* Gluten Free Options Always Available. * Top of the Park closed October 10TH for private function.
TURFS BAR & GRILL IS OPEN FOR LUNCH!
Tuesday – Friday 11:30am-1:30pm. Check out our daily specials,
• Tuesday - Bacon Cheeseburger platter
• Wednesday - Southwest Chicken Wrap platter
• Thursday – Hot Hamburger platter
• Friday – 1 piece Fish and Chips platter All Specials include a fountain pop! Take out available as well, please call (902) 620-4270 to place your order.
Call Sean (902-620-4222 • ext. 4296) for your Holiday Bookings. View our holiday information: go to redshores.ca Holiday Packages. Enjoy a 3 course meal featuring Islander Fall Harvest Favorites! During Fall Harvest Nights at Top of the Park restaurant we will also be offering $5 Glasses of House Wine. Friday and Saturday Evenings in October, $24.95 (+ applicable taxes). Early Bird Special • Guests that reserve between 4:45 & 5:45pm dine for $20.95 +tax. Book now, space is limited!
Profile: Patricia Bourque by Jane Ledwell
Sacred moments
As we walked to a quiet place to talk, three people stopped photographer Patricia Bourque—each to praise her episode of Postcards from the Island, a video series featuring PEI artists and their work, produced by the Confederation Centre of the Arts.
She was insecure about the filming but overwhelmed by the result. “I was nervous all the way to Summerside,” she recalled. There, a nine-person crew was waiting for her. “I was even crying, and I thought, what is this fear? I knew everybody on the crew…” When she arrived, she realized, “All those people were there for me—it was the most humbling experience.
“Music and photography fill my soul,” Patricia said, “and when I saw my
much for taking the pictures, but for remembering the moment—the moment of seeing PEI for the first time. There’s a magical beauty here.”
The magic of seeing PEI for the first time is still what she seeks to capture today, Patricia says. “In stressful times—I am still looking for newfound dirt roads, working out problems in my own head, out driving. When I have a-ha moments, out walking and hiking—I can release all the stress and oppression and day-to-day fears. When I am out there and find euphoria, exploring that feeling, I just want to share it when I get home—I want to share the happiness I found, and maybe somebody missed.”
The photography, she says, “has been a long journey, but that path has always brought me the teachings I needed.” She attended her first powwow about 20 years ago. A few years later, she was working for Abegweit First Nation in what she calls “my office job.” She says, “When Abegweit began hosting its own mawi’omis (powwows), I got to be in the front row. Taking pictures, I got to meet all the dancers, and to learn very quickly the etiquette.”
“It was that time 15 years ago I met the community in a professional way— and most are my family, but I was still learning that. There was powwow family, and family family, and community family. I got to meet people at such deep levels,” she recalls appreciatively.
“Because what I was being taught was hands-on,” Patricia says, the focus was on “the respect that elders and dancers and drummers have. They show you how sacred it all is—from the lighting of the fire to the grand exit, is all sacred ceremony.” Photographing regalia and people wearing it, “The first teaching I received is that there is sacredness in everything, living and non-living,” including the regalia itself.
images with my favourite music,” (she chose Tara MacLean’s song “Beneath the Path of Crows”), “I felt like I was looking at them for the first time—and they were pretty good!”
A Mi’kmaw survivor of the “sixties scoop” that saw infants stolen from Indigenous parents and adopted out to white settler families, Patricia said taking photos “was the great escape” for her. Patricia says the woman who adopted her and eventually raised her on her own “didn’t show a lot of love.” She remembers, “I had such a sheltered life, my home life was so suffocating… Any time I could, after I got my (drivers’) license… I got to explore PEI.
“I would grab my camera, not so
“I really hold on to those teachings— I carry it with me when I do portraits, whether of regalia or not…
“When I do photos, I start it with ceremony. I offer tobacco. I do prayer... I am so grateful to have all these teachings.” She continues, “I need to be in my own good place. I need to make sure to respect others, my own family and my community, to bring no harm to them.”
Patricia reflects, “I think people want to know why people feel the way they feel when they see my images—and I think it is what I put into it, preparing to take the picture…”
She says, with great humility, “Love and respect, I think, are what people respond to when they see my photos.”
Tukien (Awaken)
The Confederation Centre Art Gallery (CCAG) in Charlottetown will present a solo exhibition by Nelson White from October 10 to January 13.
Tukien (Awaken): Nelson White features 18 painted portraits of an extended network of Indigenous artists, creatives, and activists who for White represent contemporary cultural leaders, what he calls his “kin.”
St. John’s-based Mi’kmaw artist Nelson White has become something of a local celebrity recently, following news of his artwork being placed on permanent display at the National Museum of the American Indian in the Smithsonian.
Yet even as his work is now being seen internationally, he remains an artist devoted to the familiar, the accessible, and to his extended circle of friends—a group of creative Indigenous artists and workers who are together helping to bring about a cultural renaissance,
Wonderful Life in the works
ACT presents holiday classic as a live radio play in December
ACT (a community theatre) plans to bring It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play to the stage this December.
In Joe Landry’s adaptation of the well-known holiday classic, actors will present the story as though it is taking place on a sound stage at a 1940’s radio station—complete with live sound effects created by a foley artist.
Auditions were held in late September and rehearsals are underway. The handful of actors will have to play over two dozen characters by changing voices and mannerisms.
Performances are scheduled for December 3, 4 and 5 at the Fox and Crow, UPEI, Charlottetown, and December 10, 11 and 12 at the Watermark Theatre in North Rustico.
Only a limited number of tickets will be available. Some of the performances will be admission by donation with proceeds going to local charities.
It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play is family friendly and will appeal to all ages. Other dates and venues may be added. Visit actpei.com or follow ACTPEI on Facebook for updates.
what White calls “a collective raising of consciousness.”
The title of his new show, Tukien, is a Mi’kmaq word meaning “awaken,” a reference to this collective enterprise of creating a new sense of contemporary Indigenous life. The exhibition, organized by the CCAG and the Grenfell Art Gallery in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, will tour the country and will include a publication in three languages (English, French, Mi’kmaq).
Born on the west coast of Newfoundland (Taqamkuk), in the community of Flat Bay, Nelson White is a member of Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation Band. He attended the visual arts program at the former Bay St. George Community College, before graduating from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD). His paintings are included in many public and private collections across North America.
Your loved ones may have missed out on a PEI summer but they don't need to miss the island completely.
New solo exhibit by Nelson White—Oct 10 to Jan 13
Nelson White, Reclaiming the Throne, Jordan Bennett, Artist (On Joey Smallwood’s Chair), oil on canvas, 100 x 75 cm, 2019 (detail)
Onward Anyways
6th Annual Charlottetown Film Festival—Oct 23 to 25
The 6th Annual Charlottetown Film Festival will take place October 23–25 with limited-seating screenings at City Cinema and Full Festival passes available for online viewing of a variety of films from and about Atlantic Canada.
In 2019, the Charlottetown Film Festival (ChFF) proceeded under its own banner of Onward. This year, limitations could have cancelled ChFF20 but Cheryl Wagner, back on board as ChFF’s Executive Director, decided Onward Anyways was a better choice.
Summerside filmmaker Susan Rodgers’ first feature film Still the Water will launch the Festival weekend on Friday, October 23 at 7:30 pm. The weekend will be comprised of eight other screenings.
Saturday, October 24 will showcase works from the Atlantic region throughout the day, grouped together province by province under the banner Howdy Neighbour, with screenings
at 12 pm, 2:30 pm and 5 pm. The New Brunswick screening at 2:30 pm includes Phil Comeau’s L’Ile d’Acadie about the 2019 Congrès Mondial with footage from PEI. The Spotlight screening at 7:30 pm, Islanders to Watch, will present more than a dozen shorts and music videos from PEI screen artists.
Sunday, October 25 promises something for everyone. An overdue salute to JoDee Samuelson, PEI’s film pioneer and award-winning animator, starts at 12 pm. Screening at 2:30 pm, How Ya Doin’ Today will be a slate of (mostly) silly short films addressing what self-isolation can reveal and often challenge. CBC will bring a number of diverse documentaries under the title In Search of Ourselves at 5 pm. And ChFF20’s final screening at 7:30 pm will close the Festival with a dozen disturbing shorts in Name Your Nightmare, just in time for Halloween.
Tickets go on sale in early October at charlottetownfilmfest.com.
Still from a short by filmmaker Dominique Girouard
Wish you were here
Postcards from the Island’s final five episodes
The weekly 12-part online series from Confederation Centre, Postcards from the Island, continues throughout October with the final five episodes. Through concise eight-minute episodes, the digital series takes viewers on across the Island, showcasing some of PEI’s culturally significant sights and sounds, and engaging artists like Ashley Condon, Patricia Bourque, and the Mi’kmaq Heritage Actors.
Directed by Adam Brazier and Jason Rogerson, the series has been very popular online, reaching
Luminos vocal ensemble
Luminos Ensemble, a professional vocal ensemble, has announced Season 4.0, which will include a series of online concert events that will explore what it means to make music in the midst of a global pandemic.
The first event, The Space Between Us, will happen in mid-October and will play with the idea of both physical and mental space.
“Our new reality is so much about distancing, about putting more and more space between us,” says artistic director Dr. Margot Rejskind. “I was interested in seeing how singers and composers had dealt with this in previous pandemics across history, and how we could turn the space into a feature instead of just another challenge.”
The program includes music from the past 800 years that was written specifically to fill large spaces, including an Italian chant from the 13th
PEISO does chamber music
PEI Symphony’s great things coming in smaller packages
The 53rd concert season for the PEI Symphony Orchestra will be different than usual. For at least the first half, the orchestral concerts will be replaced by chamber music events, and season subscriptions will not be available.
The first concert will take place October 4 at the Homburg Theatre and will feature the Atlantic String Machine (ASM) quintet with clarinetist Dr. Karem Simon. ASM will perform selections by Dvorak, Hindemith, Copland and Philip Glass, and will be joined by Dr. Simon for several pieces.
Capacity for these concerts is subject to change but is estimated to be around 100 people. Tickets for both concerts will be available at the Confederation Centre Box Office.
Tuning Into Nature
An additional event will be held October 17 featuring live musicians performing along the Tryon River Trail.
thousands of viewers each week.
This month, Postcards will pay a visit to the Dunes Studio Gallery and Dalvay By the Sea, and will profile some Island performers including Gadelle, Atlantic String Machine, Scott Parsons, and Tara MacLean.
New episodes air every Thursday at 8 pm on Confederation Centre’s YouTube channel and on Facebook Premiere. Past episodes can be viewed via the Centre’s YouTube channel; on IGTV; or at confederationcentre.com/ postcards-from-the-island.
century, sacred polyphonic music by Renaissance masters (and pandemic survivors) Josquin des Prés and William Byrd, contemporary classics about hope and space, and a 16th century comic motet for double choir about a singer who discovers—and then argues with—their own echo. luminosensemble.com
On November 22, pianists Magdalena von Eccher and Glen Montgomery will also perform on the Confederation Centre main stage. The concert will present an array of selections including solo, duet and trio repertoire in a range of styles including works by Scarlatti, Beethoven, Gershwin, and Schubert. Guest appearances by Shannon Scales, soprano and William Costin, french horn.
Night Music
Sarah Hagen performs solo piano recital at St. Paul’s—Oct 9
Night Music returns to St. Paul’s Church in Charlottetown October 9 with a musical Thanksgiving offering.
Pianist Sarah Hagen invites people yearning for an evening of repose through music to come out for a carefully curated hour-long programme of works by Bach, Brahms, Schumann, and others.
In the spirit of shared reflection, the audience is encouraged to enter quietly and pieces will flow from one to the next without pause or applause.
Music will begin at 8 pm and admission is pay-what-you-will at the
In collaboration with Island Nature Trust (INT), the event is called Tuning Into Nature and will provide a unique outdoor listening environment in combination with the experience of a self-guided nature walk.
“Music and nature both speak to the human soul,” says INT Executive Director Megan Harris. “This event brings them together in a beautiful complement of sounds at full autumn colour flush on the Tryon River.” Info: admin@peisymphony.com or peisymphony.com
door. Reserve in advance by emailing info@sarahhagen.com. Seating will be very limited.
St. Paul’s Church is located at the corner of Prince and Grafton Streets in Charlottetown. sarahhagen.com
JASON ROGERSON
Atlantic String Machine
SUBMITTED
EXHIBITS galleries and museums
Acadian Museum of PEI
On view: 100 ans SSTA : Exposition au Musée acadien de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard to Oct 31 with vernissage Oct 20 at 2 pm. Visit the updated permanent exhibit. Acadian genealogy resources available to researchers by appointment only. The gift shop offers Acadian books, flags, souvenirs and PEI Museum and Heritage passports that give access to all seven sites. 23 Main Dr. East, Miscouche. 4322880, museeacadien.org
Confed Centre Art Gallery
On view: Compression/Decompression, by Alexis Bellavance to Oct 4; Spheres, Skulls, and Other Icons of the Interior to Oct 4; Nelson White: Tukien (Awaken) Oct 10–Jan 13; Give Me Shelter opening Oct 24; Creative Obsessions: A Look at Contemporary Craft in Prince Edward Island to Jan 3. Open Tue–Sun 10 am–5 pm. 145 Richmond St, Charlottetown. 628-6142, confederationcentre.com
Cornwall Library Art Gallery
On view: David MacNeill’s photography exhibit to Oct 16; Pyrography: The Art of Playing with Fire, an exhibit of art burned into wood, by Jason J. Johnston from Oct 20–Nov 27. Open Tue–Wed 1–8:30 pm, Thur–Sat 9:30 am–12:30 pm and 1–5:30 pm. 39 Lowther Dr, Cornwall Town Hall, Cornwall. 629-8415
Culture Summerside
On view: On the Hunt for Heritage, an architectural exhibit on Summerside’s historic Water Street to mid-Oct. Take the interactive challenge and find the locations of the features. 432-1332, culturesummerside.com
Ellen’s Creek Gallery
On view: Salt water, soil & sky by Emily Howard from Oct 23–Nov 9. Open Mon–Fri 9 am–5 pm, Sat 9 am–4 pm. 525 North River Rd, Charlottetown. 368-3494, framingpei@gmail.com
Eptek Art & Culture Centre
On view: 85 Years of Painting and Drawing by Nan Ferrier to Oct 2; Animal Kingdom by the Summerside Art Club opening Oct 9 and exploring the theme of animals with members of the club using a variety of mediums. Visit the permanent
exhibition on the history and architecture of Summerside. Eptek is a site of the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation. Open Tue–Fri 10 am–4 pm and most Sun 12–4 pm. Admission by donation. 130 Heather Moyse Dr, Summerside. 888-8373, peimuseum.com
Gallery @ The Guild
On view: Jared Perry’s Instructions for Use to Oct 11. this town is small and The Guild present a solo exhibition of mixed media work by Jared Perry including drawings, collage, sculpture, and video. Raquel Barbosa’s Foreclosure: All of me wants all of you will be on view from Oct 13–25. This collective work of mixed media collages explores the psychological and symbolic storyline of desire and longing. Making Your Mark, a group exhibit curated by Monica Lacey featuring Sandi Hartling, Will Baker, Deborah Montgomery, Niyi Adeogun and Daniel Macdougall will be on view Oct 27–Nov 22. 111 Queen St, Charlottetown. 3684413, theguildpei.com
Lefurgey Cultural Centre
Sixty Days of Fame featuring Thistle and Juniper, a series of paintings by Jennifer DesRoche is on view Oct 1–Nov 30. The series has moved from the MacNaught History Centre and Archives this season to the Lefurgey Room of the Lefurgey Cultural Centre. The MacNaught gallery is currently housing the International Fox Museum exhibit while the Summerside Armoury is under renovation. View Thistle and Juniper Mon–Fri, 9 am–4:30 pm. 205 Prince St, Summerside. 432-1296
Receiver Coffee Co.
this town is small presents Tug of War by artist Deborah Montgomery on view to Nov 8. This series of ink and watercolour paintings emerged from a study of early Greek mythologies and explore the relationship between seemingly opposing forces: day/night; male/ female; underworld/overworld; birth/ death. While at times appearing to be at odds, these forces rely on each other to function as a complete system. These paintings imagine this relationship as a game of tug of war, with the pulling of the two hands creating the ebb and flow that either keep the system in balance or upset that balance. 128 Richmond St, Charlottetown. 367-3436
Give Me Shelter
Confed Centre Art Gallery celeberates St. John’s culture
Culminating several years of studio visits and research, the Confederation Centre Art Gallery (CCAG) is presenting Give Me Shelter, a two-gallery survey of emerging artists based in the city of St. John’s, Newfoundland, opening October 24.
The exhibition features the work of 13 artists, in a variety of mediums ranging from painting and drawing, to video and photography, to sculpture and textile work. The new show is part of a celebration of St. John’s culture at the CCAG.
“I really enjoyed getting to know the artistic scene in St. John’s,” says Curator Pan Wendt, “and while this is a broad survey, it also pinpoints some aspects of the culture of St. John’s that I didn’t expect to encounter.”
Wendt continues, adding that the international city has a richness and vitality that goes beyond a lot of the stereotypes about Newfoundland culture. “Most of the artists [there] are not actually from the city, which shelters many subcultures and guests from around the region and the world. This became a theme for a show—St. John’s as a sort of safe harbour, a place one can carve out a unique identity.”
Give Me Shelter displays a complex variety of artistic projects, many
making reference to history and tradition, while demonstrating the modernity of St. John’s today.
Artists included are Nicholas Aiden, Greg Bennett, Pepa Chan, Hazel Eckert, Jose Gonzalez, Ashley Hemmings, John McDonald, Jason Penney, Emily Pittman, Daniel Rumbolt, Mimi Stockland, April White, and Olivia Wong.
Give Me Shelter has received research and logistical support from Eastern Edge Gallery, the Rooms Art Gallery, Emma Butler Gallery, and Christina Parker Gallery.
Artwork by Deborah Montgomery from her exhibit, Tug of War, on view until November 8 at Receiver Coffee Co. in Charlottetown
John McDonald, Moving On, 2019, oil on canvas, 48 x 96”
Olivia Wong, Shrine, 2020, digital print on paper, 19” x 13”
Giving thanks for Anne
World premiere celebrates Charlottetown Festival musical
2020 GUILD PRESENTS
OCTOBER
The Songs of Anne & Gilbert: On until October 3
Popalopalots: Live Improv Comedy
October 3, 30, & 31
7 TH Annual Guild Gone Wild October 9 & 10
Scarecrows in the City October 9-18
Phase II & Friends
October 24
The Guild Music Theatre School Presents: Spookyfest October 30 & 31!
Gallery @ The Guild: Jared Perry
Instructions for Use On display until October 11
Racquel Barbosa
Foreclosure: All Of Me Wants All Of You
October 13 - 25
www.theguildpei.com
902.620.3333
Gather the family after Thanksgiving dinner this month for a heartwarming celebration of Anne Shirley. Featuring highlights from Anne of Green Gables— The Musical™, cameos from Canadian icons, and re-imaginings of your favourite songs from the musical, “Feelin’ Mighty Proud” is set to make its world premiere October 11.
This Island-made celebration weaves highlights from the Charlottetown Festival musical with a summertime journey across the Island, stopping at key destinations that focus on the works of L.M. Montgomery and the lore of Anne Shirley.
“’Feelin’ Mighty Proud’ is a mustsee TV event this Thanksgiving that will make every Canadian proud,” says Artistic Director Adam Brazier. “It is a charming reminder of the incredible impact our heroine has made world-wide—one who has brought so many people together for generations.”
Homebrew challenge
The 3rd annual Maritime Homebrew Challenge presented by Gahan House is giving homebrewers who love creating unique and innovative beers the opportunity to create their favourite homebrew, submit it to their local Gahan House restaurant, be judged based on two style categories, and be entered to win up to $3000 in prizes.
The Grand Champion will win $500 cash and a special edition can run brewed, canned and designed with help from the PEI Brewing Company and the Gahan House brewers. Beer submissions are due October 30 and the winner will be awarded and announced November 14 at The Gahan House in Charlottetown.
Info: homebrewchallenge.gahan.ca or homebrewchallenge@gahan.ca.
Directed by Brazier and Jason Rogerson, the one-hour special is rich with cameo appearances, including Amybeth McNulty (“Anne with an E”), R.H. Thompson, Megan Follows, Gracie Finley, and Emma Rudy.
More than a dozen Charlottetown Festival company members also appear, including Islanders Marlane O’Brien, Glenda Landry, Catherine O’Brien, Hank Stinson, Aaron Hastelow, and Michelle Bouey, as well as the Festival Orchestra.
New performances include original interpretations of the treasured songs of the famed musical, such as “Open the Window” from I and the Village, “The Words” by Lennie Gallant, and “Gee I’m Glad I’m No One Else But Me” from Meaghan Blanchard.
“Feelin’ Mighty Proud” will be broadcast October 11 on Eastlink and live on the Centre’s Facebook and YouTube feeds at 9 pm.
Y’s Men’s food drive
The Y’s Men’s Annual Food Drivethru edition will be held Oct 26 from 5–8 pm. Full details including drivethru and drop-off locations will be announced on The Upper Room Hospitality Ministry Inc. Facebook and Instagram pages.
Roast beef dinner
Central Queens United, Hunter River, will hold their annual hot roast beef dinner Oct 24. The meal includes hot roast beef with all the trimmings and dessert. This year’s event is take out only. Tickets available for adult, children (6–12), or free for children five years and under. Order in advance from Debbie at 964-2882. Pick up times are 3:30 pm, 4:30 pm and 5:45 pm on Oct 24 at Central Queens United, 19848 PE-2, Hunter River.
Island world-music group I and the Village performs “Open the Window.”
The Brew by Bryan Carver
The suds are big
Each year the Canadian Brewing Awards brings together breweries from all corners of our vast nation. No matter the size and reach of each individual brewery, these awards aim to highlight the best of the best in the Canadian beer scene. As one would expect, the 2020 awards ceremony was not the typical gathering of bearded overall wearers, but rather a Zoom meeting with an elevated alcohol blood concentration.
Though only making up a small percentage of the brewing industry in Canada, Island brewers often come in amongst the top, with beers brewed here on PEI taking home awards each year. This year five of the awards were handed out to Island brewers. Best of all, most of these beers are available for purchase at PEI Liquor Stores.
The town of Montague will now be home to three medals from the 2020 Canadian Brewing Awards, as both Bogside Brewing and Copper Bottom Brewing each took home some hardware. Bogside Brewing managed to secure a pair of silver medals, both showing the aptitude Head Brewer Mark Patriquin has at creating German influenced Ales. Having studied brewing in Berlin, Patriquin’s applied knowledge allowed Bogside Brewing to win the German Style Kölsch category with Lighthorse Lagered Ale as well as the German Style Wheat Beer category with Wheat Kings County.
It should be noted that Wheat Kings County is only available for purchase directly from Bogside, either pick-up or delivery.
Just across the bridge at Copper Bottom, you can find a beer that picked up another silver Medal, with the Parkman Ave Double IPA. Named after the street where the brewery is located, Parkman Ave delivers a hoppy punch balanced by the strength of a malt backbone. Often seen as one of the best Double IPAs in the Maritimes, now Copper Bottom can proudly say it is one of the Best Double IPAs in Canada.
Back in Charlottetown, the PEI Brewing Company brought home two awards to join the ever growing collection they have been amassing over the last decade. The 2020 awards saw Beach Chair Lager take home the distinction of silver in the North American Style Premium Lager and the Setting Day Saison took home a bronze in the Session Ale category.
Not only did our Island brewers show their prowess at brewing excellent beer, but the diversity in styles that received recognition shows how incredible our little community of brewers really is. From approachable beers with subtle characteristics, to complex yeast profiles, to refined hoppy ales, Prince Edward Island certainly has one of the greatest brewing communities in Canada.
gallery gardens & café
atlantic bubble appreciation sale
starting thanksgiving weekend saturday, oct 10 to sunday, oct 18 9am - 6pm sale ends sunday, oct 18 @ 5:30pm
it ’s a masked affair!
thanks to our friends here and on the mainland for supporting us this summer. the dunes will cover hst on eve’s jewellery and island art gallery artwork.
in the café lunch daily ‘til oct 18 fall feast six courses for $70
The Songs of Anne & Gilbert Select dates. The Guild, Charlottetown
Oct 2, 7:30 pm
The Rhinestone Cowgirl College of Piping, Summerside
Oct 2, 8 pm
Ben Caplan
Kings Playhouse, Georgetown
Oct 2–4, 6:30 pm
The East Pointers
Harvest Home Festival, Rollo Bay
Oct 3, 30–31, 8 pm
Popalopalots
The Guild, Charlottetown
Oct 4, 2:30 pm
Atlantic String Machine with Dr. Karem Simon Homburg Theatre, Confederation Centre of the Arts, Charlottetown
Oct 9, 7:30 pm
James Mullinger Comedy Show, PEI Brewing Company, Charlottetown
Oct 9, 8 pm
Dan Hendrickson Comedy Show, Lone Oak Brewing, Borden-Carleton
Oct 9, 8 pm
Night Music with Sarah Hagan St. Paul’s Church, Charlottetown
Oct 11
7th Annual Guild Gone Wild The Guild, Charlottetown
Oct 11, 8 pm
Melissa MacKenzie presents: Good Girl Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown
Oct 15–16, 8 pm
Logan Richard
Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown
Oct 16–18
Evangeline Country Music Festival
Acadian Musical Village, Abram-Village
Oct 17, 7 pm
The Royal North & Friends
The Guild, Charlottetown
Oct 17, 7:30 pm
Dave Gunning
Copper Bottom Brewing, Montague
Oct 17–18, 8 pm
Catherine MacLellan
Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown
Oct 22, 8 pm
Mark Haines–Album release
Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown
Oct 24, 7:30 pm
Phase II & Friends
The Guild, Charlottetown
Oct 25, 8 pm
Myles Goodwyn (April Wine)
Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown
Oct 26–28, 8 pm
Alan Doyle
Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown
Oct 29, 8 pm
Braden Lam with Joce
Reyome
Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown
Oct 30, 8 pm
Erin Costelo
Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown
Oct 31, 8 pm
Liam Corcoran & Museum
Pieces
Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown
Nov 6, 8 pm
Villages
Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown
Nov 7 8 pm
Kinley
Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown
Nov 8, 8 pm
Shawn Hogan and Josh Ellis
Storytelling, comedy and music.
Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown
Nov 14, 8 pm
The Royal North
Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown
Country music festival
Evangeline’s 11th annual at Abram-Village—Oct 16 to 18
The Acadian Musical Village in AbramVillage will host the 11th annual Evangeline Country Music Festival, featuring some of PEI’s country music entertainers, October 16–18.
Traditional Country Music Legend shows are scheduled for October 16 and 17 beginning at 8:30 pm both evenings. Musicians Kurk Bernard, Joey Doucette, Marcella Richard, and Jonathan (Jonny) Ray Arsenault, with back-up provided by Rheal Arsenault, Remi Arsenault, Andy Paynter, Keelin Wedge and Steve Perry, will pay tribute to legends like Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, George Jones, Merle Haggard and Stompin’ Tom.
Kurk Bernard is a musician from West Prince who moved back home to his roots in rural PEI five years ago. He keeps busy playing at local venues and working with local artists. Together with Joey Doucette, also from West Prince, they make up the band Small Town Jokurs, a country music duo known locally for their strong vocals,
harmonies and stage presence.
Marcella Richard is a singer and songwriter from Mont Carmel, PE. She grew up in a musical family surrounded by fiddle, harmonica, guitar and song. She has performed in local dinner theatres and community halls across the Maritimes.
Jonathan (Jonny Ray) Arsenault is an instrumentalist and vocalist who grew up in the Evangeline Region and now resides in Summerside. He is the son of Island fiddler Louise Arsenault and his music is influenced by his traditional Acadian roots.
The three-day event will wrap up on October 18, with a roast beef dinner served from 11 am–1 pm, followed by a free concert with Marcel Caissie and Allan Gallant at 1 pm.
The Traditional Country Music Legend shows are 19+ events. Advance tickets can be purchased online at villagemusical.com. Admission is limited to 100 for all weekend activities. More info: call 854-2072 or 854-2324.
Thane Dunn and The College of Piping will present The Rhinestone Cowgirl performing Queens of Country on October 2, 7:30 pm at the Celtic Performing Arts Centre in Summerside.
The Queens of Country show is for country music fans who long for the days when country songs told a story and singers made the listener laugh, cry and sing along. The Rhinestone Cowgirl will sing timeless country classics from ten of country music’s biggest female artists, as well as narrate the history of each musician’s humble beginnings and rise to fame.
With her three and a half octave vocal range, The Rhinestone Cowgirl will cover country hits from the 50s, 60s and 70s, including number one songs from Patsy Cline,Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Olivia Newton John, Tanya Tucker,
Anne Murray and Carrie Underwood. Curtain is at 7:30 pm. Only 100 tickets will be available through the box office either in person or over the phone at 436-5377. The Celtic Performing Arts Centre is located at 619 Water St East in Summerside.
Kurk
Joey Marcella
Johnny
20th Historic Ghostwalk
2020 marks the 20th anniversary of Culture Summerside’s Historic Ghostwalk. Since 2000 the Ghostwalk has brought to life the history of Halloween and the darker side of Summerside and Island history. Volunteer actors assume the role of the spirits who have a story to tell.
The anniversary Ghostwalk, which will be a “best of” will be a little different. In order to meet the health regulations in place for Covid 19, it will not be a walk this year. Rather, Ghostwalk will be presented on the lawn of the historic Wyatt Heritage Properties with a seated audience to whom the spirits will appear. Culture Summerside staff promise it will still be a great way to celebrate Halloween, the night when the veil between the living and the dead is thin.
Culture Summerside’s 2020 Historic Ghostwalk takes place October 22 with
shows offered at 6:30 pm, 8 pm and 9:30 pm. Masks are encouraged but not the Halloween variety. Tickets must be pre-ordered and can be purchased at the MacNaught History Centre and Archives, 75 Spring St, Summerside, or by calling 432-1332.
Scarecrows in the city
Celtic scream
Taking place October 9–18, the all-new Scarecrows in the City Festival, presented by Discover Charlottetown, will take over the downtown core of Prince Edward Island’s seaside city.
Set against the backdrop of Charlottetown’s colourful and historic buildings, hundreds of scarecrow installations will line the streets, gather on street corners, pop up in shop windows, and surprise you in other unexpected ways.
Visitors and locals alike can also look forward to self-guided scarecrow tours, ghost walks, live music, scarecrow making workshops, wine tastings, costumed stilt-walkers, harvest dinners, psychic readings, and so much more.
Haunted Theatre at College of Piping in Summerside
The venue was ready to host a show earlier this year and the cast was in place for the final rehearsal with special guests in the crowd.
It was an unusually eerie night, dark and quiet. The air was heavy. The show began, but never finished. No one ever left the building, and nobody really knows what transpired—no bodies were ever found.
With the The Celtic Performing Arts Centre at The College of Piping being closed for months, unruly phantoms, ghouls and scary creatures have taken up residence and are ready to welcome visitors into their Haunted Theatre.
Theatre staff all over the world tell stories of having ghosts haunting their venues. Some are tall tales and some are true, but with the Centre only being two years old, could there really be any ghosts haunting it?
Visit and make friends with the theatre’s new inhabitants. Don’t be afraid of the blood curdling screams heard in the distance, or the cackling of witches as they conjure up potions from their cauldron, and ignore the walking dead—they mean no harm.
The Haunted Theatre at the Celtic Performing Arts Centre is at 619 Water Street East in Summerside. Tours will run in small groups on a first come, first served basis starting at 7 pm on October 16–17, 23–24 and 30. Not recommended for family members under 13 years of age.
Tickets: collegeofpiping.com
Ivy Wigmore
Ghouls in them hills
“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” —Hamlet (1.5.167-8)
When I first started exploring the supernatural, I assumed that the vast majority of manifestations were the ghosts or spirits of humans and, beyond that, there might be animal spirits as well. I was quite skeptical about angels and demons, fairies and mermaids, elves and banshees and so on. Well, not really skeptical—I flat-out didn’t believe in them.
But then I started hearing stories about many of these and even stranger things. I also experienced a few myself and, one day, had a mind-blowing conversation with a paranormal expert who informed me that the supernatural world is essentially unlimited: If you can imagine its existence, it can exist—and those things you might never have imagined in your wildest dreams can pop up as well.
I also subscribed to the common perception of paranormal phenomena as things that “go bump in the night.” We often think that the spirit world is more active in the dark hours, but I no longer believe that’s true. Maybe we’re more primed for mystery when night closes in, vision is more limited and sounds more audible. Maybe we’re more oblivious to all but the most blatant of entities in the light of day.
In any case, I hear from people who have been going about their business in the middle of the day in a completely mundane frame of mind and come face to face with an entity that they might not have believed in five minutes beforehand.
Such was the case with the man in this
summer afternoon, Tom was driving in the Bonshaw area, on the Green/ Appin Road towards the highway, when his peripheral vision caught movement alongside the driver-side window. The hair stood up on the back of his neck, and he stared at the road straight ahead, afraid to look, although he could not have said why.
For a few moments, Tom just continued on, hoping that whatever it was would just disappear but eventually he felt compelled to look. Slowly, slowly, he turned his head. And as he did, the face of an elderly woman turned to meet his gaze. She smiled. It was not a pleasant smile.
Tom was freaking. He was driving at about 80 kilometers an hour: How the hell was an old lady running alongside? Now he had looked, he could not turn away. In shock or mesmerized, Tom continued to stare at the old lady. Looking down, he saw to his horror that she was only an old lady from the neck up. Her body was that of a giant jack rabbit.
“Can’t be real. Can’t be real.” The words echoed in Tom’s head as he wrenched his gaze away from the creature and back to the road. He floored the gas pedal and didn’t turn again lest she still be hanging on. Before he came to the highway, he must have lost her, because he was unaccompanied as he turned off the old roads and headed for Charlottetown.
In need of a drink, Tom headed straight for Brennan’s and there he met the woman who told me this story. He was so obviously distressed that she believed him immediately.
Believe or not, Reader, but keep your eyes on the road when you’re driving
Salt water, soil & sky
Emily Howard art at Ellen’s Creek Gallery—Oct 23 to Nov 9
Inspired by the three things one can find in every PEI landscape, Salt water, soil & sky, the latest exhibit from local artist Emily Howard will be on view at Ellen’s Creek Gallery from October 23 to November 9. The gallery is at 525 North River Rd, Charlottetown.
Thistle and Juniper
Sixty Days of Fame features paintings by Jennifer DesRoche
The Sixty Days of Fame series by Culture Summerside will launch again this fall with Thistle and Juniper, a series of paintings by Summerside artist Jennifer DesRoche featuring illustrations of forest animals and their fantasy home. DesRoche uses a variety of media to create her two characters who have kept her company for years including acrylic, watercolour, gouache, paper, and ink.
DesRoche, a graduate of Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, has been painting and drawing since she could hold a pencil. She is inspired by beloved children’s authors and illustrators Beatrix Potter, Richard Scarry, Maurice Sendak, and Jon Klassen.
The Sixty Days of Fame series will move from the MacNaught History Centre and Archives this season to the Lefurgey Room of the Lefurgey Cultural Centre, 205 Prince St, Summerside. The MacNaught gallery is currently housing the International Fox Museum exhibit while its home, the Summerside
Armoury, is under renovation. The hours to view Thistle and Juniper are Monday through Friday, 9 am to 4:30 pm, October 1 to November 30. Admission is free. There will not be an official opening.
Meet the Makers, no. 3
Melissa Peter-Paul and Bette Young will present—Oct 15
Meet the Makers is a casual, drop-in presentation series centring on the exhibition Creative Obsessions at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery (CCAG). Meet the Makers session three will be held October 15 from 12–3 pm with artists Melissa Peter-Paul (quillwork) and Bette Young (rug hooking).
For one afternoon, two artists will occupy the gallery to speak with visitors about the creative processes behind their works in the exhibition. To help with educating the public, artists will bring works in progress, studies or sketches of future works, tools they frequently use and/or other items that will help describe how they create what they do.
The goal of the Meet the Makers series is for visitors to come away with a deeper understanding of the techniques and labour that go into each artwork in the exhibition, and learn
information about these processes that they may not normally have access to from simply visiting the gallery. Everyone is welcome at this free public event. Visit confederationcentre. com/gallery for more information about Creative Obsessions, on display until January 3, 2021.
Painting by Jennifer DesRoche
Melissa Peter-Paul, Alasutmay (I Am Praying), 2020, Birch bark, sweet grass, porcupine quills, spruce root.
Art in the opening
Installation by Montreal artist Alexis Bellavance—until Oct 4
The Confederation Centre Art Gallery (CCAG) in partnership with Art in the Open will present Compression/ Decompression, a sculptural installation by Montreal artist Alexis Bellavance.
The giant inflatable work, on display at CCAG in Charlottetown until October 4, was originally meant to feature in this year’s Art in the Open festival. Unfortunately, weather conditions made the display too dangerous.
“In the end it works out really well for everyone,” says CCAG Curator Pan Wendt. “By good fortune, a space was available, and the public will get to see this work over an extended period. With its scale, it will look amazing in the Sobey Gallery.”
Multidisciplinary artist Alexis Bellavance is the co-founder of the Montreal performance event VIVA! Art Action and an active member of the
Dave Brosha on Antarctica
Photograph by Dave Brosha
Dave Brosha will give a virtual presentation on Antarctica to the PEI Photography Club on October 27. Brosha, well known for the “Land and Sea” workshops at his Long Creek studio, is an award-winning professional photographer and writer. He made his first voyage to the icy continent in 2017 as photographer in residence aboard the Akademik. Later he wrote, “Antarctica has stolen a piece of my heart...and [I am] so, so happy it will be potentially become a yearly part of my life.”
The club recently held its AGM and is currently accepting new members. Only paid members will receive the Zoom link to the club’s programs. For more information email info@peiphotoclub.com.
news ART
TTIS membership
artist-run centre Perte de Signal. His work has been presented in numerous events, festivals, and galleries in North America, Europe, and Asia. This is his first project on PEI.
Duncan Brooks’ art wins for PEI
Holland College student Duncan Brooks was named PEI’s regional winner in the 18th annual BMO 1st Art! competition, receiving a cash prize of $7500 for his original work entitled “Empty Steps.” His winning work is reminiscent of PEI’s various abandoned houses, this visually fragile and haphazard salvaged wood and nails work is a juxtaposition of the strength and reliability implied by its intended use.
The BMO 1st Art! annual gallery exhibition, hosted by the Art Museum at the University of Toronto at artmuseum.utoronto.ca, will showcase all 13 winning works until October 16. Visit 1stArt.bmo.com to view the winning works.
In consideration of the economic impact of COVID-19 on artists, this town is small (TTIS) has waived their membership fees for the 2020-21 year. To become a member, email Monica at this.town.is.small@ gmail.com.
Eptek scavenger hunt
Eptek Art & Culture Centre is offering exhibit related scavenger hunts for youth. Drop-ins are welcome but adults looking for something fun and educational to do with their kids may wish to call ahead. Eptek Art & Culture Centre is a site of the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation and is located at 130 Heather Moyse Dr, Summerside. Winter hours are Tue–Fri 10 am–4 pm, and most Sun from 12–4 pm. Admission is by donation. Info: 888-8373, peimuseum.com
National art prize
The Salt Spring National Art Prize was established in 2015 to recognize, showcase and publicize the accomplishments of Canadian visual artists. As a biennial national art prize with over $30,000 in awards, they are committed to continuing their legacy and look toward mounting a live exhibition in Sept 2021. Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada who are 18 years of age and older as of Jan 1, 2020 are invited to submit their two-dimensional and three-dimensional work for consideration. All submissions must be submitted by the artists themselves and their identity will be anonymous to the jury until the exhibition opens. The art prize will showcase approximately 50 finalists chosen by a national jury. The call for submissions will open Jan 1, 2021. saltspringartprize.ca
TTIS Crit Sessions for Artists
this town is small (TTIS) Crit Sessions for Artists provide an opportunity for practicing artists working in any medium to present and discuss their work. Sessions occur once per month with two presenting artists at each session. Facilitated by a moderator, the audience, made up of fellow artists, provides constructive feedback and engages in critical dialogue. Presenting artists receive an honorarium, a free membership, and peer feedback. Two slots are available for the October 27 online session, 7–9 pm via Zoom. To present, email Monica at this.town.is.small@gmail.com.
Fall visual art classes
The Confederation Centre Art Gallery (CCAG) is offering two fall visual arts courses for kids. Running Oct 17–Dec 5 in the Schurman Family Studio, the classes will be held on Sat mornings for eight weeks and are instructed by CCAG’s Visual Arts Educator Evan Furness. Exploring Visual Arts I (ages 6–8) will be offered from 9–10 am. In this
beginner class, students will explore the elements of art through drawing, painting and sculpting activities. Students will create artworks that focus specifically on each of the elements of art: line, shape, value, colour, form and texture. Through exercises and lessons students will learn skills that develop their visual literacy and technical ability. Activities will be supplemented by gallery visits. Exploring Visual Arts II (ages 9–12) will be offered from 11 am–12 pm. This class explores art from a more technical and open-minded perspective, using flexible exercises in drawing, painting, collage and sculpture. Activities will be supplemented by gallery tours, videos and images that are relevant to the topics at hand. To register, contact Kayla Shaw at 628-6128 or artseducation@confederationcentre.com.
Festive wreath contest
The annual Friends of Confederation Centre Festive Wreath Exhibition is coming soon. Open to children of all ages, adults, groups and businesses, with prize categories including children solo, children group, traditional, green living (recycled items), and off the wall. Participants are encouraged to use their imagination and have fun. Entries will be on display throughout the holiday season at the Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlotteown. Wreath drop off is Nov 21 and 22. Wreaths will be on display at the Centre until Dec 19. Info: 628-6141 or friends@confederationcentre.com
14A. Dir: Dror Zahavi, Germany, 2019, 106 min. Götz Otto, Peter Simonischek, Bibiana Beglau. In German, Hebrew, Arabic and English with English subtitles.
“In the engaging Crescendo, world-renowned German conductor Eduard Sporck, reluctantly accepts the task of creating an Israeli-Palestinian youth orchestra... Sporck’s students include Layla, a 24-yearold Palestinian violinist from the West Bank. Braving humiliating and frustrating security checkpoints, as well as the resistance of her traditional mother, Layla manages to get to the orchestra audition in Tel Aviv. She’s joined by her young neighbour, Omar who, with his proud father, plays traditional music on clarinet at local weddings. Sporck awards Layla a leadership role, which makes her a target for the anger of Jewish violinist Ron. He resents that some Palestinians are being chosen for the ensemble despite what he sees as inferior music skills. A rehearsal soon disintegrates into a shouting match between the Israeli and Palestinian musicians that makes personal the bitter political reality. In the face of this friction, the organizers decide to move the concert to the mountain region of Italy, where Sporck conducts a kind of group therapy
session... Crescendo’s noble intentions are complemented by gorgeous music, from Dvorak’s Serenade for Winds to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons to Ravel’s Bolero. The theme of music’s universal power to heal is not new. But as the maestro tells his students, if Jews and Germans can manage to see the humanity in one another, others can find common ground, too.”- Loren King, Newport This Week. Inspired by true stories.
Arab Blues
Oct 3-4
PG, coarse language, violence. Dir: Manele Labidi, France/Tunisia, 2019, 88 min. Golshifteh Farahani, Majd Mastoura, Aïsha Ben Miled. In French and Arabic with English and French subtitles.
“A light comedy on a topic you don’t see every day, starring Golshifteh Farahani (Paterson) as radiant yet tough Selma, a Tunis-born psychoanalyst who, having lived in Paris since age 10, has returned to Tunisia to set up a practice in a country where people habitually talk like crazy but not to mental health professionals. Via a colourful array of characters still getting their bearings post-Arab Spring, first-time
Advance Tickets
Our new website citycinema.ca is live. We now accept all major credit cards and debit online and at the cinema. Seating is limited—advance tickets are strongly recommend.
Limited Seating
We’re selling a reduced amount of our 70 seats per show, with checkerboard seat arrangement for distancing.
One-way Traffic System
To help with social distancing we created a one-way traffic system, just follow the arrows!
Masks
Please wear a mask when not eating your delicious popcorn. We have paper masks available free.
Subject to change
Film availability and provincial COVID guidelines are subject to change. Check our website on the day of the show.
Rent City Cinema
City Cinema is available for rent for private film viewings! We provide the projectionist and will have the the canteen and bar open for your group. Info/rates: chtownfilm@gmail.com.
writer-director Manele Labidi packs a lot of affectionate observations into compact running time.” - Lisa Nesselson, ScreenDaily
National Theatre Live: King Lear
Oct 8, 10, 17-19
PG, violent scenes, language. Dir: Jonathan Munby, UK, 2018, 227m including interval. Ian McKellen, AnitaJoy Uwajeh, Lloyd Hutchinson. $20 regular, $14 seniors and members. No passes.
“Ian McKellen played King Lear ten years ago in Trevor Nunn’s vehemently operatic interpretation for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Here in a more intimate setting he gives a strikingly conversational reading of the part, savouring the nuances of Lear’s nostalgia, dark logic and fragility as much as his scalding fury. At first McKellen makes Shakespeare’s tragic monarch a military hero. Sporting medals and gold braid, he takes a startlingly blithe approach to splitting his kingdom between his three daughters, simply clipping a map into thirds with deftly wielded scissors. But when Lear’s status as an imposing patron dissolves, McKellen movingly conveys his bewilderment... Jonathan Munby’s modern-dress account, clear-sighted rather than radical is satisfyingly brisk and finds some uncomfortably visceral ways to embody the play’s imagery of a society plunged into chaos. The supporting roles are luxuriously cast... But it is McKellen’s detailed performance that’s the production’s triumph. With finely measured intelligence he traces Lear’s inexorable movement from pomp via rage and shambolic delirium to melancholy tenderness and the agony of belated self-knowledge.” - Henry Hitchings, The Evening Standard
Splinters
Oct 9-11, & 15-17
14A, course language. Dir: Thom Fitzgerald, Canada, 2018, 87 min. Sofia Banzhaf, Gil Anderson, Callum Dunphy, Deb Allen,Best Actress Winner, ACTRA Maritimes and The Atlantic Film Festival.
“Adapted from Lee-Anne Poole’s stage play, Splinters follows Belle, a young woman who returns to Nova Scotia for her father’s funeral, forcing her to finally confront her overbearing mother, who became distant after she came
out as a teenager. But this time Belle has a new secret that she is trying to keep from her family in the form of her boyfriend Rob. Directed by Thom Fitzgerald, who continues to explore themes of sexuality in flux two decades after his breakout film The Hanging Garden, Splinters is a quietly moving and very well acted portrait of a young woman trying to balance both her grief and the shifting nature of her identity, while dealing with the demands and expectations of her family. It’s wonderful.” - John Corrado, One Movie, Our Views
Charlottetown Film Festival
Oct 23-25
Welcome to ChFF20! The Charlottetown Film Society proudly presents the 6th Annual Charlottetown Film Festival from Oct 23-25th at City Cinema. The festival is dedicated to showcasing and celebrating films from and about Atlantic Canada. We warmly welcome filmmakers and film fans to screenings, receptions and industry panels when we gather, as best we can, in October.
www.charlottetownfilmfest.com for full schedule and ticket info.
Jimmy Carter: Rock and Roll President
Oct 29-31, Nov 1
PG, mature themes. Dir: Mary Wharton, US, 2020, 96m. Madeleine Albright, Bono, Garth Brooks, Jimmy Buffet, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson.
“Music cuts through politics in this warming documentary... There’s such a buoyancy to the good times on display you’d be hardpressed to muster a frown... Oh, how I wish I could go back to the days when the likes of Willie Nelson, Dizzy Gillespie, Gregg Allman and Bob Dylan roamed the sacred halls of the White House. They are all here to reminisce, along with Carter himself, now just one month shy of his 96th birthday... Wharton traces the roots of Carter’s love of music back to Plains, Georgia, where a lifelong affection and appreciation for gospel evolved into what we now call soul music. But it was Carter’s son, Chip, who brought Dad full circle by exposing him to the likes of Bob Dylan and Paul Simon. It’s a who’s who of recording icons: Aretha Franklin, Loretta Lynn, Larry Gatlin, Trisha Yearwood, James Brown, Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, who until her death insisted she and the president were related by blood. Obviously, the soundtrack consists of one golden oldie after another. But it’s the testimonials from talking heads like Gregg Allman and Chuck Leavell from The Allman Brothers Band and Dylan himself, whose blessing of Carter carries the weight of canonization. The result is an irresistible blend of music, politics and lifelong friendships neatly pulled together into a riveting entertainment that has your foot tapping and your heart soaring.” - Al Alexander, the Patriot Ledger
CITY CINEMA TIMETABLE
Stray Shorts Stories by Sean McQuaid
Public domain
Lear
Splinters
Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
Regular $20 Student $16
Already a dwindling rarity by the time of your hoary historian’s youth, animated cartoon shorts were a fixture of movie theatres for decades, flourishing from the 1920s into the 1950s until animation production started skewing cheaper, quicker and more TV-centric.
While proliferating cut-rate animation may have helped kill off theatrical cartoons, TV reruns of theatrical shorts also helped secure lucrative afterlives for animated cartoon stars from producers such as Warner Brothers (Bugs Bunny and the rest of Looney Tunes/ Merrie Melodies gang) and Walt Disney (Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and so on).
Partly because of the money in TV (and later in home video as well), the various corporate owners of these old
cartoon shorts, with an emphasis on spooky stuff as Halloween draws nigh.
Dozens of early Warner Brothers shorts have fallen into the public domain, including The Haunted Mouse (1941): a hungry cat wanders into an old ghost town where a spectral mouse torments him for kicks. Atmospheric hijinks with a dark twist ending, this basic but fun short marked the debut of writer Michael Maltese, whose many later credits included eerie oddball classics like The Wearing of the Grin and Water, Water Every Hare
One of the superstars of public domain animation is Superman. A multimedia goldmine since his 1938 debut in Action Comics #1, Superman has starred in countless comics, movies, TV shows and more over the decades, most of it
These 17 Superman shorts are simplistic in terms of story and characterization, and often culturally outdated (the Famous-produced Japoteurs, Eleventh Hour and Jungle Drums are indefensibly racist). As eye candy, Fleischer’s lavishly budgeted, beautifully crafted Superman shorts are some of the best-looking, most dynamic action cartoons ever made, most of them still quite watchable, including Halloweenfriendly entries Terror on the Midway and The Mummy Strikes
The series’ retro-futuristic art deco design sensibility and its unique blend of flamboyant spectacle and shadowy chiaroscuro was a huge influence on later action animation, such as Warner’s 1990s classic Batman: the Animated Series and its assorted spinoffs; and having slipped into the public domain decades ago, the Fleischer Superman shorts are a staple of indie cartoon compilations (Bosko Video’s package being among the best).
Walt Disney has long fought to keep its aging film library’s rights locked up, even lobbying successfully to water down US public domain laws, but a few Disney shorts have stumbled into the public domain over time. One of the best is a Mickey Mouse short, The Mad Doctor (1933), in which the titular evil scientist kidnaps Mickey’s dog Pluto and plots to convert him into a hybrid canine-chicken abomination.
Spooky, funny and technically elaborate, with its richly detailed castle lair and its sadistic villain’s pre-Harryhausen army of reanimated skeletons, The Mad Doctor is a perceptive funhouse mirror reflection of 1930s horror movies and might be Mickey’s scariest short, which is probably part of how it ended up in the public domain. While it’s fairly tame by modern standards, The Mad Doctor was dark enough to be banned from UK and German theatres,
Arts Grants
The fall round of the PEI Arts Grants will open applications on September 25, 2020 at noon and will close on October 23, 2020 at 4:00 p.m.
There are three streams of grants available for artists who are PEI residents:
City Cinema and The Charlottetown Film Society would like to recognize our partnership with Film Circuit, presented by TIFF. For more information see www.tiff.net/filmcircuit
• Creation grants are for the creation of artistic projects by professional artists
• Dissemination grants are available for professional artists to present their completed works to the public
• Professional development grants are for both professional and amateur artists who wish to advance the development of their career through targeted training or conference
For more information visit www.princeedwardisland.ca/artsgrants
Subventions aux arts
Le programme de subventions aux arts de l’Î.-P.-É. acceptera les demandes dans le cadre de la série automnale de subventions du 25 septembre 2020 à midi jusqu’au 23 octobre 2020 à 16 h.
Trois types de subventions sont offerts aux artistes qui résident à l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard :
• Les subventions de création pour la création de projets artistiques par des artistes professionnels
• Les subventions de diffusion pour aider les artistes professionnels à présenter leur travail à la population
• Les subventions de perfectionnement professionnel pour appuyer les artistes amateurs et professionnels dans le développement de leur carrière grâce à des conférences et à de la formation ciblée
Pour plus d’information, allez à www.princeedwardisland.ca/artsgrants
Payé par le gouvernement de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard
Silly Robbie’s World on TV
New show to air on Eastlink TV—beginning Oct 24
Charlottetown’s Robbie Doherty’s latest project is coming to fruition this fall when his new TV show will air on Eastlink Community Television beginning October 24. The show builds on his live Silly Robbie music shows that focus on helping children to love themselves and respect others.
Silly Robbie’s World will air on Saturday mornings across Atlantic Canada. Each half-hour episode features Silly Robbie, his puppet friends Lucky and Eddie, and special guests. Together, they act as positive role models who help children understand that anything is possible when they love themselves and help each other.
Silly Robbie is a fun loving character with a huge imagination who often dreams so big that he fails to achieve his goals. Lucky is a little girl who is calculating, reserved and always by his side. His voice of reason, Lucky helps Silly Robbie to learn from his mistakes and prevent them from happening again. Eddie is a very smart boy who has social anxiety and needs a lot of
The Snow Chef
help from his friends to deal with life’s simple challenges.
Each episode takes a heartfelt, fun-filled look at life while helping children learn that happiness does not come from how you look on the outside or how popular you are on social media—but from accepting yourself just for who you are.
The show is totally homegrown on PEI by seven creative friends.
“We do everything ourselves— whether that’s creating and recording the music, developing the characters or producing the show,” Robbie said. “Using digital animation and green screen technology, the visual presentation is as good as you’ll see anywhere.”
Robbie’s hope for parents of children watching the show is that for one half hour every Saturday morning, their children will enjoy Silly Robbie’s fast paced adventures while receiving some very positive messages that strengthen their self-esteem.
For more information, head to sillyrobbie.com or follow on social media.
annual “Short Film Face Off“ on Saturday evenings from October 3–24.
Each episode of the “Short Film Face Off” will feature three shorts, one of which will move on to the fourth and final episode on October 24. Gustav the Snow Chef, a satirical cooking show, was selected from a Canada-wide pool to compete with eight other new Canadian short films.
Since CBC viewers will have the opportunity to vote for their favourite, the short film’s creators—Kelly Caseley, Sharlene Kelly and Graham Putnam (all veterans of the local comedy scene)—are hoping folks will tune in on Saturdays this month and, if they like what they see, support this crew of Island creatives with a vote.
Chef Gustav has become obsessed
HA Club improv
Murphy is an avid improv player, teacher and producer since learning about improv in the 90’s. Joining her on the HA Club project is Michael Peters (music direction), and Dylan Smith (technical direction).
with making dishes only out of snow and ice. In the world of high-end fine-dining, the lines between food and art can get blurred. The 10 minute parody of culinary shows like “Chef’s Table” and “Top Chef” was shot last winter just weeks before lockdown, and ironically had shooting days caught in two seperate snowstorms. The film has also been selected to be a part of the Devour! Food Film Fest in Wolfville, NS, this October 21–25. If Gustav the Snow Chef were fortunate enough to move on and win the “Short Film Face Off”, the creators will be awarded a cash prize, which would be welcomed, as the short film was made on a shoestring budget. National prestige could help put the Island’s comedic voice on the national stage, so check it out on Saturday evenings this October on CBC.
“There’s also a terrific improv game I’ll be teaching called ‘The Rant,’” says Murphy. “It’s a loud and powerful improv performance using truth in storytelling and interactive monologue that is pure improv magic.”
Given the Island’s love of musicals, Murphy thought she would add musical theatre improv to the Charlottetown improv mix.
The Made-up Musical drop-in class is from 6–7:30 pm, October 7 and 14, and The Rant drop-in class is from 8–9:30 pm October 7 and 14. No improv experience required. Ages 16+. To reserve a spot in advance, send an email to lauriemurphy@marram.ca or pay at the door.
Stay tuned for details about dropin improv classes and shows coming up in November and December.
The Haviland Club is located at 2 Haviland Street in Charlottetown.
Lucky and her right-hand woman Jillian Doherty
Local comedic short film Gustav the Snow Chef is competing nationally in CBC’s
Short film by Kelly Caseley, Sharlene Kelly and Graham Putnam chosen for CBC’s Short Film Face Off
HA Club Artistic Director Laurie Murphy is pursuing her passion for musical theatre improv by offering drop-in improv classes at the Haviland Club in Charlottetown.
Laurie Murphy
Celebrating David Helwig
Virtual book launch—Oct 14
On October 14 at 7 pm, Bookmark, members of PEI’s literary community, and some of David Helwig’s close poet friends from across Canada will gather virtually to celebrate the launch of this post-humous collection and David’s contribution to Canadian poetry.
When PEI poet and novelist David Helwig—a recipient of the Matt Cohen Prize for lifetime achievement and a member of the Order of Canada— died in October 2018, he left behind a substantial catalogue of unpublished work. A House in Memory, a selection of Helwig’s last poems, was assembled by his daughter Maggie Helwig. It shows an author still at the height of his powers, creating work in complex formal structures, contemplating mortality, memory and the landscape of his adopted home of PEI, and paying tribute to his literary predecessors.
The collection also includes unpublished poems from earlier in Helwig’s career. Ranging widely through time, space, and literary tradition, A House in Memory features some deeply personal poems. As Maggie says of her father, “he could not cease to be a poet as long as he had breath in this world.”
The event will be moderated by
former poet laureate of PEI, Hugh MacDonald. It will feature Island poets reading David’s poetry and conversation with David’s daughter Maggie and his partner Judy Gaudet. Join by registering at charlottetown@bookmarkreads.ca or 566-4888. After registering, you will receive an email with a link to the event.
A House in Memory is available at Bookmark in Charlottetown or online at bookmarkreads.ca.
Emily St. John Mandel
A virtual evening with best selling author—Oct 21
Charlottetown independent bookstore Bookmark will present an evening with New York Times best selling author, Emily St. John Mandel.
The virtual event will take place on October 21 at 7 pm and will be moderated by UPEI English professor, Dr. Greg Doran. Access to the event is available to anyone who has purchased The Glass Hotel from Bookmark by registering at bookmarkreads.ca or email charlottetown@bookmarkreads.ca.
Emily St. John Mandel is the author of four novels, including Station Eleven, which was a finalist for a National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award, won the 2015 Arthur C. Clarke Award, the Toronto Book Award and the Morning News Tournament of Books, and has been translated into 31 languages. Her new novel, The Glass Hotel has been long-listed for the 2020 Scotiabank Giller Prize. A previous novel, The Singer’s Gun, was the 2014 winner of the Prix Mystère de la Critique in France. Her short fiction and essays have been anthologized in
TALKS
Island Lecture Series
The Institute of Island Studies will host their annual Island Lecture Series online for the upcoming 2020-21 season. October’s lecture, “Writing the Island with JoDee Samuelson,” will be held online via Zoom on October 20 from 7–8 pm. The virtual event will feature JoDee Samuelson, author of The Cove Journal, reading from her collection of essays about life on the south shore of PEI. Following her presentation, JoDee will be joined by Bren Simmers (Island Studies Press) in conversation about her inspiration for the book, her writing process, and the art of place-based writing. Audience members will be encouraged to engage with the discussion by submitting questions. This event is free and everyone is welcome to attend. The event will be hosted on Zoom. Advance registration is required. Visit bit.ly/ IslandLectureSeries to reserve a spot. For more information about this event and the Island Lecture Series, visit islandstudies.com/islandlectureseries.
numerous collections, including The Best American Mystery Stories 2013. She is a staff writer for The Millions and lives in New York City with her husband and daughter.
The Glass Hotel is available at Bookmark in Charlottetown or online at bookmarkreads.ca.
(Nov 10); Shane O’Neill with “The Gaelic Athletic Association—Inroads into Canada and PEI” (Nov 20); John Flood with “Celebrating Katherine Hughes: The Road to Recognition” (Nov 27); and Frank Dolan with “Ireland Then and Now—What to See and What to Avoid” (Dec 4). All lectures begin at 7:30 pm at the Irish Cultural Centre, 582 North River Rd, Charlottetown. Admission is by donation.
Acadian Museum Tuesday Talks
The 16th edition of the popular Tuesday Talks organized by the Acadian Museum of PEI was launched in September with the final two talks coming up in October. Geographer Samuel Arseneault will be the guest speaker on October 6 at the Village musical acadien in AbramVillage. In his French presentation, “Ce que les cartes géographiques nous disent sur l’histoire de l’Île,” he will take the audience back in time to discover maps of the Island covering more than 400 years. Historian Georges Arsenault will be the guest speaker on October 13 at the Eptek Centre in Summerside. The final talk, in English, is entitled “The Gallants and the Martins: the Island’s two first Acadian families” and will tell the story of two pioneer families with numerous descendants on the Island. The talks begin at 7 pm and seating is limited to 50 people. Register in advance at 432-2880. Admission is free, but donations are greatly appreciated.
BIS Fall Lecture Series
The Benevolent Irish Society Fall Lecture Series will begin in Oct. Upcoming guest speakers are: Leonard Cusack with “The Dalton Sanitorium in Emyvale and the Tuberculosis Pandemic” (Oct 28); John Daniel McAskill with “Exploring Gaelic Culture in the Upper Hillsborough Area” (Nov 4); Catherine Hennessey with “Architectural History of Charlottetown—the Irish Influence”
JoDee Samuelson
production of drama and comedy, heroes and heroines, songs and soliloquies. He was the Forrest Gump of Canada—manically on the move, unexpectedly at the happenings and constantly in the company of a celebrity, from sporting greats, to Joni Mitchell, to Marlene Dietrich, to Shakespearean stars. And always in the background, a symphony of tragedy that shattered his upper-middle-class family, in endless rivalry with a life-defining melody and accompanying lyrics: life is no abyss…somewhere there’s a bluebird of happiness.
John Uren worked in public relations at the Charlottetown Festival in the mid 1970s.
Pluck & Luck: The Tragedies and Triumphs of a Free Canadian is available at burnstownpublishing.com.
The Keto Solution: A Practical Guide for Living Your Low-Carbohydrate Life
Angela Doucette
Join Acorn Press author Angela Doucette in conversation with David Rashed and Jill Sabean as they discuss Doucette’s new book The Keto Solution: A Practical Guide for Living Your Low-Carbohydrate Life during the online book launch October 14 from 7–8 pm at bookmarkreads.ca.
At the age of 40, Angela Doucette was seriously overweight and starting to show signs of metabolic disease. She had developed high blood pressure and had some concerning numbers in her cholesterol/ lipid profile. She switched to a more primal way of eating and was finally able to shift the weight. Surprisingly, her blood pressure decreased naturally, her hs-CRP (an inflammatory marker) dropped significantly, and her lipid profile improved without medication. As a way to share the benefits, she started a weight loss and coaching program and offers workshops as well as online and in-person meetings. She has also created a peer support network through the Keto Solution Facebook group.
Doucette graduated from Dalhousie College of Pharmacy in 1992. After her own battle with weight
issues, and losing her father to heart disease at the age of 58, Angela developed a special interest in Therapeutic Nutrition for Obesity and Metabolic Disease management. As a pharmacist, she is particularly interested in a food first approach to the management of Type 2 Diabetes and helping people reduce medication use. Angela is a Certified Bariatric Educator through the Canadian Obesity Network and a member of Canadian Clinicians for Therapeutic Nutrition. She is passionate about helping others struggling with weight and other lifestyle related health challenges. She lives in Charlottetown.
Jill Sabean and David Rashed offer peer support within the Keto Solution community. During the book launch they will discuss their experiences with a low carbohydrate, high fat diet.
Packed with recipes and helpful hints, The Keto Solution is a key ingredient for switching to a Keto lifestyle. It’s available at bookmarkreads.ca. Visit ketosolution.ca more information.
Home Is Where the Water Is Dr. Hung-Min Chiang
Home Is Where the Water Is, a memoir by retired UPEI professor Dr. Hung-Min Chiang has recently been published by Island Studies Press.
Born and raised in tumultuous times in East Asia, Hung-Min Chiang survived earthquakes, wars, foreign occupation, dictatorship and illness before making his way to PEI. While navigating his perilous journey, Chiang learned and practiced “The Way of Water,” Daoist lessons for living drawn from nature. Home Is Where the Water Is examines the many critical turning points in life and is a perfect companion to our current crisis.
Throughout his memoir, Chiang reflects on the lessons of his mentor, American psychologist Abraham Maslow (1908–1970) and ancestor Chiang Taigong (1128–1015 BC), a wacky old fisherman whose outlandish techniques caught the attention of a king. His fascination with these unorthodox figures led to a lifetime of questions and a rewarding career in psychology.
Dr. Chiang is the award-winning author of Chinese Islanders: Making a Home in the New World. A humanist at heart, he is remembered fondly by his students as
a dedicated, highly original, and inspiring professor with a self-deprecating sense of humour. He lives with his wife Mei-chih in Charlottetown.
Graphic design for the book was done by Ruby Square Graphic Design in Charlottetown. The book is available for sale at Bookmark and the UPEI bookstore. Mail orders are available through Nimbus Publishing at nimbus.ca.
The Story of the I’m
Alone wins at TIFA
The Story of the I’m Alone, produced by Penumbra Press, was recently selected as the winner in the Animated Short category at the Toronto Independent Film Awards. The Wade Hemsworth video animation was directed by Allison Wolvers.
The animation is about prohibition, and the “I’m Alone,” a contraband schooner out of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia that was attacked and sunk by the American coastguard in 1929.
Wade Hensworth is the singer and songwriter who also sang “The Blackfly Song” (an Oscar nominee in 1991 in the Animated Short category) and “The Log Driver’s Waltz,” both NFB animations.
BOOKS PEI
Mi’kmaq Campfire Stories of Prince Edward Island
Julie Pellissier-Lush
Illustrated by Laurie Martin
The Mi’kmaq People have been here since the ice began to melt over this great land. They learned the medicines in nature to keep them healthy and they hunted the animals of the land and fished the waters of the sea. During the summer months they would gather in large community groups to celebrate, dance and sing. When the cold winds started to blow, they would go off in their own little family units to survive the winter. It was a hard life and it was always a struggle to make it through the long cold winters. One thing is certain, at night—by the campfire under the stars—those families would tell stories, stories about who they were, where they came from, and all the lessons they needed to learn about life. Those stories passed on traditions, songs, language and the culture of the Mi’kmaq People.
Mi’kmaq Campfire Stories of Prince Edward Island by Acorn Press author Julie Pellisier-Lush and illustrator Laurie Martin presents just a couple of those stories that were passed down through generations. Hear them, learn from them, experience them, but most of all, enjoy them.
Julie Pellissier-Lush M.S.M is an actress and bestselling author of My Mi’kmaq Mother, poet laureate for PEI, recipient of the Queens Jubilee Medal in 2013, the Meritorious Service Medal recipient in 2017, and the Senators 150 metal in April 2019. She writes, acts, and does photography to preserve the history and culture of the Mi’kmaq for future generations.
Laurie Ann Marie Martin is a graphic and freelance artist. Her graphic design business Laurs Graphics focuses on illustrating Mi’kmaw culture, legends and matching them to curriculum outcomes to create educational packages for schools.
The online book launch takes place October 7 from 7–8 pm at bookmarkreads.ca
Angora Napkin: The Golden McGuffin Troy Little
Angora Napkin: The Golden McGuffin is the final chapter in author Troy Little’s Angora Napkin saga. Cuddle Core pop icons Angora Napkin have opened an Existential Detective Agency as a side hustle, because why not? Murder, mystery and mayhem ensue on a quest for the enigmatic Golden McGuffin.
This new stand alone graphic novel collects the long running, infrequently updated web comic by local boy Troy Little. It’s hard boiled tomfoolery in the form of a sequential narrative that’s bound to leave the reader both amused and perplexed.
Three time Eisner nominee and Harvey nominee, Troy has worked with IDW, Oni and Tops Shelf on the adaption of Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas, Rick & Morty VS Dungeons & Dragons, The Powerpuff Girls, Radically Rearranged Ronin Ragdolls with Kevin Eastman (TMNT), as well as his creator owned books, Chiaroscuro and the Angora Napkin series.
Snatch a copy at Comic Hunter or Lightning Bolt Comics in Charlottetown, or contact Pegamoose Press at pegamoosepress.com for more information.
Support provided from the PEI Arts Grants program through Innovation PEI.
Broken Crayons
Patsy Dingwell
Illustrated by Marla Lesage
Island author Patsy Dingwell has released her first book, Broken Crayons
When Ms. Gillis, a preservice teacher on PEI, decides to complete her International Teaching Practicum in Kenya, sponsored by Farmers Helping Farmers, she can’t wait to start her adventure in the
warm African sun, leaving behind cold February days in Canada and (as she comes to learn) a well-stocked Island classroom. She is eager to share her newly-acquired teaching skills with the children in Kenya. She arrives laden with gifts and school supplies from friends on PEI. As she distributes a gift of crayons to her students she soon realizes that she is the one who has the most to learn. Broken Crayons is a delightful story written for school age children. It is a based on a true story that never grows old and one which carries a message for all ages.
Dingwell’s grandchildren are often the audience for her life-long love of storytelling. A retired special education assistant, she now makes time to write and travel. Her favourite destination is Kenya, having visited three times. As a long-time member of Farmers Helping Farmers Dingwell founded the School Twinning Project and is proud to relate stories of this Island NGO.
Marla Lesage is an artist, illustrator, writer and dreamer. She lives in New Brunswick with her favourite scallywags and several fish. She is the author and illustrator of Pirate,Year Round
Online book launch details can be found on the Acorn Press website at acornpresscanada.com.
Ben of the Island: Iceboats and Phantom Ship
Terrilyn Kerr
Illustrated by Nancy Perkins
The year is 1885. Ben is now five years old and living at the Wood Islands lighthouse on the Northumberland Strait. He is well known as a local hero because he saved the lighthouse keeper from a large black bear and rescued a lost little girl four years earlier. Ben is about to become even more famous as he helps rescue the crew and passengers of three iceboats during a massive blizzard. And the following summer he joins in a frantic rescue effort to save the crew and passengers of a burning ship.
Terrilyn Kerr will be launching Ben of the Island: Iceboats and Phantom Ship at 10 am on October 10 at the Murray Harbour Farmer’s Market located at Murray Harbour Community Centre. The launch will be a virtual Facebook presentation featuring the second in Terrilyn’s series about Ben the Chesapeake Bay retriever (her fourth book).
Iceboats and Phantom Ship is illustrated by Island artist Nancy Perkins who also illustrated Kerr’s Little Red Marble series.
terrilynkerr.ca
A gift of Island Poetry
EARLY MORNING MIST
A soft breath has come to earth.
It must have paused a moment before lowering its gentle weight upon the autumn fields, before consenting to be contoured by the hills.
Now a muffled animal, it settles down and spreads itself across the stubble, threads its way among the lower branches of the spruce, and brushes its back against the alder grove.
It weaves a shy course through the cattails and strokes its cool palm over the hushed pond.
Its beauty comes from what it is –unconcocted and easeful in its being; neither rising nor falling, it takes the light and comes or goes according to the way things are. It bends its form to the world’s shape.
Here, for this morning, this day, a presence not meant to stay.
Introduces
Residency at The Hideout
Poet William Bonfiglio (NB) has been named the recipient of this year’s Hideout Residency Scholarship. The scholarship will allow Mr. Bonfiglio to attend a one-week self-directed writing residency at The Hideout, a boutique retreat located near Victoria-by-the-Sea.
The scholarship program is available this year to one promising artist or wellness practitioner. Residencies are available in the spring and fall of each year, although this year’s spring residencies have been rescheduled.
The scholarship covers a one-week residency at The Hideout. Residency dates and scholarship information for 2021 will be announced in January.
thehideoutpei.com
A
www.waterstonelawpei.ca
Prometheus Reconsiders Fire. The Acorn Press, 2016.
Deirdre Kessler selects a poem a month by an Island poet for The Buzz
Fridays for Future
Fridays for Future climate rallies take place 4–5 pm every Fri in front of Province House in Charlottetown. The gathering is a call for political leaders to take drastic meaningful action to address the climate emergency and do their part to transform the economy from dependence on fossil fuels to using only clean renewable energy. Started by Greta Thunberg in Aug 2018, join in solidarity with youth-led #FridaysForFuture school climate strikes happening across Canada and around the world. All are welcome. Signs are available or bring your own.
UPEI seeking participants
Students in UPEI’s Kinesiology 3430 class are seeking participants to take part in a four-week exercise training program. Students will create personalized exercise training programs for each participant based on their fitness, skill level and personal interests. Participants must be between 30–70 years of age. The program is being held entirely online. Participants will meet virtually with their student trainers one to two times a week for four weeks. No previous experience necessary. Contact Tyler Baker at tpbaker@ upei.ca or 620-5038 to sign up.
PEI Wellbeing Project
The University of East London is conducting research to measure the wellbeing of Islanders. The province-wide account of wellbeing will explore factors that contribute to happiness of PEI residents. The PEI Wellbeing Project is asking anyone over the age of 18 who lives on PEI to help by completing a short 10-minute anonymous online survey. Results of the survey will provide data that can help inform decisions impacting the future of the province. To complete the survey visit peiwellbeingproject.ca.
CFPEI scholarships
Fall scholarship applications are now being accepted at the Community Foundation of PEI (CFPEI) for both the PEI Protestant Children’s Trust Bursary and the St. Andrew’s Society Scholarship. Details and applications at cfpei.ca.
Autumn walk in Tracadie
The Tracadie Good Neighbourly Club invites you to join them for a Fall colours walk. Meet at Tracadie Community Centre on Oct 4 at 2 pm. Info: 330-2248
Sociable Singles
PEI Sociable Singles is a non-profit, non-denominational, social group. Members are 40+. The group provides the separated, divorced, widowed, and unmarried with an opportunity to participate in healthy group and social activities such as dances, potlucks, movies, walks/hikes, card games, dining, bbqs, games nights and more. Sociable Singles is not a dating club. Meet compatible people who are unattached and in similar circumstances. Meet and Greet Socials are held weekly on Mon at 7 pm. West Royalty Community Centre, 1 Kirkdale Rd, Rm 6, Charlottetown. sociable_singles@yahoo.com, sites.google.com/site/ peisociablesingles
COMMUNITY #1
World Architecture Day PEI
The Architects Association of PEI will celebrate World Architecture Day with a live virtual public event to be held online at aapei.com Oct 5 at 7 pm. Keynote speaker Ben Hayward will explore the world of tiny houses through design-build research energy, art, craft and place. Hayward will discuss how to acheive low cost, high quality and mass market desirability when it comes to tiny homes. Learn about the Solar Thermal Tiny House which aims to be a testing bed for four key areas of research: energy, art, craft and place; and the Hobbit Van project which was spurred from trying to create a comfortable and affordable home away from home, gaining access to superior training facilities and coaching support in Europe. Hayward will focus on digital fabrication and design-build projects, most notably his tiny house, currently parked outside the architecture building at Carleton University in Ottawa, ON.
Online grief support
An online grief support group is held on the third Thu of each month at 7 pm. The next meeting is Oct 15. Facilitated by Blanche Ward, Social Worker at the Provincial Palliative Care Centre and Liz Parsons, Hospice PEI Grief Support Coordinator, the drop-in sessions are online. To register contact Liz at 438-4231 to receive a log in and password. First time Zoom users welcome. Technical support can be arranged a few days before the session. One-on-one grief support Hospice volunteers are also available for private phone conversations.
Lest We Forget meeting
The Lest We Forget Veteran’s Committee is a non-profit organization committed to ensuring all PEI veterans who served, are serving or will serve, will never be forgotten. The committee will have a public meeting at the Royal Canadian Legion in Summerside Oct 7 at 6:30 pm to discuss creating a military museum for Prince County veterans. Members of the public are encouraged to attend. Seating is limited to 50 people due to current public health regulations. Info: Erin, 954-0387, pei.lestweforget@gmail.com
2020 Ignition Fund
Applications are open for Innovation PEI’s 2020 Ignition Fund competition which offers up to $25,000 to launch or
identifying as Indigenous. Of those 75 respondents, 52 percent noted that they would like to see the statue removed as they feel it is offensive and inappropriate, 45 percent would like to see it stay in place but have an educational plaque added describing the role MacDonald played in creating the Indian Act and the residential school system, and 3 percent would like to see it stay as is.
Water consumption
The Charlottetown Water and Sewer Utility has seen a significant decrease in annual water consumption over the past seven years since the Universal Metering program was introduced in 2013. The year prior, in 2012, Council implemented Summer Water Usage Restrictions, which included guidelines for specific outdoor water use and timing stipulations geared at further reducing consumption. Since then, Utility customers have reduced consumption by 13 per cent through water conservation measures.
Dying with Dignity
expand a business in PEI. This is the 7th year for the Ignition Fund, which supported 10 entrepreneurs across PEI last year with start-up and expansion funding. To qualify, applicants must be start-up businesses and entrepreneurs who are committed to establishing and operating a new business in PEI. The products or services must be innovative and have the potential to be sold outside of PEI. Applications accepted until Oct 9 at princeedwardisland.ca/ignitionfund.
Arts grants applications
PEI professional artists are invited to apply for funding during the fall 2020 round of arts grants to support their growth and creativity. Applications can be submitted at princeedwardisland. ca/artsgrants for three types of grants: creation, dissemination, and professional development. The deadline to apply is Oct 23 at 4 pm.
NCPEI survey results
The Native Council of PEI (NCPEI) recently conducted a survey as a result of discussions surrounding the Sir John A. MacDonald statue in Charlottetown. Both Indigenous and non-Indigenous respondents were eligible to complete the survey, which was shared on the Native Council of PEI’s Facebook page and website. The survey received a total of 334 responses, with 75 respondents
The Dying with Dignity (DWD) chapter on PEI are volunteers who provide support and educational sessions to anyone who would like to learn more about patient rights and end of life options in this province. They also encourage everyone to make an advanced care plan (ACP) for their health care in the event of an accident or sudden serious illness, should they not be able to communicate their wishes for medical assistance or treatment. People who want to learn more about end of life choices are encouraged to visit dyingwithdignity. ca where they can learn more, download an ACP kit, and watch past and upcoming webinars. Info: Judy de Lima 963-2679, jandjdelima@hotmail.ca; Barb McDowall, 314-6670, Orysia Dawydiak, orysiad@icloud.com.
2SLGBTQ+ Youth Group
PEI’s Queer Youth Collective is back in action with in-person sessions in Charlottetown, Summerside and Alberton. The 2SLGBTQ+ Youth Group is open to all Island youth ages 18 and under, regardless of identity. Alberton sessions will be held at the Alberton Employment Resource Centre every 3rd Tue of the month from 6–8 pm. Summerside will run out of the Summerside Youth Engagement Centre every 1st and 3rd Tue of the month from 6–8 pm. Charlottetown will run out of the Murphy’s Community Centre every 2nd and last Tue of the month from 6–8 pm. Masks, gloves, and hand sanitizer will be provided as needed, but folks are encouraged to bring their own masks. Info: Rory youthpc@peersalliance.ca
2SLGBTQ+ Adult drop-ins
2SLGTBQ+ Adult Drop-in nights for adults 18 and older are held every 3rd Wed of each month, Sep–Jun, from 6–8 pm at their new meeting location, the Haviland Club, 2 Haviland St, Charlottetown. Info: community@peersalliance.ca, 566-2437
Way up West by Jan Cox
Behind the counter
Forty three years on Main Street, Alberton for Jerry Saunders
Saunders Variety on Alberton’s Main Street recently celebrated its 43rd anniversary. I sat down with owner, Jerry Saunders, to find out about the man himself.
“I started working at Myricks Store, just on the corner of Main St, when I was eight,” Jerry chuckled. “I earned five dollars a week.” And with that first job, came Jerry’s love of retail.
“I packed groceries, stocked shelves and carried the groceries to the car. Not like now. When I was a little older, I had two paper routes and cut grass for others, all over the place,” he said. At 15, he quit school and went to work at Myricks full time for $28 weekly. He left the store in 1964 to work for Coca Cola, delivering Coke from Miscouche. There are a few around who still call him “Jerry Coke.” After 10 years of being on the road, he opened an independent convenience store on Main St. In 1977 he moved across the street and opened Saunders Variety. His brother ran the first store until 1997.
Jerry told me, “I tried everything [product] trying to make a go of it. I was getting more into clothing and footwear and gradually started going toward brand names. I went with what was working. Basic stuff for the farmers and fishermen, the whole family, with a little bit of fashion too!”
Now, 43 years later, Saunders Variety attracts customers from across the Island. “We have our once a year
shoppers from Charlottetown. They come up here, get what they need in clothing and footwear for the season. Make a day of it. It’s a ritual.” he said.
Jerry’s real passion, what still gives him a thrill, is attending the retail shows. “The shows have changed, he said. “There’s so much online stuff now, especially with COVID. But I want to look at the product. I want to feel it. I see some of the same salespeople I have for years. And some of the same retailers. After all these years, I still get hyped up before the shows. I can feel that drive inside me every time we head out to a show.”
What contributes to Saunders Variety’s longevity? “Knowing my customers needs and my staff. Customer service. If it wasn’t for the good staff I have now, and have had over the years, we wouldn’t be where we are today. And yes, yes, my family. Their support has been great. I train my staff to put themselves on the other side of the counter. I don’t care if I lose a sale. I tell them, don’t tell a customer they look terrific or that fits so well, if it doesn’t.”
Is retirement in the future for Jerry Saunders? “I have no desire to quit. I love coming to work every day. A fella was in here the other day and said to me, ‘Say, I’ve been coming here 30 years. How long have you been here?’ That’s what it’s like. This is all I’ve ever done all my life, it’s what I know.”
Thanks Jerry, for your years of service to the community. Happy anniversary!
JAN COX
Jerry Saunders with a replica of the 1964 Coca-Cola truck he drove for 10 years
Increased wages for ECEs
COMMUNITY #2
Youth mentors needed
Big Brothers Big Sisters of PEI is looking for Big Brothers, Big Sisters and Big Couples. Volunteer to be a youth mentor and be the spark that ignites potential. Help build a child’s self-esteem and provide guidance while having a lot of fun. Info/apply: 569-KIDS (5437), info@ bbbspei.ca, bbbspei.ca
Firefighter recruitment
The City of Charlottetown’s Fire Dept launched its volunteer firefighter recruitment in Sep. Application packages will be available until Oct 30 at the Charlottetown Fire Dept Station 1 at 89 Kent St (24/7) during the recruitment campaign and at Station 2 at 152 St. Peters Rd between 10 am–2 pm on weekends. All volunteer firefighters in Charlottetown receive training and leadership development, insurance coverage, fellowship, and annual honorariums. Completed applications are due by Nov 14 and must be returned to Station 1. The City’s two fire stations include a roster of volunteers who perform a number of duties: rescues, fire response, vehicle and equipment operation and maintenance, and assisting with fire prevention and education programs. Info: 629-4083, charlottetown.ca/fire
Eastern Kings Wind Farm
Minister of Environment, Water and Climate Change Natalie Jameson approved the PEI Energy Corporation’s 30-megawatt Eastern Kings Wind Farm project under the Environmental Protection Act, subject to 17 conditions that include ongoing monitoring of the impact to the environment. A full copy of the Minister’s Environmental Impact Assessment approval is available online at princeedwardisland.ca.
ADHD Awareness month
October is ADHD Awareness month. Every year, organizations serving those with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)/Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) host events and activities in their communities. ADHD PEI will be participating this year with the Oct 1 launch of their website, adhdpei.com, where visitors can find information about the organization, their support groups, FAQ’s, and a list of local and online resources to support those with ADHD on PEI and their loved ones. To raise awareness and celebrate the launch of the website, ADHD PEI will also release an informative online quiz that people can share with their friends. In addition, two online open house information sessions will be held at 7:30 pm Oct 14 and 28. The sessions will be hosted via Zoom. The meeting link can be found on their website or Facebook events page. Info: contact@adhdpei.ca
Parks & Rec programs
The City of Charlottetown Parks and Recreation Dept. has released its 2020/21 Fall and Winter Program Brochure. It is available online at charlottetown.ca with limited printed copies available at select locations including City Hall. Activities include something for everyone, from pre-school children to seniors, including badminton, basketball, play groups, introduction to sports, fitness classes and more. Many of the fall programs are now open for registration. Info: 368-1025
Easy fire prevention steps
Taking easy fire prevention measures at home can help save lives, homes and personal property. After a particularly dry summer, Islanders are reminded to take fire prevention measures to keep themselves and their homes safe. Easy fire measures can include: regularly changing batteries for all smoke and carbon monoxide alarms; practicing home fire drills with all household members; keeping anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment; never leaving any cooking appliance unattended; keeping matches and lighters out of reach and out of sight of children; properly disposing of any ignition source materials; and having any heating equipment or generators installed by professionals and scheduling regular maintenance. princeedwardisland.ca
Access PEI extended hours
Access PEI Charlottetown will open on Saturday mornings to serve more Islanders and alleviate wait times. Until Oct 31, the Charlottetown office at Riverside Dr will be open from 9 am–12 pm to provide select services that are currently in high demand, including driver’s license renewals and exchanges, vehicle renewals and transfers, and Class 5 and Class 7 appointment bookings. Access PEI offices currently open to the public include O’Leary, Summerside, Wellington, Charlottetown, Tignish and Souris. princeedwardisland.ca
Proportional representaion
Islanders for Proportional Representation (IPR) will host the virtual forum, PR Vision 2020 and beyond: Ways Forward, Oct 24 at 2 pm. The interactive online event will mark 18 months since the 2019 referendum which revealed that a growing number of Islanders want electoral democracy in the form of proportional representation (PR) for PEI. Keynote speaker Willie Sullivan from the Scottish branch of Electoral Reform Society, will discuss how PR is working in Scotland, how difficulties are being addressed, and how many fears about PR are proving to be unfounded. To register, visit islanders4pr.ca or follow Islanders4pr on FB. All are welcome to attend.
PEI’s early childhood educators (ECEs) will see a wage increase and licensed child care centres will get more support for extra health and safety measures to benefit children and staff. Beginning Oct 1, salaries will increase for 367 ECEs and more than 110 autism assistants and special needs assistants in the province. Also, early childhood centres that currently receive the Quality Enhancement Grant and provide service to children from birth to school entry will get an increase in their annual funding. To further support centres, the province will use a portion of its federal COVID19 relief grant to provide licensed early learning and child care centers with additional support staff, personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies to meet health and safety measures. ecdaofpei.ca
Youth mental health
In Aug, educators, policy makers, parents, community leaders, academics and youth leaders came together virtually for the Atlantic Policy Forum, organized by the Atlantic Summer Institute (ASI) on Healthy and Safe Communities, to discuss risk factors and potential solutions for youth mental health. The three day forum focused on investment in upstream policies for addressing mental health early in life, creating healthy and safe spaces for children and teens. Participants learned about the importance of early childhood and social and economic environments for future mental health. Connections were drawn between poverty, instability, and mental illness later in life, and stressed the direct relationship between rising social and financial inequities and rising rates of mental health issues amongst children. ASI and partner organizations intend to collaborate on a policy brief that will turn discussions from ASI 2020 into concrete proposals for policy action in Atlantic Canada. This policy brief, prepared by A Way Home Canada, will include next steps and recommendations for upstream investment that will lead to healthier and safer Atlantic communities.
New health care workers
A total of 18 new physicians, 12 specialists and six family medicine physicians, have signed on to practice in PEI this year. Specialties include hospitalist, radiology, pediatrics, rheumatology, general surgery, internal medicine, cardiology, hematology, neurology, neonatal pediatrics, and OBGYN. In addition, 76 graduate registered nurses (RN), four graduate Nurse Practitioners (NP), three experienced RNs and two experienced NPs have been hired as part of the Nursing Recruitment Incentive Program. 78 nursing students were hired through the Nursing Student Employment program to start work in Health PEI and private long-term care facilities, more than double the usual number. Through the Health Care Futures Program, 26 university students were hired to work in health care settings in PEI this summer.
New ED for PEI Museum & Heritage
Dr. Matthew McRae has been hired as the new executive director for the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation, an organization that helps to inform people about the Island’s rich history and culture.
McRae began his new role in September, replacing Dr. David L. Keenlyside, who retired after serving as ED of the Foundation since 2007.
The PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation studies, collects, interprets and protects information about the human and natural history of PEI. The executive director reports to the Board of Governors.
The foundation operates seven provincial museum and heritage
PEIBWA’s annual symposium
The PEI Business Women’s Association (PEIBWA) is hosting its annual Symposium October 6 from 9 am–4 pm in a virtual, online format, at no cost to attendees. Speakers for the event are Zita Cobb, Ashleigh Weeden and Dr. Wendy Cukier.
Zita Cobb is Founder and CEO of Shorefast, Innkeeper of Fogo Island Inn, and an eighth-generation Fogo Islander. She will share the story of Shorefast’s projects on Fogo Island, which comprise a holistic set of charitable programs as well as three social businesses (including Fogo Island Inn) that return all profits to the community they were founded to serve.
Ashleigh Weeden is a rural innovator and a long-time advocate for community engagement, open government, and meaningful applied technological innovation. She is currently completing her PhD in Rural Studies at the University of Guelph. She will
Canada’s Food Island supports local
Canada’s Food Island, adapting to support PEI’s food industry and tourism operators, has launched a gift card program to encourage Islanders and visitors to buy and spend locally.
Accommodation partners have created packages including free gift cards. Canada’s Food Island gift cards will be sold to consumers at a twenty percent discount during the program period at Mel’s Convenience, Murphy’s Pharmacy and Co-op locations in Souris, Alberton and O’Leary, with
sites across PEI, providing Islanders and visitors with an opportunity to discover the province’s heritage and culture. peimuseum.ca
share stories from rural and island community economic development initiatives in Canada and Scotland.
Dr. Wendy Cukier is Professor of Entrepreneurship and Strategy and Academic Director of the Diversity Institute at the Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson University. She leads the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub, funded by the Gov. of Canada which promotes inclusive supports for women and other diverse entrepreneurs. Her keynote will focus on women and entrepreneurship and the value of diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Additional Symposium presenters include Virginia (Ginny) McGowan of McGowan & Co: The Write Edit Group; PEI Poet Laureate Julie Pellissier-Lush; Dee Enright of Jebbca strategies; Maria Dow of Grant Thornton and Ryan McCarville of McInnes Cooper. Island musician Rachel Beck will wrap up the day with a facilitated discussion and live performance.
Membership is not required, but you must pre-register by visiting peibwa.org/symposium.
additional retail partners coming soon.
PEI food will also be in the social media spotlight thanks to the Fall Flavours’ Local Food Advocates. These local ambassadors of Canada’s Food Island will be dining out, highlighting staycations and taking in culinary adventures—celebrating PEI ingredients through their social platforms.
Chef Michael Smith will showcase the Island’s rich food scene in a series of videos presented by Sobeys. Follow along as Chef Michael explores different regions of the Island, meets local characters, and cooks up dishes showcasing PEI ingredients. canadasfoodisland.ca
Dr. Matthew McRae
2020 Symons Medal
Medal recipient Bob Rae will give online lecture—Oct 30
Confederation Centre of the Arts will present the 2020 Symons Medal to the Honourable Bob Rae, PC, CC, OO, QC through an online broadcast on October 30.
The Symons Medal and Lecture Series is named in honour of Professor Thomas H.B. Symons, a long-time supporter of Confederation Centre and a Board Governor. The Symons Medal recognizes an individual who has made an exceptional contribution to Canadian life and is presented annually at the Centre.
The Symons Medal Ceremony and Lecture will be streamed online via the Centre’s Facebook and YouTube channels on October 30 at 8 pm.
The Medal Lecture, entitled: “Learning from The Past, Imagining the Future: Reflections from a Political Life” will be followed by a live Q&A component with viewers.
“I am delighted to be following so many distinguished Canadians as this year’s Symons Medal recipient,” states Hon. Rae. “I have long admired Tom Symons’ vision and leadership and it is also wonderful to be associated with Confederation Centre of the Arts and
my many friends on PEI.”
Throughout the video address, Hon. Rae will explore themes around Canada’s improbable origins as a nation; its post-war emergence onto the global stage; active membership within the United Nations; and the significance of the Canadian constitution as an evolving “living tree document.”
Hon. Rae is the 2020 recipient in part for his many years of work on humanitarian issues, most recently the Rohingya Refugee crisis, as well as his time focusing on Indigenous issues with Olthuis Kleer Townshend LLP, and his decades of public service and teaching. He has always been deeply involved in the political life of Canada including as MP, former Premier of Ontario, and interim leader of the federal Liberal Party. While Premier, he was involved in many of the initiatives for constitutional reform.
In July, Hon. Rae was appointed Canada’s ambassador to the UN by the Right Honourable Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Prior to this appointment, he served as the Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on Humanitarian and Refugee Issues.
The Nature of PEI
by Gary Schneider
The spice of life
More than ever, people are starting to realize the importance of pollinators. They used to be just pesky bees and wasps interrupting our outings that could sting. We knew that people raised bees to produce the honey that we love, but even that seemed out of the norm—people in hazmat suits standing in swarms. There were tales of killer bees, and even movies such as The Swarm and Mothra. Nothing but trouble, those pollinators.
Today, we are developing an awareness of the true values of pollinators. According to a recent UN report, “Pollinators affect 35 percent of global agricultural land, supporting the production of 87 percent of the leading food crops worldwide. Plus, pollination dependent crops are five times more valuable than those that do not need pollination.”
It also states that “the volume of agricultural production dependent on pollinators has increased by 300 percent in the last 50 years.”
At the same time, many of our pollinators are under threat, most likely from a variety of sources. Pesticide use, disruption of migration routes, habitat loss, and climate change being the likely culprits.
One positive outcome that is being seen in this province is the recognition that we can do something positive to help this situation. We see more and more organic farms and lawns. Pollinator gardens are springing up all over, including schoolyards, and we see some Island potato farms adding pollinator plants into their crop rotations. Individuals and organization—including watershed groups, Parks Canada, and the City of Charlottetown—are planting native swamp milkweed to boost populations of Monarch butterflies, a species recently listed as endangered by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.
As we learn more about pollinators, it is increasingly clear that timing really is everything. Some pollinators have very specific needs, while others are generalists and make use of pollen and nectar over a long period of time. This was brought to my attention recently in a tour of the Macphail Woods Native Plant Arboretum. Since spring, I’ve been watching what pollinators visited
different species of native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers. It occurred to me that having a variety is critically important as far as providing food for pollinators.
The beautiful purple-pink milkweed flowers had been the stars of the arboretum for over a month, full of many species of pollinators. When the flowers have been fertilized and had developed into seed pods, there was nothing in that area for the pollinators. I noticed that the yellow coneflower in another area now seemed to be the preferred flower for pollinators, but by the middle of September these too were more seed heads than flowers. Further down the arboretum, I noticed that the flowers of the Joe Pye weed were absolutely alive with bees, wasps, flies, moths, and butterflies. And it struck me that this an example of why biodiversity is so absolutely important.
If we only had oranges to eat, we would never get scurvy, but we certainly wouldn’t be able to live very long. The same is true for other creatures. If the Island was covered with swamp milkweed, it would be beautiful during the flowering season and we’d have tons of Monarchs. But what would everything else be feeding on? And once the milkweed flowers were gone, all the pollinators would go hungry. We need a variety of native species, but we also need a variety of plants that produce flowers at different times during the growing season. These lessons are all around us, we just need to pay attention to them.
GARY
HERE TO HELP
MP Office Services
Passports
Employment Insurance
Canada Child Tax Benefit/ Disability Tax Credit
Immigration
CPP/OAS/GIS
Student Financial Assistance
Office: 75 Fitzroy Street, Suite 201
Phone: 902-566-7770
Email: sean.casey@parl.gc.ca
www.seancasey.ca
IN-STORE REBATES
Energy efficient appliance rebates available year-round at participating retailers across Prince Edward Island.
Music PEI programs
The live music industry, like many others, is experiencing a very difficult time and may be one of the last industries to recover. Not only has travel restricted touring or playing to large groups, but venues are struggling to stay afloat. In an effort to support the Island’s music industry, Music PEI has created new opportunities for artists and industry professionals to complement their existing programs. Two new programs were announced along with the relaunch of two existing programs.
The new Diverse Voices program, a partnership between Music PEI and FilmPEI, opened for BIPOC, 2SLGBTQ+ and youth artists to give selected applicants the opportunity to record a new song and create a music video. The recently selected artists are musicians Nadia Haddad, Kierrah Celeste and Emmet MacLellan, and filmmakers Gessy Robin, Jessie Duarte and Sean Pellisier-Lush.
The recently launched Music PEI Music Supervisor Mentorship Program accepted two jury-selected applicants, Emmanuelle Leblanc and Patrick Bunston, to participate in a 4-month mentorship program that will introduce them to the world of Music Supervision which focuses on placing music in film, TV, commercials, video games and more.
The Golden Ticket and Takin’ Care of Business programs opened for
submissions in September. Six participants will be selected for each program. The Golden Ticket places an artist in a professional studio setting with a proven producer to create and release a song for radio and various platforms, and includes public relations support. Takin’ Care of Business is an in-depth program exploring best business practices for building a sustainable career in the music industry. In other news, Music PEI Awards submissions are now open. The Music PEI Investment Program deadline is October 30, and Music PEI Week is scheduled to take place in February. With few shows currently being accessible, fans are encouraged to buy merch or music from their favourite artists. For some it may be the only income they have coming in. musicpei.com
Comhaltas AGM
Comhaltas Red Island will be holding their AGM October 17 at 12:30 pm in the Pourhouse above The Old Triangle in Charlottetown. All are welcome to attend. The meeting will be followed by a traditional Irish music session. It is possible to join the meeting online via Zoom with the meeting ID: 790 0144 8590 and password: redisland.
and more from September 11 to December 6.
(l–r) Nadia Haddad, Emmet MacLellan and Dierrah Celeste are three musicians particpating in the Diverse Voices program.
The Cove Journal by JoDee Samuelson
Alive like me
I remember the first time I realized that I was not the only person in the universe. (My parents were people too, but they were only there to serve me.) My family was traveling from our small Alberta town to the huge metropolis of Edmonton, and I was standing on the back seat of the car, as children did in those days, watching traffic flash by. Suddenly I had this thought: Are the people in those cars alive like I am? Are they as important to themselves as I am to me?
It turns out that they are. I was thinking about this recently while watching seals and cormorants relaxing on the rocky outcropping at the edge of the Cove. What’s going on with them, I wondered; what are their plans for the day? How about that one-legged seagull hopping on the sandbar: how does it manage to scratch its neck or run fast enough to take off in flight?
Of course the needs of our animal friends are different from those of humans. People obsess over clean classrooms and school buses, and lose sleep over any number of complicated health, harvest, weather and political scenarios… “Meanwhile,” as Steven Colbert says, life is refreshingly normal down at the coast. Shorebirds congregate and joyfully pick at edible specks in the sand, unconcerned about facemasks or physical distancing. Two handsome Ruddy Turnstones stand out among a flock of sandpipers: have they been adopted? A great blackbacked gull stands by himself, almost, it seems, flexing his muscles as smaller gulls admiringly fly by. Or are they admiring? Maybe size isn’t important to them.
So much we don’t know. Yesterday my friends and I were walking to the Cove when a huge bird glided down from a nearby treetop and landed on the beach where it preened its feathers and
hopped about. We knew it was BIG because the scolding crow flying after it was tiny by comparison. What was it? Definitely not a bald eagle because it didn’t have a white head. Maybe it was something terribly rare that had been blown off course in a windstorm. We tried to sneak up on it through the bramble of bayberry and rose bushes, but it didn’t care to be studied and with a few flaps of its giant wings our mystery bird was airborne and away.
We’d noticed that it had a stiff-legged walk and the upper legs were thick and feathered. When we get home it was out with the Peterson Guide: our best guess is that it was a juvenile Bald Eagle. Not rare, but special enough. It had probably been raiding that crow’s nest.
Today the north wind blows in my window, proclaiming: Enough introspection! October’s here! There’s firewood to stack and a garden to turn over. As I go out to the cabin to dig out a warm sweater, some geese are honking overhead… and I wonder if one of them is peering down at me asking, “Is she alive like I am?”
Gary Schneider is award finalist
Gary Schneider, Director of the Macphail Woods Ecological Forestry Project, is one of four nation-wide finalists for the Canadian Museum of Nature’s Nature Inspiration Award.
The Awards recognize individuals and organizations who have gone above and beyond in inspiring Canadians to connect and protect their natural environment.
Schneider has a long history of environmental activism and education on PEI and the rest of Canada. He co-founded the Environmental Coalition of PEI and created the successful Macphail Woods Ecological Forestry Project.
“It is a great honour to be nominated for this,” says Schneider. “It really is a reflection of decades of work by so many people. It continues to be a great pleasure to be able to do this kind of work. I’ve been very lucky.”
Macphail Woods has grown from Gary’s vision, infectious enthusiasm and countless hours of dedication and hard work. Under his leadership, Macphail Woods has helped to restore Island ecosystems, educate young and old alike, propagate rare native flora, and inspire many others to fall in love with Island forests.
“Gary would point out that he didn't do it alone,” shares Daniel
McRae, Forest and Environmental Educator with Macphail Woods. “The credit is shared by so many—the staff of Macphail Woods, past and present, the support received from the Environmental Coalition of PEI and the partnership that has been cultivated with the Sir Andrew Macphail Homestead.“
Over the last 29 years, Gary has led countless Islanders through the forest looking for owls and salamanders, planned and led school ground naturalization initiatives across the province, developed a forest ecology field course for UPEI and Acadia University, and sustainably stewarded over 900 hectares of public forest land.
At least a 3-5 day supply of non-perishable food and a can opener
Battery powered or hand-crank radio and extra batteries
Flashlight, whistle, first aid kit, and dust mask to help filter contaminated air
Plastic sheeting and duct tape for sheltering in place
Moist towelettes, tissues, toilet paper, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation needs
Cash (small bills, ideally up to $200)
Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
Printed list of contact names and phone
NEW RELEASES
Up By The Roots
Mark Haines
Canadian music business veteran Mark Haines has released his new album, Up By The Roots
In a career that spans almost 50 years, Mark has played theatres, festivals, concerts, clubs and churches across Canada and the United States, and has toured Britain, Sweden, and Taiwan. His main collaboration of the last eight years has been with friend and Island comedian Patrick Ledwell, performing The Island Summer Review in Hunter River, PE.
Mark is fluent on several instruments and familiar with as many styles. Enjoying a roots based approach to everything he does, it was only natural that this album should surface. Engineered, recorded, mixed and mastered by Sergey Varlamov at Crabbe Road Studio in Miltonvale Park, PE, Up By The Roots is a collection of twelve original songs plus a cracker jack cover of Stephen Foster’s “Camptown Races.”
Instrumentally and stylistically, the tracks are essentially acoustic driven with some unexpected yet compelling twists. Everything in the roots library was called into play here. The album is available on several online platforms.
Visit markhaines.hearnow.com for a preview.
Little Cities
Little Cities
On the heels of Friends Floors, their debut EP which garnered five Music PEI award nominations, Little Cities return with Little Cities
“We had the opportunity to write and record ‘Can I Come Over?’ with Gavin Brown, who’s worked with people like Billy Talent, Metric, and Three Days Grace,” said singer and guitarist Mat Hannah. “It opened our eyes, evolved our songwriting process, and got the ball rolling on this EP.”
Little Cities adapted to life in isolation, recording “Wasted” with producer Davor Vulama over Zoom. Realizing that each member could record from home, they continued to work on the EP remotely. “Bout You” and “Ditchflowers” were revamped from acoustic demos to songs that reflect their growth.
“At its core, this EP is about finding self-worth and what to believe in during your twenties,” said Hannah. “It’s about discovering who you really are.”
Working alongside Grammy-nominated and
JUNO award winning producer Gavin Brown and hometown legend Colin Buchanan (Paper Lions, SORREY, Adyn Townes) has brought a new vision to the band, as they’ve set their sights on bringing their shiny, steadfast, soaked-in-synth alt-pop rock collective nationwide.
Little Cities is available at smarturl.it/ LittleCitiesEP.
Live in Australia
Bob Jenson and Tony McManus
PEI based spoken-word poet Bob Jensen and ScottishCanadian guitarist Tony McManus are releasing Live in Australia, a collection of original poetry set to music recorded in Brisbane, Australia in March.
Jenson and McManus were touring in Australia when the pandemic hit, cutting their trip short, but not before they performed a headline set at the Port Fairy Folk Festival and sold out several shows.
The live collection draws from Jensen’s spoken word audiobooks as well as new material, all set to music supplied by McManus, who is considered by many to be the greatest Celtic guitarist in the world.
The album will be available to stream on all major digital platforms and can be purchased directly from the artists at firsttimesinceaugust.com.
Tuesday’s Child
KINLEY’s new video explores the challenges of the social landscape of highschool
Island singer and songwriter KINLEY released a music video in late September for her song “Tuesday’s Child” off her second album, KINLEY
“Tuesday’s Child” highlights the challenges of growing up, feeling confident in yourself and navigating the social landscape of high school. Back-toschool might look a little different this year, but the same anxieties around fitting in and bullying are always there.
The video features an exclusive verse from Vince The Messenger (Daniel Butterfield) and begins with a candid interview of KINLEY with local PEI artists, Daniel Butterfield and Zaneta Ambassa.
When asked why KINLEY included the interview in her latest video, she explains, “With everything that has been happening in the world over the last few months, I felt like there was more I could do to share the voices of others, especially the voices of BIPOC artists. As someone who spent most of my career in the Canadian folk scene—where almost everyone around me looked like me—I knew that I could leverage this spotlight; I knew that it was time for me to share the microphone again.
“Vince and Zanetta are both strong voices in my community who are achieving excellence and I have admired them both for so long. I wish I had some of their advice when I was going back to school.”
“Tuesday’s Child” can be viewed on YouTube.
Legend of Joe Labobe
Scottish-Canadian musician David Leask’s has written and performed a new record, Voyageur In Song, on Canada’s most historical instrument. Built from over 64 pieces of natural, Indigenous, oral, recorded and contemporary history from each province and territory in Canada, the Six String Nation guitar, nicknamed Voyageur, carries with it the stories of the people and places throughout Canada’s history.
The song “Legend of Joe Labobe” honours Mi’kmaq fisherman Joe Labobe from Lennox Island First Nation. Labobe was a two-time winner at the Canadian Oyster Shucking Championships in Tyne Valley. The handle of his shucking knife was used as the seat for the strap post in Voyageur.
Voyageur In Song is available at davidleask.com.
TRAILSIDE
Music Hall
Matt Minglewood Oct 9–10
Many of Matt’s tunes grapple with the universal feelings of passion, frustration, hope, loneliness, love, disappointment and regret, along with his deep love of the Maritimes.
Melissa MacKenzie Presents: Good Girl Oct 11
Melissa is a performer, creator, and activist from PEI. She’s back from the big city with some tales and tunes. She’s joined by Morgan Saulnier and a few special guests for Good Girl—navigating love, sex and the musical theatre industry.
Logan Richard Oct 15–16
R&B grooves, pop hooks, a smooth voice and tasteful blues-tinged guitar licks. This is what you get with Logan’s live shows, or his new self-titled EP.
Catherine MacLellan Oct 17–18
Catherine returns with her seventh album, Coyote. This self-produced release is a travelogue through heartbreak, loss and the joy of life.
Mark Haines Album Release Oct 22
Mark and a few
Myles Goodwyn Oct 23–25
Just Between You and Me LIVE brings the story of April Wine and its long-time leader to the stage with a live show of hit songs and conversation. Myles is joined by Jim Henman, his friend since 1963 and also an original member of April Wine.
Alan Doyle Oct 26–28
There are few artists capable of appealing to music fans of all stripes, and Alan Doyle of Petty Harbour, Newfoundland is one of them. He burst onto the scene in the early 90s with his band Great Big Sea.
Braden Lam with Joce Reyome
Oct 29
Blending authentic songwriting with modern indie flare, Braden is forging the path to a new 21st century folk-pop. Celebrate the release of his new album Inside Four Walls, recorded on PEI with Colin Buchanan—to be released Oct 2.
Erin Costelo Oct 30
Erin is a soulful singer-songwriter who’s been compared to Carole King, Laura Nyro, and Nina Simone. She’s opened for Mavis Staples, Dr. John and Boz Scaggs, and performed with Amy Helm and Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble Band.
Liam Corcoran Band with Museum Pieces
October 31
More details to come but this Halloween show promises to be spook-tacular.
Trailside Music Hall is located at 155 Kent Street, Charlottetown. Food and beverage table service will be provided before and during the show. Doors at 6:30 pm. Music at 8 pm. Tickets at trailside.ca.
COMEDY
Oct 9, 7:30 pm
James Mullinger
PEI Brewing Company, Charlottetown
Oct 9, 8 pm
Dan Hendrickson
Lone Oak Brewing, Borden-Carleton
Lost in Dreams
Dylan Menzie’s weekly podcast is now streaming
PEI-based songsmith Dylan Menzie launched the Lost in Dreams Podcast in September.
Over the course of 10 weekly episodes Dylan will sit down with Canadian filmmakers, musicians and songwriters, actors and comedians, visual artists and more, to ask about their dreams and the affect they’ve had on their work and lives.
“The Lost in Dreams podcast is, at its heart, about Canadian artists, their craft, and their process,” explains Dylan. He believes that using the topic of dreams (both had while sleeping or more literal life goals) as a jumping off point can spark extremely interesting and meaningful conversations that give listeners a deeper appreciation and understanding for the artists themselves, as well as their creative work.
Currently available episodes feature comedian Jonathan Torrens (Street Cents, Jonovision, Trailer Park Boys), Emmy and Gemini award winner Cheryl Wagner (Fraggle Rock, Mr. Dressup, The Big Comfy Couch), photographer Patricia Bourque (Behind The Regalia), local hip-hop musician Vince The Messenger, and Director/ Writer of A Small Fortune, Adam Perry.
Earlier this year, Menzie released his sophomore LP and podcast namesake, Lost In Dreams, produced by Hey Rosetta’s Romesh Thavanathan.
guests will
Saturdays, 8 pm
Stand-up Open Mic with Sam MacDonald
Baba’s Lounge, Charlottetown
musical
take the audience on a musical travelogue through his personal repertoire featuring the songs collected on his brand new album Up By The Roots
BUZZIFIEDS
PORTRAITS AND WHIRLIGIGS
Personalized one-of-a-kind art pieces make great gifts. By appointment only. JoDee Samuelson. cancove@xplornet.ca
ORGANIC VEGGIE DELIVERY
Home delivery of fresh local organic veggies, foods, and other natural products. $25 / $40 / $50 Veggie Boxes or custom orders. Great for busy families. Aaron Koleszar aaron@organicveggiedelivery. com, www.organicveggiedelivery.com, 902-659-2575
WINTER VEHICLE STORAGE
Indoor storage on concrete floor, October–May. Mount Herbert, near Bunbury roundabout. hornby@pei.sympatico.ca. 902-569-3643.
SILKWALKER ORIGINALS
One-of-a-kind Silk Art, scarves, wraps, scenes and accessories. Individually hand painted by Charlottetown silk artist, Heather Walker. Custom designs and personalized special occasion scarves for weddings, birthdays, retirement, etc. All are Hand-washable. Sold at many fine craft shops in PEI and by appointment, at her home studio in Charlottetown. www. silkwalker.com, heather@silkwalker.com, 902-330-8188
HANDYMAN FOR HIRE!
No job is too small so contact me to help you tackle your “to do” list! FACEBOOK: Joe Mullen Handyman Services. EMAIL: joemullenhandymanservices@gmail.com
BUZZIFIED NEXT DEADLINE
4 pm, Thursday, October 15th
Editor/Sales: Yanik Richards
Editor: Michelle Ollerhead
Creative Media: Greg Webster
Partners:
Maggie Lillo (Ruby Square Graphic Design), Carly Martin (Hawthorne House Media)
Contributers:
Niyi Adeogun, Bryan Carver, Jan Cox, Deirdre Kessler, Jane Ledwell, Brent MacLaine, Sean McQuaid, Takako Morita, JoDee Samuelson, Gary Schneider, Ivy Wigmore
The Buzz is published monthly by Little Kit Bag Inc.
Mail: P.O. Box 1945, Charlottetown, PE C1A7N5
Office: 160 Richmond Street, Charlottetown, PE C1A 1H9
Phone: 902-628-1958
E-mail: info@buzzpei.com
Social Media: @buzzpei
Cover: Hebrews 11:1, A Poster a Day #222 Niyi Adeogun is a visual artist and engineer based in Charlottetown. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, he came to PEI to study design engineering at UPEI. He is also involved in design projects and brand identities.
The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher or staff. Compensation for errors in advertising copy which are the proven responsibility of the publisher is limited to a maximum of the cost of the placement of the advertisement.
ONGOING MUSIC
Baba’s Lounge
Michael Peters plays Saturdays, 8 pm. Island Jazz resumes mid-October on Thursdays, 8 pm. 181 Great George St, Charlottetown. 892-7377
Bonshaw Ceilidh
The monthly Ceilidh Concert at the Bonshaw Hall will be Oct 25, 2–4 pm. Performers include Tony the Troubador, Phil Pineau and/or Herb MacDonald, special guests TBA, and open mic. All ages welcome. The hall is accessible for small wheelchairs. Admission is by donation. Follow Bonshaw Ceilidh on FB for updates after Oct 15. 25 Green Rd, Bonshaw. 675-4093
Copper Bottom Brewing
Tunes on Tap! traditional music every Sunday from 3–5 pm. Admission is free. Performing are: Colin Grant, Chrissy Crowley and Darla Chaisson (Oct 4), Rowen Gallant, Karson Mcgeown and Jesse Periard (11), Hailee MacDonald and Darla MacPhee (18), and Colin Jeffrey, Mark Douglas and Jesse Periard (25). 567 Main St, Montague. 361-2337
Gahan House
Acoustic live music on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9 pm. 126 Sydney St, Charlottetown. 626-2337
Irish Culture Centre
The Benevoloent Irish Society shows continue in Oct. Performing are: Mark Douglas with friends Claudie MacKula and Colin Jeffrey (Oct 2), Cynthia MacLeod and Jon Matthews (9), Lana Quinn and Mireille Poirier (16), Fiddlers’ Sons with Eddy Quinn, John B. Webster and Courtney Hogan-Chandler (23), and Michael Pendergast, Shane Pendergast and Andy Doucette (30). 582 North River Rd, Charlottetown. 892-2367
Forte Men’s Choir
Forte Men’s Choir, under the direction of Dr. Margot Rejskind, will be resuming in-person, socially distanced rehearsals on Saturday mornings from 10–11:30 am starting October 3. All tenors and basses are invited to join. Rehearsals are held at St. James Presybetrian Church in Charlottetown. Due to restrictions, participants must pre-register. Join for the pleasure of singing together. To register, call Richard at 314-4726 or visit the Forte Men’s Choir Facebook page.
Lone Oak Brewing
Live Music Saturdays, 7 pm. Dave Woodside Sundays, 1 pm. 103 Abegweit Blvd, Borden-Carleton. 729-2228
Music at the Manse
Host Tim Archer and local musicians.
Blusically Inclined (Oct 8/9/10), Scott Parsons (24), April Wine (Nov 6/7), Lisa Richards (Nov 13/14), and Scott Parsons (Nov 21). Shows at 7 pm. Doors at 6 pm. 14155 St Peter’s Rd, Marshfield. 213-2861
Next Door @ Merchantman
Live music on Fridays at 5 pm and 7 pm, and Saturdays at 2 pm and 8 pm. 23 Queen St, Charlottetown. 892-9150
Olde Dublin Pub
Live music every Friday and Saturday. 132 Sydney St, Charlottetown. 892-6992
Red Dirt Girl Music Room
Nudie (Oct 3); Arsenal Mills (10). Bring your own chair and beverages. Shows are at 7 pm (unless otherwise noted). Limited tickets available by reservation only at cameronproductionspe@gmail. com or 439-7591. 140 Dunk River Rd, Summerside.
“Sort of” Schooner Sessions
Thursdays from 7–9 pm at The Old Triangle. Host Ward MacDonald gathers a few musical friends each week to play tunes around a table. 189 Great George St, Charlottetown. 892-5200
Sturgeon Ceilidh
Sturgeon Ceilidhs continue every 2nd Sunday to Dec at St. Pauls Parish Hall at 6:30 pm. Next ceilidhs are Oct 4 and 18. Limited seating. Reservations accepted for 6 pm. Admission at door. Route 17A, Sturgeon. Reserve at stmarysparish@pei. aibn.com or 838-2253.
Confed Centre Youth Chorus
The Confederation Centre Youth Chorus is now accepting registrations. The Chorus is going virtual this year both for rehearsals and public presentations. The Chorus is open to young people 8–18 years of age. Online rehearsals are held weekly every Tuesday and Thursday from 6–7 pm. For more information or to register, contact Don Fraser 628-6144 or dfraser@confederationcentre.com
Ben Caplan
Kings Playhouse—Oct 2
Ben Caplan will bring his captivating presence and resonant baritone voice to the stage at Kings Playhouse in Georgetown, October 2 at 7:30 pm.
From Nova Scotia, Caplan is a songwriter, performer and entertainer in the most time-honoured sense of the word. From the moment he walks onto the stage, the audience can feel his comfort and ease as he begins the controlled collective descent into chaos.
This solo performance makes up part of Caplan’s Maritime Bubble Tour.
To purchase tickets visit kingsplayhouse.com or call 1-888-346-5666.
Dave Gunning
Bottom Brewing—Oct 17
Copper Bottom Brewing presents ninetime ECMA award winner and JUNO award nominee Dave Gunning on October 17 at 7:30 pm.
Dave Gunning is defined as a master craftsman. Over the course of 23 years and 11 earlier albums, the Nova Scotian folk singer and songwriter has developed into a poetic storyteller.
Limited seating. Tickets are sold by the table for groups of two, four and six. Tickets can be purchased in the taproom or online via eventbrite.
Doors open at 6:30 pm. 19+ event.
Copper Bottom Brewing is located at 567 Main Street in Montague.
All events, shows and gatherings have been published The Buzz under the assumption that venues and organizers will be following protocols put in place by the Chief Public Health Office and adapting to new protocols as they come.
Copper
During October purchase a diamond and receive a complimentary stay at:
Purchase a diamond under $2000 receive a $100 gift card to Redwater Rustic Grille. Diamonds over $2000 receive a complimentary one night stay for two at the Holman Grand and a $100 gift card to Redwater Rustic Grille. Diamond purchases over $5000 receive a one night stay romance package at the Holman Grand Hotel and a $100 gift card to Redwater Rustic Grille, or a two night stay for two at the Lunenburg Arms Hotel including bridge pass. See in store for guidelines and restrictions.
