, Sept. 23 evening at St. Paul’s Centre: Opening with Bob McDonald, The Future is Now: Solving the Climate Crisis with Today’s Technologies. Tickets $30 and less, or buy a festival pass.
- Wednesday, Sept. 25 morning: TALL Talks at St. Paul’s Centre - In partnership with Lakehead University’s Third Age Learning Lakehead (TALL), Arts Orillia presents a series of short, dynamic talks on subjects like, “AI as a creative tool” – “Art as an agent for change” – “Food Literacy”. Tickets free to TALL ticket holders, or $10 cash at the door.
- Thursday, Sept. 26 evening: Your World Soon… an Eco-Art exhibit with T.M. Glass, Emma Lee Fleury, Derek Owens, Gail Root, Sean Rees, and local students, followed by the theatrical performance Hard Wire — a powerful reflection on climate change and human existence. At the Orillia Opera House. Tickets $30 or less or buy a festival pass.
- Saturday, Sept. 28 daytime: Postcards to the Future - A community art collaboration for Culture Days & You Are Swimming Here - An Augmented reality experience by Heidi Strauss and Luke Garwood, at the Orillia Recreation Centre from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. FREE.
For lots more information and ticket links, go here. FYI, full festival pass is only $59 for adults, $49 for seniors, $29 for youth, and $14.75 for youth 17 and under. Heck of a deal!
Couchiching Craft Brewery is hosting Brian John Harwood’s "Night in Nashville" brewery tour in its barrel room this Saturday night. Harwood will be joined by The Band Caves and Kris Barclay for an intimate singer/songwriter acoustic set featuring stories from the road, inspiration for the songs and fresh cold beer. Tickets are $35 (plus tax) and include a pint of beer and doors open at 7 p.m. Grab your tickets here.
The Orillia Opera House (OOH) has a trio of concerts this weekend. Beatlemania comes to the stage at the OOH Thursday night, followed by Lighthouse on Friday night, and Hells Bells celebrating the music of AC/DC on Saturday night. Tickets for all shows are at www.orilliaoperahouse.ca.
Don’t mis the Equinox Art Hop this Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. on Peter Street South. OMAH, Peter St Fine Arts, Hibernation Arts, the Shadow Box, Blossom, Three Crows Speak are all participating and if you buy something you can get entered in a draw for something arty! Come on out and see the plethora of fine art available in our arts district.
Coming up, don’t forget the Images Studio Tour on Thanksgiving weekend. Information should be coming out soon, but trust me, it’s happening, in Oro-Medonte, lots of artists and should be great.
Also, Mariposa Arts Theatre is presenting the musical Gypsy in November, and it will be stellar. Tickets are already on sale, and you should plan ahead and get them at www.orilliaoperahouse.ca. It will likely sell out.
Mariposa in Concert is presenting Matt Weidinger’s Van Morrison Show on Nov. 23 at the Orillia Opera House. This, too, will likely sell out, so just grab your ticket now for goodness’ sake, at www.orilliaoperahouse.ca.
I’m out of room, so have a great week and if you have arts news, send it to [email protected] by Tuesday at noon to be included.
