The Buzz - March 2025

March 2025

Rob Shaw

LIVE @ the Centre

Music and magic at Sobey Family Theatre in March

The LIVE @ the Centre season continues this month with a magic show for the whole family and music from Canadian icons.

Magician Chris Funk is bringing his engaging and bewildering live show to the Sobey Family Theatre on March 13. Appearing on hit shows like America’s Got Talent and Masters of Illusion, Funk has pioneered the use of instruments in his illusions and put his interactive show into a league of its own.

Alan Doyle is bringing the Welcome Home Tour to the Sobey Family Theatre on March 14. While upholding his status as a perennial merrymaker—a reputation burnished by his years with acclaimed folk-rock band Great Big Sea—his new album also finds the multifaceted singer-songwriter and

14-time JUNO Award nominee exploring novel sonic terrain. Special guest Fortunate Ones will open the evening of East Coast music.

Canadian rock band Glass Tiger with former MuchMusic VJ Erica Ehm bring a one-of-a-kind retrospective performance at the Sobey Family Theatre on March 20. Fans of 80s music will not want to miss this nostalgia trip, featuring hits like “Don’t Forget Me (When I’m Gone),” “My Town,” and “Someday.”

For the full LIVE @ the Centre lineup and updates, visit confederationcentre.com/liveatthecentre. Tickets can be purchased online at confederationcentre.com, via phone at 902-566-1267, or in person at the Centre’s box office.

Playwrights’ Cabaret

(L–R): Some of the Cabaret readers, Julie

The PEI chapter of Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre presents the 2025 PARC Playwrights’ Cabaret at Beaconsfield Carriage House in Charlottetown, on March 8, 8–10 pm.

and

The evening features readings by Julie Bull, Louise Burley, Kristian Dart, Jay Gallant, Benton Hartley, Kenny Theophile Nkundwa, Julie PellissierLush, and JJ Steinfeld, plus light refreshments and a silent auction with prizes from local artists and theatres. Admission is by donation and all are welcome.

Canadian rock band Glass Tiger (left) and magician Chris Funk

PHOTOS

Bull, Louise Burley

Benton Hartley

Profile: Dr. Margot Rejskind by Julie Bull

Life of song

I learned so much from our short conversation and was struck by the metaphor and meaning that Dr. Rejskind offered through the stories of her love of choral music. “The choirs and ensembles are greater than the sum of their parts, and everyone brings a unique voice to the stage. ”As she spoke, I could feel energy radiate from her, the way we feel as audience members experiencing the euphony of sounds that come with ensemble performances. If you have ever experienced a such a performance, you know the profound impact it can have. “We embody the depth of emotion on stage, bringing meaning and connection to ourselves and to the audience.”

“Music just speaks.” Transcending language, culture, and background, music has a way of bringing people

As a voice teacher passionate about vocal pedagogy, Dr. Rejskind was the Director of Choirs for the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto from 2006 to 2013. She then moved to PEI where she was a professor at the University of Prince Edward Island. After nearly a decade in that role, she has moved away from academic work into union work. All along the way, she has been an active and instrumental person in choral music on the Island. She is the founder and artistic director of Luminos Ensemble, a chamber choir and orchestra; the artistic director of Forte Men’s Choir; and the music director of Island Choral Society. She also sits on many boards and offers private voice lessons. If something doesn’t already exist, Margot will help build it. “Forte Men’s Choir was a birthday gift to my late husband who wanted there to be a men’s choir, so we made it happen!”

The world can be hard and heavy, and we all turn to the arts to cope and connect. One of the upcoming performances by the Luminos Ensemble is Annelies: The Voice of Anne Frank “It has been a remarkable experience to do this show at this time in our history, seeing so many parallels from Anne Frank’s time to today.” Despite, or perhaps because of, the difficulties around us, Margot says “my work feels like a panacea, working to make things beautiful. We are just trying to get to beautiful.”

Though the music they sing can be challenging and complex, Margot’s humour, generosity, and tender touch provides space for fun and creativity to thrive. “We have so much fun at rehearsals!” It is always so impressive and inspiring to hear how people and groups come together to create beautiful art together. It can seem so daunting, even impossible, to imagine getting the hang of difficult music but “they just show up and trust the process.”

together. “There is room for interpretation and the experience of feeling our way through the music, together.” Whether speaking about specific events, rehearsals, or moments, one of the throughlines in our conversation was the importance of community and our collective experiences. “Our work together is a culmination of trust building over time.” Community building is important to Margot and is at the center of everything she does. “There is no such thing as a solo conductor!”

Dr. Rejskind grew up in Montreal and her formative training started there before she moved to the United States to complete her master’s and doctoral work in conducting. Both her academic and professional experiences have always centered around music. “All humans have a voice, and I am interested in how we use it.”

Under Dr. Rejskind’s leadership, Luminos Ensemble was awarded the Choral Recording of the year from the East Coast Music Awards in 2024, and they have received multiple award nominations from Music PEI. Margot is also a regular music contributor to CBC Mainstreet. Her commitment to and passion for music is evidenced in all she does. “There is art and beauty in the world that is brought to life through song.”

With such an impressive background and so many incredible experiences behind her, I was curious if there were highlights from Dr. Rejskind’s career so far. Her answer was a beautiful reminder to be present and appreciative of what is happening in the moment: “I’m always in love with the thing [show, event, experience] that just happened.”

BUZZ

2025 Charlottetown Forum

Healthcare, journalism, climate advocacy, and the arts

The second Charlottetown Forum will explore topics that are top of mind for people in Canada, including healthcare, climate change, and restoring dialogue in polarizing times.

Meeting at Confederation Centre of the Arts next to the site of the 1864 Charlottetown Conference, the Charlottetown Forum seeks to promote open learning and sharing of diverse perspectives about important issues in Canada. The Forum is part of the Centre’s revitalization plan, which includes the creation of a national cultural leadership institute housing new spaces for public discourse, the creation of art, and cultural learning.

The inaugural Charlottetown Forum took place in 2023 and featured discussions on immigration, economic reconciliation, and finding shared national narratives in a fractured time. The second edition will explore new topics, with discussions led by experts, artists, and leaders in journalism, healthcare, and climate advocacy.

“This year’s Forum will provide a space for these conversations in an arts context, with each discussion including at least one artistic or cultural perspective,” says Francesca Perez, the Centre’s director of arts education and heritage. “The schedule will also include complementary programming from the Centre, such as a thematic exploration of the Art Gallery, a choral music workshop, and a historic tour of downtown Charlottetown.”

Forum speakers will include Owais Lightwala, professor, artistic producer, and tech entrepreneur;

Stephanie Arnold, climate specialist at CLIMAtlantic; PEI Poet Laureate Tanya Davis; and Dr. Megan Miller, PEI’s first chief physician recruiter.

“At a time of increasing divisiveness, Confederation Centre has a duty to provide opportunities for meaningful discussion so that people in Canada can make real progress on real issues,” says Centre CEO Steve Bellamy. “The Charlottetown Forum is an occasion for listening to experts and leaders and considering multiple perspectives on important issues. We are welcoming an impressive group of speakers from several provinces and are thrilled to be hosting these engaging conversations.”

The 2025 Charlottetown Forum will be held at Confederation Centre of the Arts on May 23 and 24. Passes are on sale now. Student pricing is available.

(clockwise from top-left): Stephanie Arnold, Tanya Davis, Dr. Megan Miller and Owais Lightwala

HAPPY HOUR

Last call on the wall

Exhibitions closing this month

Mini Canvas Exhibition

Until March 2

Black Canvas Art Supplies, Charlottetown

The second annual Mini Canvas Exhibition at Blank Canvas Art Supplies in Charlottetown closes March 2. Artists of all ages and skill levels were invited to submit mini artworks no larger than 3x3 inches in various mediums, including paint, printmaking, ink, markers, dry media, collage, mixed media, fibre arts, and photography. The exhibition showcases a wide range of artistic expressions.

The Young Masters

Until March 9

Confederation Centre Art Gallery, Charlottetown

Showcasing the final independent artworks of the graduating Grade 12 art students from Charlottetown Rural High School and Colonel Gray High School, this group exhibition features a diverse range of pieces, each reflecting the unique interests and creative journeys of the young artists throughout their high school careers. The exhibition offers a glimpse into the artistic talents and personal expressions of these emerging artists as they present their “young masterpieces” to the community.

Collective Collection: Twenty Years of Peake Street

Until March 22

Hilda Woolnough Gallery, Charlottetown

In the winter of 2005, 10 artists exhibited in a former garage space attached to the Charlottetown home of Donnalee Downe (founder and current project coordinator for the Peake Street Collective). Since that time, the Collective has grown to more than 200

members. The Peake Street Collective now operates under the umbrella of This Town is Small, with a focus on low-barrier exhibition opportunities, community programming, and one-onone mentorship, and instructive workshops for new artists and first-time exhibitors. Donnalee Downe presents an installation of archival documents related to Peake Street’s colourful 20-year history.

Milestones & New Beginnings

Until March 22

Hilda Woolnough Gallery, Charlottetown

For this group exhibition, marking the Peake Street Collective’s 20th anniversary and This Town Is Small’s first year in their dedicated exhibition space, artists were challenged to explore and interpret the theme “Milestones & New Beginnings” in ways that resonate with their lived experiences, evolving artistic practices as members of Peake Street Collective, or through broader interpretations. The exhibition also celebrates several memorable submissions from the collective’s two-decadelong run, including twenty-four group exhibitions and artist challenges.

Arnold Smith’s Collection of Historic, Vintage & Reproduction Clothing

Until March 28

Eptek Art & Culture Centre, Summerside

This exhibition showcases the wide range of garments Arnold Smith has created and acquired over the past 35 years. Visitors will see the garments inspired by Lucy Maud’s wedding trousseau, garments created and worn to celebrate Confederation, some antique wedding gowns, and more. Smith will be hosting the workshop, Tips and Tricks to Making Reproduction Clothing, on March 9 at 1 pm. To register, call 902-888-8373.

Perceptions of Nature

Until March 29

MacNaught History Centre, Summerside

Edna Gallant hopes visitors will enjoy her process and feel, as she does, the wonder of nature in her work. Nature, or some aspect of it, is the Evangeline Region artist’s prominent subject matter. In Gallant’s paintings there are several layers of mediums in which she likes to create a hint of mystery as is found in nature.

Mystical Waters (Borealis on the Bay) by Edna Gallant

Godspell

Performances in Charlottetown and Summerside

Godspell, (full title: Godspell: A Musical Based on the Gospel According to Matthew), presented by 8th Avenue Players, takes the stage this month with performances in Charlottetown and Summerside. This twoact retelling of the Gospel blends comedy, tragedy, and love, using dance and Tony Award-nominated music by Stephen Schwartz.

(clockwise from top-left): Cast members Marius Lavoie, Julia Cerisano, Ryan Whitty, Rebekah Brown, Carter McDevitt, Eric Cerisano, Adia Laureijs, Charlee Whitty, James Ronahan, Emi Smith, Sam Marchionda, MacKenzie Cutcliffe, and Hayden Lysecki as Jesus (centre).

Pit musicians include Mark Cerisano, Chris Smith, Albert Kays, Sandra Somers, Jenny Somers and Viktor Shalkin. The creative team includes Mark Cerisano (producer/music director), Charlee Whitty (choreographer/co-director), Hayden Lysecki (vocal director/co-director), Vanessa MacArthur (stage manager/production assistant), Cadina Meadus (wardrobe), Rebekah Brown (assistant choreographer), Chris Smith (assistant music director), and Ryan Whitty (set designer/constructor).

Matinee and/or evening performances will run at Florence Simmons Performance Hall in Charlottetown from March 14–16 and 20–23. Evening

What’s Eating You?

New play by Jay Gallant

What’s Eating You?, a new comedic play by Jay Gallant, runs at The Guild in Charlottetown on March 27, 28, and 29. Doors open at 7 pm, with a pre-show featuring local artists at 7:30 pm. The main show starts at 8 pm.

The production explores themes of gender identity, mental illness, and resilience—all set against the backdrop of a zombie apocalypse. The semi-autobiographical play follows the journey of a trans man confronting his gender identity in middle age while navigating a complex reunion with an estranged childhood friend. As zombies close in, What’s Eating You? delivers a tale of survival, self-empowerment, and forgiveness—with a dash of undead mayhem.

Starring Ash Arsenault, Cameron MacDonald, Graham Putnam, Kassinda Bulger, Marli Trecartin, and Noah Nazim.

Tickets at island-fringe.tickit.ca.

performances will run at the Scott MacAulay Performing Arts Centre in Summerside from March 26–27.

Matinees begin at 1:30 pm and evening shows start at 7:30 pm.

For tickets and show details, visit ww3.ticketpro.ca or collegeofpiping. com. Follow @8thavenueplayers on Instagram for updates.

Call for volunteers

Young at Heart Theatre is looking for enthusiastic older adults to assist with story-gathering for its upcoming tour on ageism, running March 31–May 3. Each volunteer will visit a venue or community care facility before a show to engage residents in conversations about their experiences with ageism, as well as stories of empowerment and resilience. A volunteer orientation session will be provided before visits. A car is essential and mileage will be covered. Each session lasts only 30 minutes, but volunteers may be asked to visit several venues throughout the month. An honorarium is provided. Volunteers from all three counties are encouraged to apply. The deadline to register is March 14. Info/register: info@ yahtheatre.com

Backstage Pass: Seated on our stage!

8,

SCIENCE

Mind-blowing scientific surprises for ages 5-12

TUE, MAR 25 DUANE ANDREWS

& The Hot Club of Conception Bay WITH RAY LEGERE

NOVEMBER 2024 - MARCH 2025

Contact us at (902) 569-4653 or management@foxmeadow.pe.ca

Two one-act

Review by Sean McQuaid

Altered egos

Venus in Fur Drawstring Productions Irish Cultural Centre, Charlottetown February 13, 2025

This one almost didn’t happen. The play opening and me seeing it both seemed in doubt for a while. Luckily for me, the stars aligned just right and I got to watch new indie theatre company Drawstring Productions’ fleeting-but-fabulous inaugural show, Venus in Fur

von Kushemski, who falls in worshipful love with the beautiful Vanda von Dunayev and begs her to abuse, dominate and humiliate him—hence Masoch’s writing inspiring the term “masochism.”

After many disastrous auditions, Thomas laments that he cannot find any “sexy-slash-articulate young women with some classical training and a particle of brain in their skulls” for the Vanda role. Then in walks a very tardy auditioner calling herself Vanda Jordan and aggressively insisting “I’m like made for this part, I swear to God.”

Vagabond Productions presents destroyed surely, an evening of plays by J.M. Synge, featuring Riders to the Sea and In the Shadow of the Glen Director Greg Doran shared his vision for the productions: “We are building a substantial set and we will be going with period costumes. We want to showcase what the students are capable of when properly supported.” He hopes the plays will resonate with Island audiences, as they explore the dangers of life at sea and the isolation of rural farm life.

The shows run March 12–15 at the UPEI Performing Arts Centre in Charlottetown. A talk-back with the company will follow the March 14 performance. Doors open at 7 pm; showtime is 7:30 pm.

Admission to the performance is pay-what-you-can. Due to mature themes, the plays may not be suitable for younger audiences. For more information, email gdoran@upei.ca.

The Dance

Play reading and Q&A at The Guild—Mar 7

This month, Creative PEI and Art Night at The Guild are teaming up with Desert Island Theatre Co (DITC) to present a play reading along with a Q&A with Benton Hartley and the DITC crew. On March 7 from 5–7 pm, Desert Island will be reading one of Hartley’s plays called The Dance

Originally written in 2021, The Dance tells the story of the Townsend family—father Tom and daughter Stella—who are visited by a mysterious stranger on the night of Stella’s wedding. Tom and Stella are forced to confront the truths they’ve been trying to avoid, all in an effort to truly see each other for the first time.

Admission is free. There will be snacks, entertainment, and community.

Promoted as a two-week, six-show run, it was belatedly cut back to a single week of three shows. The first night got canceled by stormy weather, I couldn’t see the second night due to other commitments, and I nearly missed the third night when my aging brain mixed up the start time; but my alleged professionalism prevailed, so I made it to the final show.

It was good. Dang good. So good I even joined in on the reflexive standing ovation that PEI audiences give almost everything (more of a semi-annual gesture for curmudgeonly old me). So good that it’s a little sad to think only two nights’ worth of folks got to see it. Maybe it can get a longer revival at the Benevolent Irish Society (BIS) or move to Victoria or Watermark or the Kings Playhouse or somewhere—so long as the venue is game for something a bit racier than average Island fare.

Racy, said I? Yes indeed, full of profanity, sex talk, sadomasochism and sensually charged power struggles that would be oft-eyebrow-raising even if one of its two characters didn’t spend half her time in black, fishnet-limbed lingerie. Which she does. It’s like we crossed some dimensional barrier into the Malevolent Irish Society.

And while much of the above typically isn’t my cup of tea—I’m a stubbornly vanilla, relentlessly boring guy, so sue me—this is a smart, funny play that treats its subjects with respect, and even the wilder wardrobe choices are defensibly rooted in both story and character.

Penned by popular American playwright David Ives and first staged in 2010, Venus in Fur graduated to Broadway in 2011 and has since been adapted for film and repeatedly remounted around the world. Built on a play within a play, it starts out as a coarsely witty backstage comedy but slowly morphs into something deeper, darker and decidedly weirder.

New York City playwright/director Thomas Novachek (played here by Keir Malone) is holding auditions for his new stage adaptation of the infamous 1870 novel Venus in Furs by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch about a 19th Century nobleman, Severin

Thomas is skeptical. This Vanda (played here by Afton Mondoux) is unpolished, uninhibited, unprofessional, unsubtle, seemingly unschooled. He tries to turn her away. But the implacable Vanda steamrolls her way into an audition, during which she displays amazing talent, disarming insight and occasionally eerie knowledge and abilities. Impressed, and increasingly seduced, Thomas may have found his leading lady – but where exactly is she leading him?

Drawstring producers Sarah Blades and Amanda Rae Donovan, director Alyssa Malone and stage manager Ashley Malone smoothly bring Ives’ blackly comic script to life—the compact BIS stage is well-dressed (give or take a makeshift fuse box), the blocking within its snug layout efficient, the lights and sound effects well executed, the costuming memorable—but the undisputed stars of the show here are its S&M MVPs, M&M: Malone & Mondoux.

Accomplished stage veteran Malone has a few stiff or affected moments but even those gel with the material in terms of Thomas being pompous or playacting or both, and Malone does great work here overall with moments of passionate intensity, palpable dread and adroit comic timing; and Mondoux’s hilarious, creepy, compelling Vanda is a darkly luminous gem of a performance, a sharp-edged yet alluring puzzle box packed with surprises both icy and explosive, seductive and menacing. Venus in Fur is a great vehicle for this gifted acting duo and marks an auspicious debut for Drawstring Productions.

Submissions and advertising booking deadline for the April issue: Friday, March 14

Advertising: sales@buzzpei.com Editorial: info@buzzpei.com

The Vagabond Productions cast

Vagabond Productions at

Alphabet of Awesome Science

Performance and workshop at Harbourfront—Mar 8

Harbourfront Theatre’s Harbour Highlights series presents The Alphabet of Awesome Science on March 8 at 2 pm for ages 5–12, followed by an interactive backstage workshop at 3:30 pm for ages 7–12.

Professor Lexi Con has curated a collection of her favourite words— one for every letter of the alphabet. Each word provides Professor Noel Edge with a jumping off point for 26 quirky scientific demonstrations that squish and squirt, float and fly, erupt and explode.

A unique theatrical experience, The Alphabet of Awesome Science fizzes with fun—both figuratively and literally. The show promotes English language and science literacy, encouraging young audiences to engage with beautiful words and captivating scientific phenomena. Professors Lexi Con and Noel Edge are a positive celebration of all things geeky—emboldening audiences to embrace their passions.

Presented by That Science Gang, the show is part of their “Science Theatre” initiative, facilitating collaborations

J’étions les Best

The 60s musical at Scott MacAulay Centre

Musical comedy J’étions les Best will hit the Scott MacAulay Performing Arts Centre stage in Summerside for three shows in March.

Set in the 1960s at Chez Ti-Moe—a diner where the burgers are juicy and rock and roll is blasting—the play follows Claude and his gang, Priscille, Billy, Marie-Hélène, Alfred, and Sophie, who are simply The Best. They’ve just graduated and are ready to enjoy an unforgettable summer

between theatre creators and science communicators to produce science-infused productions that better equip audiences to ask big questions about the world around them.

After the performance, the interactive workshop invites participants to create their own words and scientific experiments.

Visit harbourfronttheatre.com for tickets and details.

with Sémi, Johnny LeLièvre, Corporal Audette, Berthe Camus, and the rest of the gang. As the musical’s theme song puts it: “It was another world, a time of indifference, hot summers, love, and innocence.”

The cast includes Maurice (Moe) Hashie, Holly Perry, Jaden McInnis, Robyn Perry, Briley Cameron, Johnny Rockwell, Tanya Bernard, Lucia Bridges, Yves Arsenault, Katie Marshbank, Xavier Gallant, Stéphane Bouchard, Thomas Arsenault, Renée Turner, and Jason Burbine.

Performances are set for March 29 at 7:30 pm and March 30 at 2 pm and 7:30 pm. Visit collegeofpiping.com to purchase tickets.

DEREK EDWARDS

Young at Heart Theatre set to tour the Island

Young at Heart Theatre presents NEXT!, a new musical written and performed by PEI artists Gabrielle Roddy and Greg Ellard, with original music composed by Susan Stanger. This new show is set to tour PEI from March 31 to May 3, with up to 35 performances in community care facilities, long-term care, hospitals, and community halls.

NEXT! is an original one-act musical that follows a year in the life of two older actors, Alex and Don, who meet and become friends over a series of auditions. It is a light-hearted look at the realities of aging that transcends any job or career and speaks to the feeling of becoming invisible or irrelevant in a world that keeps moving ahead. This play speaks to the question: Is it ever too late to chase a dream? NEXT! is directed by Catherine O’Brien and Wade Lynch, with musical direction by Jamie Cordes and set/props design and build by Kathleen Ross.

Young at Heart Theatre, a charity organization dedicated to enriching the lives of older adults through story and song, has been in operation since 2004. A special celebratory fundraising performance will take place on May 2 at 2 pm at the Crapaud Community Hall. Admission is pay-what-you-wish at the door. There will be coffee, tea and treats, along with a 50/50 draw and door prizes.

Stay tuned for the public performance schedule in next month’s issue or visit yahtheatre.com.

Derek Edwards

Oxy Moron tour stops in Summerside and Charlottetown

Comedian Derek Edwards is bringing his latest show Oxy Moron to PEI this month with stops in Summerside at Harbourfront Theatre on March 27 and in Charlottetown at Confederation Centre of the Arts on March 28. Showtime is 7:30 pm.

Edwards embodies pluck and wit, lighthearted yet encumbered, and a naivete that somehow remains endearing. From Las Vegas to St. John’s, NL, this Just For Laughs veteran is considered to be among the comic elite. He is a fourtime nominee, and winner of Best Standup Comic at the Canadian Comedy Awards, and a multiple Gemini Award nominee for Best Performance in a Comedy. As Rick Mercer says, “Everyone knows Derek is the funniest man in Canada.”

Audiences can expect a night of

perceptive guesswork and charmingly misguided jabs, some hearty laughs, and sprinkles of wisdom. Visit harbourfronttheatre.com or confederationcentre.com for tickets.

Gay AF Comedy

Tour coming to Trailside Music Hall in April

Queer comedy institution Gay AF Comedy is taking its uplifting brand of stand-up

This is a 19+ event. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Showtime is at 8 pm. Tickets are available at trailside.ca.

LGBTQ community around the world, now is the right time to kick our Queer

“When our community is under attack

Gerry Dee

Sobey Family Theatre—Mar 6

Comedian Gerry Dee’s Funny You Should Say That tour will be on stage at Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown on March 6.

Dee is the creator of the hit sitcom Mr. D, the host of Family Feud Canada, and a star on Fox’s sitcom Animal Control. confederationcentre.com

Host Robert Watson (left) and headliner Ava Val

SUBMITTED

Playwrights Gabrielle Roddy (left) and Greg Ellard

Healthy changes

Spring is finally on the way! The days are getting longer, and the snow will soon be melting. After months of cold weather and heavy comfort foods, it’s the perfect time to reset, not just your home but your body too. That’s where a spring detox comes in. But don’t worry, this isn’t about starving yourself or drinking nothing but green juice for a week. A detox is simply about making small, healthy changes to help your body feel its best.

Let’s be honest, winter habits can take a toll. Maybe you’ve been eating more processed foods, moving less, or feeling sluggish. A spring detox helps refresh your system, boost your energy, and even clear up your skin. Your liver already works hard to filter out toxins, but giving it a little extra support can make a huge difference in how you feel.

So, where do you start? First, focus on real, whole foods. Load up on fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins. Leafy greens, berries, and nuts are packed with fibre, which helps your body get rid of waste naturally. On the flip side, processed foods, sugary drinks, and too much caffeine can slow you down, making you feel bloated and tired. And don’t forget water! Staying hydrated is one of the easiest ways to flush out toxins. Try adding lemon or cucumber slices for extra benefits, or sip on herbal teas like dandelion or green tea to support digestion.

Movement is another powerful way to detox. Sweating helps your body release toxins, so get outside for a walk, do some yoga, or turn on your favourite playlist and dance around the house. It doesn’t have to be complicated, just get moving! Sleep is just as important. Your body does a lot of detoxing while you rest, so if you’ve been skimping on sleep, try to get 7–9 hours each night.

And let’s talk about stress. It’s easy to forget, but stress can be just as toxic as junk food. Finding ways to relax is key to any detox. Try deep breathing, journaling, or spending time in nature. Even a few minutes of meditation or stretching can help reset your mind.

Another great way to support your body is by giving your liver a little extra love. Since it’s your main detox

organ, eating foods like garlic, turmeric, beets, and cruciferous veggies like broccoli and Brussels sprouts can help it work more efficiently. Avoiding alcohol and processed foods also takes some pressure off. For an added boost, try dry brushing to improve circulation or take an Epsom salt bath to help draw out toxins.

If you’re looking for simple, detoxfriendly meals, start your morning with a green smoothie made with spinach, banana, chia seeds, almond milk and a scoop of your favourite protein powder. For lunch, a quinoa salad with chickpeas, cucumbers, and lemon dressing is light but filling. A healthy dinner could include baked salmon with roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes. And when you need a snack, fresh fruit with a handful of almonds is always a good choice.

At the end of the day, a spring detox isn’t about extreme restrictions, at all. It’s about feeling good. By making a few small changes, you’ll feel lighter, more energized, and ready to enjoy the season.

FOOD & DRINK

Chef Nation for teens

Youth aged 13–18 can join Chef Nation in the Community Kitchen at the Charlottetown Library every Tuesday, 2–6 pm, to learn practical cooking skills and food literacy. Presented by Boys & Girls Club, this program teaches how to make simple meals and snacks. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Pancake supper

The Shrove Tuesday Annual Pancake Supper at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Charlottetown is March 4 at 5:30 pm. There will be pancakes, sausages, fruit, juice, tea, and coffee, and door prizes. Tickets will be available at the door. 7 All Souls Ln, Charlottetown.

Pancake breakfast

Trinity Clifton United is hosting a pancake breakfast on March 8 from 8:30–10:30 am. There will be pancakes, sausages, fruit, juice, tea, and coffee. Individual or family tickets are available by calling 902-892-4114 or visiting the office at 220 Richmond St, Charlottetown.

Celtic Beats & Irish Eats

Celebrate the spirit of Ireland at Red Shores Racetrack & Casino in Charlottetown with Celtic Beats & Irish Eats—an evening of food, music, and fun featuring entertainment by Fiddlers’ Sons on March 15 at 6:30 pm. Tickets: 902-6204264; redshores.ca/promotions/

Polar Pride Drag Brunch

Polar Pride Fest presents a Drag Brunch on March 16 from 10:30 am–12 noon at Abbiocco. The event showcases the queens from BoLo Drag Haus accompanied by the electrifying beats of DJ Fundance. This is a ticketed event. Info: pridepei.ca/polar-pride-fest25

Fusion Flavours 2025

Fusion Charlottetown is hosting another round of Fusion Flavours on March 19–20 and 26–27 at Founder’s Food Hall & Market. This culinary event features a live cooking demonstration followed by a finished meal. Tickets include a goody

bag with ingredients and instructions to recreate the dish at home. Follow @ FusionCharlottetown on IG or FB for updates and ticketing details. 6 Prince St, Charlottetown.

Taste & Tunes

Kings Playhouse and the Lower Montague Women’s Institute present Taste & Tunes on March 22 from 2–4 pm in Georgetown. Award-winning chef Brian Stanton will demonstrate how to prepare each dish, and guests will get to sample the creations while enjoying live music from PEI songwriter Emilea May. Admission is free, and tickets can be reserved at kingsplayhouse.com. 65 Grafton St, Georgetown.

Wine & Dine

Wine & Dine, an evening at Red Shores Racetrack & Casino on April 24 from 6–11 pm, kicks off the Winemakers Dinner Series, part of the Festival of Wines. In celebration of Canada as the featured country, the event includes a Canadian-inspired four-course dinner at Top of the Park restaurant, wine pairings with each course, live entertainment by The Fabulously Rich—The Tragically Hip Tribute, and a ticket to the Festival of Wines Grand Tasting on April 26. To book, call 902-620-4264. Info: redshores. ca/wine-dine

Fandango Musical Players Presents May 24th at 7:30pm

Book online at harbourfronttheatre.com

Box Office: 902 888 2500 (Mon-Fri, 12pm-5pm)

PERFORMANCE

music, theatre, dance, comedy…

Mondays | 8 pm

Rat Tales Comedy Night Baba’s Lounge, Charlottetown

Feb 28 | 7:30 pm

The Irish Rovers

60 Years - A Roving Tour. Harbourfront Theatre, Summerside

Feb 28 | 8 pm

Royal North Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Feb 28 | 7:30 pm

Mar 1 | 2 pm & 7:30 pm

Rise Again: East Coast Women in Song

Ft. Alicia Toner, Joce Reyome, Brielle Ansems, and Emilea May. Kings Playhouse, Georgetown

Mar 1 | 7:30 pm

Rendez-vous Mardi Gras

Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie celebration ft. Vishtèn, Danser Collé, Roddie Romero, Kelli Jones, T’Monde, and Amelia Biere. The Mack, Charlottetown

Mar 1 | 8 pm

Stolen Goods

Tribute to Chris Stapleton. Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Mar 2 | 2 pm

The Stiff Family & Whitecap Drive

Fundraising concert for PEI Bluegrass. Beaconsfield Carriage House, Charlottetown

Mar 2 | 2 pm

Island Jubilee Old Time Radio Music Show

Ft. Whitney Rose, Julien Kitson and Abi Marie. Florence Simmons Performance Hall, Charlottetown

Mar 2 | 2 pm

Mardi Gras celebration

With Fullerton’s Marsh. St. Bonaventure, Tracadie Cross.

Mar 2 | 3 pm

Fundraising Concert for the West River Community Fridge Afton Hall, New Dominion

Mar 2 | 2:30 pm

PEI Symphony Orchestra: Ex-Romantico

Ft. guest soloist James Sommerville. Sobey Family Theatre, Charlottetown

Mar 2 | 2 pm

Oh What A Night!

Tribute to Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons. Harbourfront Theatre, Summerside

Mar 4 | 7:30 pm

Music PEI Week: Grooves At The Guild

Ft. Richard Wood, Lefunk, Bettii, Gizmo, and Pearly Gates. The Guild, Charlottetown.

Mar 5 | 7:30 pm

Music PEI Week: Out Loud Sessions

Ft. Dazey, Carlie Howell, Noah Malcolm, Inn Echo, and Joce Reyome. The Guild, Charlottetown.

Mar 5 | 7:30 pm

Music PEI Week: Down East Stinger

Ft. Shane Pendergast, Whitney Rose, Dennis Ellsworth, and Aubin Pi La S.C.B.. Kings Playhouse, Georgetown

Mar 6 | 7:30 pm

Music PEI Week: SOCAN Songwriter Concert

Ft. Dylan Menzie, Gizmo, Lawrence

Maxwell, Noah Malcolm, Whitney Rose. Scott MacAulay Performing Arts Centre, Summerside

Mar 6 | 7:30 pm

Music PEI Week: Rhythm and Flow-case

Ft. DEMIXX, Norm Strangely, Rightflow, BraedenV, Cavy. Craft Beer Corner, Charlottetown

Mar 6 | 8 pm

Gerry Dee: Funny You Should Say That

Sobey Family Theatre, Charlottetown

Mar 6 | 8 pm

Island Jazz: SOPA Gets Real Baba’s Lounge, Charlottetown

Mar 7 | 5 pm

The Dance: Play reading

The Guild, Charlottetown

Mar 7 | 6 pm

Music PEI Week: All Ages Amplified

Ft. 20 Eyes, Oakdrive, Space Bud, Heather, Absolute Losers. Beaconsfield Carriage House, Charlottetown

Mar 7 | 7 pm

SoPA Winter Concert Series

Ft. Holland College SoPA students. Florence Simmons Performance Hall, Charlottetown

Mar 7 | 7:30 pm

Raine Hamilton String Trio Harbourfront Theatre, Summerside

Mar 7 | 8 pm

Music PEI Week: Music Mosaic

Ft. Todd Maclean, Luisa Güisa, Tiffany Liu, Hikado, Vishtèn Connexions. Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Mar 7 | 8 pm

Aysanabee

Now and Then tour. PEI Brewing Company, Charlottetown

Mar 8 | 2 pm

The Alphabet of Awesome Science

Harbourfront Theatre, Summerside

Mar 8 | 7 pm

Music PEI Week: 24th Music PEI Awards Gala

Ft. Vishtèn Connexions, Dylan Menzie, Hikado, Lawrence Maxwell. Sobey Family Theatre, Charlottetown

Mar 8 | 7:30 pm

The Grand Tour: Timeless Country Classics

Scott MacAulay Performing Arts Centre, Summerside

Mar 8 | 7:30 pm

International Women’s Day Songwriters Circle

Ft. Catherine MacLellan, Meaghan Blanchard and Ashley Condon. Copper Bottom Brewing, Montague

Mar 8 | 8 pm

Quittin’ Time

Tribute to Zach Bryan. Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Mar 8 | 8 pm

2025 PARC Playwrights’ Cabaret

Readings by Julie Bull, Louise Burley, Kristian Dart, Jay Gallant, Benton Hartley, Kenny Theophile Nkundwa, Julie Pellissier-Lush, and JJ Steinfeld. Beaconsfield Carriage House, Charlottetown

Mar 8 | 8 pm

Jamie Fine

PEI Brewing Company, Charlottetown

Mar 8 | 8 pm

Southbound

Tribute to Carrie Underwood. Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Mar 9 | 7:30 pm

Brett Kissel: The Side You’ve Never Seen

Harbourfront Theatre, Summerside

Mar 12–15 | 7:30 pm

destroyed surely

Vagabond Productions present an evening of Plays by John Millington Synge. UPEI Performing Arts Centre, Charlottetown

Mar 13 | 7:30 pm

Chris Funk: Redefining Wonder

Sobey Family Theatre, Charlottetown

Mar 13 | 8 pm

Island Jazz: Adam Hill

Baba’s Lounge, Charlottetown

Mar 13 | 8 pm

Free Whiskey Band

Tribute to The Pogues. Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Mar 14 | 7:30 pm

Alan Doyle: Welcome Home Tour

Sobey Family Theatre, Charlottetown

Mar 14 | 10 pm

DJ Macky

With DJ Kay’D and Selecta Chevron. Farm Centre, Charlottetown

Breadalbane Gallery

March exhibition with talk by Denise Livingstone

Works by Denise Livingstone will be showcased in the Breadalbane Gallery’s March exhibition. She will also deliver this month’s artist talk at the opening reception on March 14, from 6–8 pm.

Livingstone is an innovative mixed-media artist who frequently incorporates rug hooking into her work. Her pieces have a romantic, nostalgic quality with bold graphic elements, making them both unique and captivating.

The Breadalbane Gallery is a not for profit community gallery featuring new work on the second Friday of each month. Artists wishing to show can submit photos of their work to breadalbane.gallery@gmail.com.

The Patchwork Story

The March lobby exhibition at Eptek Art & Culture Centre features work by Summerside artist Katelynn Kelly.

The Patchwork Story features acrylic and watercolour paintings that speak to the love language of quilting and the interconnectedness of family, female bonds, and shared creativity. Katelynn began the series in 2020 and considers it to be a love letter to home and the long line of women

Metta Grove Experience

Multimedia show at Harbourfront Theatre—Apr 2

The multimedia symphony Metta Grove, will be on stage at Harbourfront Theatre in Summerside on April 2 at 7:30 pm. This cinematic visionary art concert combines the essence of guided meditation, sound journeys, cinematic films, and psychedelic experiences. Multimedia artist Simon Haiduk works with visual art and sonic mediums in themes that emphasize nature and spiritual energy.

This concert features visuals of Haiduk’s digital paintings transformed into animations, woven with layers of light and sound. The soundtrack is a

The gallery is located at 4023 Dixon Road in Breadalbane. Open 11 am–3 pm Tuesday, 9 am–1 pm Wednesday, and 4–8 pm Thursday, or by calling 902-200-3952.

Summerside artist Katelynn Kelly

who helped shape her.

Eptek Centre is located at 130 Heather Moyse Drive in Summerside. Admission is by donation. peimuseum.ca

collection of musical experiences from various artists, curated to engage the soul with heartwarming melodies, ambient spaces, and pulsing rhythms.

Haiduk will give an introductory presentation, sharing insights about his creative inspiration, tools, process, and integration of plant medicines. His partner, Jane Calm, a somatic therapeutic counsellor, will speak about people’s inherited access to psychic abilities.

For tickets and more information, visit harbourfronttheatre.com and mg.artbysimon.com.

Wearable art party

Hosted by This Town Is Small at The Guild—Mar 15

To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Peake Street Collective, This Town Is Small is hosting a Wearable Art Party on March 15 from 7–11 pm at The

ART

Artisans Waterfront seeks new members for 2025

Artisans Waterfront Gallery, an artist-run gallery at the Marina in Montague, is holding a jury session on March 14 for new members for its 2025 season. Artisans Waterfront can help those who are looking for an opportunity to showcase their talent. The gallery is currently seeking three-dimensional craft—pottery, leather, artisanal foods and glass, but all artists/artisans are encouraged to apply. Visit artisanswaterfront.ca for membership information, application guidelines, and jury instructions.

Call for submissions: This Town is Small programming

This Town is Small (TTIS) is looking for visual and interdisciplinary artists, groups, and curators from Atlantic Canada who are interested in contributing to its programming for the 2025–26 season. Artists are invited to submit applications that highlight their overall practice. Submitting an artist profile to TTIS is a way to introduce one’s artistic and/or curatorial practices, share ideas to explore, and showcase unique perspectives. TTIS will collaborate directly with selected artists and curators to realize their projects, provide support for creative development, and identify opportunities for artistic growth and meaningful engagement. Artist profile submissions from artists

Guild in Charlottetown. This two-floor event features a DJ set by Whaleskin & Fundance and immersive installations by Ahmon Katz and Kelly Caseley upstairs in the Black Box Theatre. Downstairs, the Hilda Woolnough Gallery will serve as a chill lounge, showcasing the Peake Street exhibitions Milestones & New Beginnings and Collective/Collection: Twenty Years of Peake Street This is a 19+ event. Admission is by donation; no pre-registration required.

across all disciplines and at any stage of artistic development are welcome. Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the year for TTIS programming (exhibitions, events, rural projects, workshops, development opportunities, and more). The deadline to submit for 2025 programming is March 16, and submissions will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year. View the full call for submissions at thistownissmall.com/calls. Info: info@thistownissmall.com

PEI Art Bank Acquisition Program open

Professional artists or craftspersons working in the visual arts and living on PEI for the past 12 consecutive months are invited to apply to have their work considered for acquisition for the PEI Art Bank collection. The application deadline is March 19 at 4 pm. Visit princeedwardisland.ca/en/service/ pei-art-bank-acquisition-program for full details and eligibility requirements.

PEI Arts Grants funding applications open

The PEI Arts Grants support, assist and encourage the arts community in the province. Funding is available to professional PEI-based artists through a peer-assessed grant application process. Applications for the Spring 2025 intake period will be accepted from April 14 at noon until May 12 at 4 pm. For funding information, eligibility requirements and to apply, visit princeedwardisland.ca/ en/service/pei-arts-grants-funding.

Carrefour Theater

Painting by Denise Livingstone

Exhibition of art by Katelynn Kelly

Acadian Museum of PEI

Acadian Museum of PEI

As part of its Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie celebrations, the Acadian Museum of PEI will present (primarily in French): a living library on March 9 at 1 pm; a screening of Trécarré on March 23 at 2 pm; the opening of the new Lobster bites! exhibit, on loan from the Musée acadien de l’Université de Moncton, on March 30 at 2 pm. Visit the permanent exhibit and video, The Island Acadians: The Story of a People. Acadian genealogy resources are available and there is a gift shop on site. The temporary exhibit area is closed until the end of March. 23 Main Dr. E, Miscouche. Info: 902-432-2880, museeacadien@gmail.com

Breadalbane Gallery

A new show featuring an artist talk and works by Denise Livingstone will open March 14 with a reception from 6–8 pm. Other gallery artists include Zoe Novaczek, Laura Bain, Joan Parker Sutton, Will Baker, Patricia Lush, LilyAnne Hein, Sabine Nuesch, Leo (Liu, Xin), Vian Emery, Haley Lewis, and Marianne Janowicz. Open 11 am–3 pm Tuesday, 9 am–1 pm Wednesday, and 4–8 pm Thursday, or by calling 902-200-3952. 4023 Dixon Rd, Breadalbane.

Confederation Centre

Tuesday–Wednesday (1–8:30 pm) and Thursday–Saturday (9:30 am–12:30 pm and 1–5:30 pm). 15 Mercedes Dr, Town Hall, Cornwall. library.pe.ca

Eptek Art & Culture Centre

Arnold Smith’s Collection of Historic, Vintage & Reproduction Clothing closes March 28. The March lobby exhibition features The Patchwork Story by Katelynn Kelly. Visit the permanent exhibition on the history and architecture of Summerside. Admission is by donation. 130 Heather Moyse Dr, Summerside. peimuseum.ca

Hilda Woolnough Gallery

Donnalee Downe’s Collective/Collection: Twenty Years of Peake Street, showcasing archival documents from Peake Street Collective’s 20-year history, and the Collective’s latest group exhibition, Milestones & New Beginnings, both close March 22. Presented by This Town Is Small. 111 Queen St, Charlottetown. thistownissmall.com

The Gallery Coffee House & Bistro

The Young Masters, a group exhibition showcasing the final independent artworks of the graduating Grade 12 art students from Charlottetown Rural High School and Colonel Gray High School closes March 9. Also on view are: Views from Below until April 6; This Seems Personal until April 13; Kim Morgan: Blood and Breath, Skin and Dust until May 11; and Kathleen Daly and George Pepper: The Land and its People until October 5. The gallery is open daily. Admission is by donation. 145 Richmond St, Charlottetown. confederationcentre.com

Cornwall Library Art Gallery

Jason Johnston’s exhibit, Ink Doodles: Illustrations done with calligraphy ink is on view until March 28. The spring group show Inspired by Travel, on view from April 1–May 9, will feature one piece from each artist. All are welcome to meet the artists at the opening celebration on April 1 at 7 pm. Contact the library at 902-629-8415 for information on displaying in the gallery. Open

Colours in Motion

Live painting and art auction

An exhibition showcasing the artwork of the Music PEI Buzz Album Art of the Year Award nominees is on view until March 10. Presented by Music PEI as part of its Music PEI Week 2025 programming. 82 Great George St, Charlottetown.

MacNaught History Centre and Archives

Perceptions of Nature by Edna Gallant is on view until March 29. Open for viewing from Tuesday–Saturday, 10 am–4 pm. Free admission. 75 Spring St, Summerside.

Summerside Rotary Library

The library walls showcase 74 artworks by local artists across three wheelchair-accessible levels, with an elevator for easy access. The collection features original paintings, photography, handmade knits, mosaics, digital art, and more. This year-round, rotating exhibition ensures there’s always something new to see. Call 902-436-7323 for hours of operation. 57 Central St, Summerside.

musical accompaniment by Wayne Ellis. Attendees will receive a signed print of Poirier’s live painting and can also bid on original artworks by local artists, with proceeds going directly to those artists. The is a 19+ event. Catering will be provide by Cured Creations. Visit artbuds.ca to register.

Jason Johnston

DANCE, etc

Downstreet programming

Dance classes at Downstreet Dance continue in March. Intermediate Tango runs on Mondays at 6 pm. Tuesday classes are Bellydancing at 6:30 pm and All Levels 1940’s Swing at 7:30 pm. Fridays include Dance of Joy, a four-week Persian Rhythm Experience on February 28 and March 7 at 6 pm, and on March 14 at 5 pm. Saturday classes include Zumba at 10:30 am, Intro to West Coast Swing at 5 pm, West Coast Swing Fundamentals at 6 pm, West Coast Swing Choreography at 7 pm, and West Coast Swing Practice at 8 pm. Drop in Tango Practica runs on Sundays at 2 pm. 101 Grafton St, Charlottetown. downstreetdance.com

Irish Set dancing

Dance to traditional Irish reels, polkas, jigs, and more at the Benevolent Irish Society in Charlottetown at 6:30 pm on Fridays in March, and Tuesdays in April and May. Instructors and dancers will guide participants through easy-to-learn partner dances. This is social dancing for fun. Couples and singles with all levels of experience are welcome; No previous experience required. Light, smooth-sole shoes and comfortable attire are recommended. There is a small fee. All are welcome. Info/register: fredchorne@gmail.com; 902-675-4246

Rhythm Adventures for kids

Rhythm Adventures: Music and Movement for Kids dance class will take place at Confederation Centre of the Arts on March 8 at 9:15 am. The 45-minute class introduces children ages 5–7 years to the joy of music through active learning using the Dalcroze method. It encourages natural musical abilities by connecting rhythm with body movement, developing listening skills, and sparking creativity. Children will explore musical elements such as beat, tempo, rhythm, and melody, while developing pitch awareness through solfège (sight-singing). No musical experience is needed. Info/ register: confederationcentre.com/artseducation; artseducation@confederationcentre.com; 902-628-6134

Hoop Til You Drop workshop

Part of the Polar Pride Fest taking place March 13–16 and presented by the Black Cultural Society of PEI, a two-part hula hoop workshop with Yigale will take place at Downstreet Dance Studio on March 14 at 6:30 pm and March 15 at 12:30 pm. Sessions will teach beginner-intermediate hula hoop skills through guided movement, accessing a medium of play and infinite exploration. The first class will focus on foundation moves for waist and hand hooping, learning body awareness, fitness benefits, and introducing dance to

keep things adventurous. The second class will focus on skills learned in the first session, going deeper to create smoother, sensual, playful dance flows and easy buildable routines to take home. Each session can be attended independently. Hoops are provided. There is no admission. Visit locarius. io to register. 101 Grafton St, 2nd floor, Charlottetown. Info: pridepei.ca/ polar-pride-fest25

Pride pole workshop

A pole workshop will be offered at Aerial Warehouse on March 15 from 4–5 pm as part of Polar Pride Fest (March 13–16). Visit locarius.io to register. Look for the Aerial Warehouse sign at 19 MacAleer Dr, Charlottetown. Info: pridepei.ca/polar-pride-fest25

Downstreet volunteers needed

Volunteers are needed to keep things running smoothly at Downstreet Dance, a full non-profit studio in Charlottetown. The studio offers a variety of classes for adults year-round and aims to create an inclusive and active community through a variety of cultural and social dancing practices. Hours can be credited for different volunteer programs as well as earning free dance classes. Fill out a volunteer form at downstreetdance.com. 101 Grafton St, 2nd floor, Charlottetown.

PERFORMANCE

music, theatre, dance, comedy…

…continued from page 12

Mar 14–15 | 8 pm

Dancing Queen

Tribute to ABBA. Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Mar 14–15 | 7:30 pm

Mar 15–16 | 1:30 pm

Godspell

8th Avenue Players. Florence Simmons Performance Hall, Charlottetown

Mar 15 | 7:30 pm

Help!

Tribute to The Beatles. Scott MacAulay Performing Arts Centre, Summerside

Mar 15 | 7 pm

Laughs & Libations Volume 3

Upstreet Craft Brewing, Charlottetown

Mar 16 | 2:30 pm

Luminos Ensemble: “Annelies” by James Whitbourn

St. Paul’s, Charlottetown

Mar 16 | 7:30 pm

The Irish Descendants: 35th Anniversary Concert Harbourfront Theatre, Summerside

Mar 17 | 8 pm

St. Patrick’s Day with C’mon In Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Mar 20 | 7:30 pm

Glass Tiger

Sobey Family Theatre, Charlottetown

Mar 20 | 8 pm

Kenny & Spenny

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Mar 20–22 | 7:30 pm

Mar 22–23 | 1:30 pm

Godspell

8th Avenue Players. Florence Simmons Performance Hall, Charlottetown

Mar 21 | 8 pm

Sarah Hagen: Night Music

Solo piano recital. St. Paul’s, Charlottetown

Mar 21 | 8 pm

Joe H Henry Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Mar 22 | 7:30 pm

Loaded Dice

Tribute to Classic Rock. Scott MacAulay Performing Arts Centre, Summerside

Mar 22 | 8 pm

Bobcaygeon

Tribute to The Tragically Hip. The Guild, Charlottetown

Mar 22 | 8 pm

Route 225 & Friends

Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Mar 23 | 7:30 pm

The Musical Journey of Neil Diamond

Tribute show ft. Jay White. Sobey Family Theatre, Charlottetown

Mar 25 | 7:30 pm

Duane Andrews & The Hot Club of Conception Bay

With Ray Legere. Harbourfront Theatre, Summerside

Mar 26–27 | 7:30 pm

Godspell

8th Avenue Players. Scott MacAulay Performing Arts Centre, Summerside

Mar 27 | 8 pm

Island Jazz: Shane Azari Baba’s Lounge, Charlottetown

Mar 27 | 8 pm

Nick Doneff, Dennis

Ellsworthy & Scott MacKay

Songwriters circle. Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Mar 27, 28 | 7:30 pm

Derek Edwards: Oxy Moron

Mar 27: Harbourfront Theatre, Summerside

Mar 28: Sobey Family Theatre, Charlottetown

Mar 27–29 | 7:30 pm

What’s Eating You?

Play by Jay Gallant. The Guild, Charlottetown

Mar 28 | 7 pm

SoPA Winter Concert Series

Florence Simmons Performance Hall, Charlottetown

Mar 28 | 8 pm

Funky Monks

Tribute to Red Hot Chili Peppers. Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Mar 29 | 7:30 pm

Echoes: A Night of Garth Brooks

Craig Fair Productions. Copper Bottom Brewing, Montague

Mar 29 | 8 pm

Whirlwind

Tribute to Lainey Wilson. Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Mar 29–30 | 7:30 pm

Mar 30 | 2 pm

J’étions les Best

Scott MacAulay Performing Arts Centre, Summerside

Apr 3 | 7:30 pm

Snowed In Comedy Tour

Ft. Erica Sigurdson, Pete Zedlacher, Dan Quinn, and Paul Myrehaug. Sobey Family Theatre, Charlottetown

Apr 3 | 8 pm

Island Jazz: Tribute to Ghibli Music

Baba’s Lounge, Charlottetown

Apr 4–5 | 7:30 pm

Super Trouper: A Night of ABBA

Craig Fair Productions. Kings Playhouse, Georgetown

Apr 5 | 1:30 pm

dance umbrella: Musical Theatre Showcase

Primary & Elementary. The Mack, Charlottetown

Apr 5 | 7 pm

Concert at Park Royal

Ft. We3 and members of the former Blue Crystals. Park Royal United, Charlottetown

Apr 5, 10, 12

Young at Heart Theatre: NEXT!

Apr 5 (2 pm): Lower Montague Women’s Institute, Montague

Apr 10 (7:30 pm): Milton Community Hall, North Milton

Apr 12 (2 pm): Benevolent Irish Society, Charlottetown

Apr 6 | 2 pm

Island Jubilee Old Time Radio Music Show

Ft. John Connolly and Catherine O’Brien. Florence Simmons Performance Hall, Charlottetown

Apr 6 | 2:30 pm

PEI Symphony Orchestra: Encounters

Sobey Family Theatre, Charlottetown

Apr 9 | 8 pm

PEI’s Got Talent

In support of Blooming House. Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Apr 10 | 8 pm

Island Jazz: Jon MacInnis & Mark Parsons

Baba’s Lounge, Charlottetown

Apr 10 | 8 pm

Don Ross in Concert

With special guest Julie Malia. Harmony House Theatre, Hunter River

Apr 10 | 8 pm

The Gay AF Comedy Tour

Ft Ava Val, Dylan Mahaney and host Robert Watson. Trailside Music Hall, Charlottetown

Apr 10–12 | 7 pm, Apr 12 | 1 pm

Spongebob Jr. The Musical

Summerside Intermediate School. Scott MacAulay Performing Arts Centre, Summerside

Les Rendez-vous

Celebrating French language and culture

March is recognized as the month of the Francophonie around the world. The 27th edition of Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie (RVF) runs from March 1–31, bringing together Canadians, Acadians, Francophones, and Francophiles to celebrate and promote the French language across Canada and beyond, highlighting the rich cultural heritage and traditions.

On PEI, the Francophone community has curated a vibrant, diverse, and educational program under the theme “Cultivate Your Roots!” Throughout March, Islanders will celebrate the deep-rooted traditions of Acadians and Francophones through a variety of activities, including performances, culinary delights, film screenings, outdoor activities, contests, and more.

Confederation Centre of the Arts (CCOA)—in collaboration with La Fédération culturelle de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard, le Carrefour de l’Isle-Saint-Jean, Francofolies de Charlottetown, and Festival Route 11—will host a Mardi Gras concert and mask-making workshop on March 1.

“We are honoured to partner with these organizations to co-host the launch of RVF, and to work closely with the community to bring quality francophone programming to the Island,” says Steve Bellamy, CEO at CCOA. “Last summer, the Acadian flag was added as a permanent fixture outside the Centre in recognition of the important contributions made by Acadians and Francophones on the Island. The Centre is proud to continue celebrating French-Canadian culture.”

The afternoon begins with the workshop at 2 pm in the Schurman Family Studio, honouring the centuries-old tradition—New Orleans’ Mardi Gras is North America’s biggest masked celebration.

This activity will be followed by a Cajun two-step dance workshop with Philippe Billeaudeaux and Julie Aubé, hosted at The Guild (111 Queen St).

That evening, at 7:30 pm, a concert at The Mack (128 Great George St) will feature a unique blend of traditional Acadian music from the Island and Cajun sounds from Louisiana. Featured performers include the Acadian group Vishtèn, alongside Louisiana’s Danser Collé, featuring multi-Grammy-nominated Roddie Romero, Kelli Jones, T’Monde, and Amelia Biere.

“This event offers a unique opportunity to dive into the rich musical traditions of the francophone world, from

the traditional sounds of the Island Acadians to the energetic rhythms of the Cajuns of Louisiana,” say Ghislaine Cormier and Émile Gallant, executive directors of FCÎPÉ and le Carrefour de l’Isle-Saint-Jean. “Come celebrate with us as we embrace the diversity and unity that make La Francophonie so unique and special.”

Francophones and Francophiles on the Island and across Canada share their heritage with over 40 activities planned. Visit confederationcentre.com for concert tickets. Visit rvf.ca for the complete list of events and contests. SUBMITTED

MARKETS

Charlottetown Farmers’ Market

The market is open weekly from 9 am–2 pm on Saturdays year-round. Local farmers, crafters, artisans and hot food vendors sell local, organic produce, fish, meats, baked goods, preserves, roasted coffee, specialty teas and much more. 100 Belvedere Ave, Charlottetown. Info: charlottetownfarmersmarket.com

Summerside Farmers’ Market

Find local produce, baked goods, meat, fish, prepared food, cheese, artisans and more. Open weekly on Saturdays from 9 am–1 pm. 250 Water St, Summerside.

Acadian group Vishtèn will perform at the Mardi Gras concert at Confed Centre

GET CREATIVE

Crafternoon for kids

Kids of all ages can drop by the Summerside Library between 1–3 pm on Saturdays and Sundays for crafting time. Activities this month include: Draw a friend (March 1, 2); rubbing plates (March 8, 9); spirograph fun (March 15, 16); design and colour mandalas (March 22, 23); and let’s build something (March 29, 30). 57 Central St, Summerside.

Monday Night Painting Group

The Monday Night Painting Group, led by Sophia Djuk, meets weekly at North Rustico Lions Club from 7–9 pm. Each week is a different theme. Canvas, paints and brushes are provided, but fee is reduced for those who bring their own. 17 Timber Ln, North Rustico.

Fibre Arts Club

Fibre Arts Club takes place weekly on Tuesdays at the Charlottetown Library. Bring supplies or a current project and drop in between 1–3 pm to join other knitters, crocheters, rug hookers, and fibre and textile makers for crafting and social time. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Squart for teens

Teens are invited to make square art (squart) at the Summerside Library in March. Grab a square and draw a picture, create a design, make a pattern or anything else artistically creative. Artists can hang their picture in one of the library’s windows or take it home. 57 Central St, Summerside.

Life Drawing Sessions for adults

Drop-in life drawing sessions with a nude model are held weekly on Sundays from 2–4 pm at the Gertrude Cotton Art Centre. All skill levels are welcome. Doors open 1:30 pm. Participants are encouraged to arrive early for set up and must be 18+ or have parent/guardian written permission. Some easels are pro-

a fee for sessions, with proceeds going toward an honorarium for the model. Email lifedrawingpei2022@gmail.com if interested in being a model. Follow @ LifeDrawingPEI on FB for updates and storm cancellations. 57 Bunbury Rd, Stratford.

Imagination station for kids

Kids aged 6–12 can drop by the Charlottetown Library weekly on Sundays from 1–2 pm for crafts, games, and science experiments at the imagination station. Activities this month include: Wacky weather (March 2); clay creations (March 9); Pride Storytime (March 16); and oceans (March 30). This program is presented by the Teen Volunteer Club. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Art Journaling Club

The Art Journaling Club meets monthly at the Summerside Library to create an untraditional journal and record special moments using art and pictures rather than words. The next session is March 3 at 6:30 pm. 57 Central St, Summerside.

Pottery in the Park

The spring session of pottery classes at the PEI Potters Studio, located in Victoria Park in Charlottetown, will begin in early April and run for a 10-week period. Perfect for beginners as well as those with previous experience, classes are taught by professional Island potters and are designed to be fun as well as educational. Classes are small in size and relaxed and informal in style. The class covers the basics of clay preparation, wheel-throwing techniques, and glazing and decoration. Hand-building techniques can also be explored depending on interest. Participants will have the opportunity to create their own pieces from start to finish. Adult beginner classes run on Tuesdays and Thursdays (choose one) from 6:30–9:30 pm beginning April 7. Registration is online and will open March 3 from 7–9 pm. Once the registration period is over, everyone who has signed up for adult classes will be entered into a software program that will choose names randomly. Those who have

Visit peipottersstudio.ca for up to date details and info on classes. Info/register: registration@peipottersstudio.ca

Creative Kids Club

Kids aged 6–12 can join a creative afterschool club at the Charlottetown Library. The club meets weekly on Wednesdays at 3:30 pm. Each week offers a selection of crafts, activities, robots, science experiments or games. Activities this month include: DIY stamps and buttons (March 5); marble drops (March 12); dinosaur discovery (March 19); and celebrate spring (March 26). 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Creative PEI’s Art Hive Popups for all ages

Creative PEI’s Art Hive Pop-ups are an opportunity for folks of all ages to come and make with other community members. The next Pop-up events will be held at the Charlottetown Library in the Makerspace on March 5 and 19 from 5–7 pm. Folks are welcome to bring their own work-in-progress (WIP), or start something new from the materials provided. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Seniors art activities

Seniors are invited to the Confederation Centre Art Gallery on March 6, from 10 am–12 noon, for an introduction to current exhibitions followed by an art-making activity in the Schurman Family Studio. Tea, coffee, and snacks will be provided. For fee and registration details, contact confederationcentre.com or 902566-1267. 130 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Needlecraft Session

Bring needlecraft supplies and join a needlecrafting session at the Summerside Rotary Library on March 6 and 20 at 2 pm for some crafting and social time with knitters, crocheters, rug hookers and other fibre and textile makers. All skill levels are welcome. 57 Central St, Summerside.

Eptek Workshop

This month’s artist-led workshop at Eptek & Art Culture Centre will run from 1–3 pm on March 9. The workshop, “Tips and Tricks to Making Reproduction Clothing,” will be led by Arnold Smith, whose exhibit, Arnold Smith’s Collection of Historic, Vintage & Reproduction Clothing, is currently on view at Eptek. Smith will

share his knowledge and explain the elements of constructing period-style garments. He will give tips on where to find material, patterns, and accessories, as well as how to adapt blouses, shirts, and vests. This workshop may require intermediate sewing knowledge and is for participants aged 16 and older. Visitors are welcome to view the live demos; however, registration is required to participate, and spaces are limited. 130 Heather Moyse Dr, Summerside. Info: 902-888-8373

Paint Club for adults

Adult artists can bring their own projects and supplies and drop by the Charlottetown Library to paint, chat, and hangout with other adult painters on March 10 and 24 from 1–3:30 pm. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Crafternoon

Crafternoon takes place on March 12 at 1 pm in the Makerspace at the Charlottetown Library. This month, participants can create a work of art with an upcycle Altoid tin craft. All materials are supplied. Register in advance at 902-3684642. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Sewing (ages 12+)

Join fellow sewing and mending enthusiasts (ages 12+) in the Makerspace at the Charlottetown Library on March 13 from 5–8 pm. Bring a machine and projects, or work on an entry-level project in an area of interest. Try out a machine with gentle guidance, explore different sewing tools and techniques, and make new friends. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Creative Pride: Expressive Arts Studio with Julie Bull

As part of the Polar Pride Festival taking place from March 13–16, a drop-in style art session with Julie Bull will take place at The Guild on March 15 from 1–4 pm. The Creative Pride: Expressive Arts Studio is an all-ages creative space intended to encourage attendees to get out of their head and into their he(art). With a variety of art materials, prompts, and activities to get the creative juices flowing, participants can choose their own expressive arts adventures. All materials are provided and no art-making experience is required. This is a space

to explore, play, and express with pride. Children must be accompanied by an adult. 111 Queen St, Charlottetown. Info: pridepei.ca/polar-pride-fest25

Makers Session

The next drop-in makers session at Eptek & Art Culture Centre is from 1–3 pm on March 16. Makers are invited to gather their latest project or one they have been meaning to finish, and join the free session. See what other makers are creating. There is no admission and all are welcome. 130 Heather Moyse Dr, Summerside.

Miniature books

The crafting and social hour at the Summerside Library on March 17 (6:30 pm) and March 19 (2 pm) will feature mini books. Participants will learn how to create miniature books that can be used to make ornaments or jewelry. Register by calling 902-436-7323. 57 Central St, Summerside.

Watercolour painting for teens

Youth aged 13+ are invited to join the teen organization Halftone & Haven at the Charlottetown Library for a watercolour paint session on March 18 at 2 pm. Student painters will help guide participants to create art that will be collected and used to raise money for local shelters. Registration is required. Materials are provided by Halftone & Haven. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Kindred Spirit Quilt Guild

The Kindred Spirits Quilt Guild meets on the third Wednesday of the month (except July, August, and December) from 7–9 pm at the Benevolent Irish Society. The next meeting is March 19. New members and visitors are welcome. This is a scent-free meeting. Info: Roberta (902-393-3222); @Kindred Spirits Quilt Guild of PEI on FB. 582 North River Rd, Charlottetown.

Seniors Café

The next Seniors Café at the Charlottetown Library is on March 20 at 1 pm. Marion Copleston will teach a beginner’s watercolour class with all materials supplied and no registration required. Food and refreshments will be provided. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Say It With Morse Code for teens

Teens can enjoy an afternoon craft at the Summerside Library on March 23 at 2 pm. Participants can make a bracelet or key chain and spell out a message using Morse code. 57 Central St, Summerside.

Using the Makerspace

People aged 16+ are invited to the Charlottetown Library on March 25 (10 am) or March 26 (6 pm) for a brief orientation and overview on how to register to use the Makerspace for creative projects outside of the usual Makerspace hours. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

EXPLORE

Beginner knitting course for teens and adults

Learn the basics of knitting in a fiveweek beginner course at the Summerside Library starting March 25 at 3:30 pm. Participants can make and take home a dish cloth at the end. Space is limited. Register by calling 902-436-7323. 57 Central St, Summerside.

PEI Modern Quilt Guild

The PEI Modern Quilt Guild meets on the fourth Thursday of every month from 7–9 pm. The next meeting is March 27. This is a scent-free meeting. If interested in attending a meeting as a guest or for inquiries, contact peimqg@gmail.com.

Family Sundays

Family Sundays at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery offer free art and craft activities for the whole family. Explore current exhibitions at a leisurely pace and create fun and simple crafts to take home. All materials will be provided. The next Family Sunday is from 11 am–12 noon on March 30. 130 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Cricut tech help

Get help with a cricut project at the Charlottetown Library Learning Centre. See a staff member or email charlottetown@gov.pe.ca to book an appointment (times vary). Bring project supplies and learn how to get started. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

KIM MORGAN BLOOD AND BREATH, SKIN AND DUST

UNTIL MAY 11

An enchanting night sky populated with magnified images of human blood cells… a 7-foot inflatable dust ball imprinted with magnified images of belly button lint… an oversized fabric floor-sculpture of a human skin flake that subtly ripples and breathes… Kim Morgan’s exhibition Blood and Breath, Skin and Dust presents the human body as you might never have thought about it before.

Curated by Susan Gibson Garvey and organized and circulated by Dalhousie Art Gallery

THE YOUNG MASTERS UNTIL MARCH 9

Colonel Grey and Charlottetown Rural student art exhibition

BEN KINDER: STILL LIFES & VIEWS MARCH 15 - MAY 4

VIEWS FROM BELOW UNTIL APRIL 6

THIS SEEMS PERSONAL

UNTIL APRIL 13

Curated by Pan Wendt

Curated by Pan Wendt

Supported by:

THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE UNTIL OCTOBER 5

SENIORS ART ACTIVITIESFAMILY SUNDAY

THURSDAY, MARCH 6

MARCH 30

VISIT CONFEDERATIONCENTRE.COM/ARTGALLERY FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF GALLERY EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES

ADMISSION BY DONATION

TUESDAY - SATURDAY 10 AM - 5 PM SUNDAY 1 - 5 PM

Curated by Pan Wendt

Visitors reflect on Kim Morgan’s Sigh installation, part of Blood and Breath, Skin and Dust

Curated by Brandt Eisner

READERS/WRITERS

Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre workshops

Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre (PARC) is offering two playwriting workshops on March 9 with Santiago Guzmán. The first workshop is for new and emerging BIPOC writers, entitled, Intro to Playwriting. Taking place at Beaconsfield Carriage House from 10 am–12 pm, this workshop is free to attend with registration. Guzmán will share the basic building blocks of playwriting and formatting. No prior experience is necessary. The second workshop, Ask A Dramaturge (Or The Dramaturge Will Ask You), will be held at The Guild (3rd floor boardroom) from 1:30–4 pm. Participants will talk about their script, the story, and their characters, and Guzmán will provide dramaturgical questions, provocations, and prompts to unlock storytelling possibilities in their writing. No completed draft is needed to participate—an idea, a couple of pages, or some scenes could work—this workshop will focus on process, as opposed to a completed product. Admission is free for PARC members and PWYC (pay what you can) for non-members. Guzmán is a playwright, dramaturge, performer, and director. Originally from Metepec, Mexico, they are now based in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Artistic Director of TODOS Productions and Artistic Director of PARC, Guzmán’s work aims to put local, under-represented narratives and characters on the frontlines, while inviting audiences to appreciate the vibrancy of NL from a diverse perspective. He has been listed as an innovator in Atlantic Business Magazine’s edition of 30 under 30: Newfoundland and Labrador and was awarded the inaugural John Palmer Award through the PGC for being a change-maker in the theatre industry with their advocacy in the arts regarding equity, diversity, and anti-racism. In 2023, he was inducted into the YWCA’s

“GEOGRAPHY DOES NOT DEFINE YOU - LOVE DOES.”

St. John’s Circle of Distinction with the Inspired Innovation Award for the same values. To learn more about Guzmán, visit thesantiagoguzman.com. To register for the workshops, email catherine@ yahtheatre.com.

Pride Storytime

Families are invited to celebrate diversity in their communities with a Pride Storytime, presented by Polar Pride Fest at the Charlottetown Library on March 16 at 1 pm. Storytellers will read engaging LGBTQ+ positive books, accompanied by colourful puppets and interactive props. Kids can explore a creative costume station where they can design their own unique outfits, celebrating self-expression and creativity. This family-friendly event embraces children of all ages and backgrounds, offering a fun, safe space to hear inspiring stories, play, and create memories that promote diversity, self-love, and appreciation for others. Admission is free. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Free poetry workshop with Julie Bull

Join Island poet, Julie Bull, for a winter full of poetry fun. As the current poet-in-residence at The Gallery Coffee House & Bistro, Julie will present monthly workshops, weekly prompts, and a few surprises along the way. On March 16, Julie will present From the Page to the Stage: Spoken Word Poetry. This workshop is focused on tools and techniques for sharing poetry on the stage. Through a series of guided activities, attendees will have the opportunity to practice a variety of spoken-word methods. Participants are encouraged to bring their own work to read but there will also be other works available to read if they prefer to practice with someone else’s words. All workshops are free and open to all poetry enthusiasts above 18 years old. No registration is required. Attendees are encouraged to come early to get situated. Space is limited and on a first come basis. Sessions take place from 1–4 pm with this general timeline: facilitated poetry workshop from 1:30–2:30 pm, followed by self-directed poetry play from 3–4 pm. All sessions take place in the back room at The Gallery. All materials are provided and no previous poetry experience is required. 82 Great George St, Charlottetown.

Breadalbane Write Outloud

The Breadalbane Write Outloud, a monthly winter event at the Breadalbane Community Centre showcasing poetry, short stories, and song, is now in its third season. Hosted by Jon Rehder and Haley Lewis, the March Write Outloud on March 27 from 6–8 pm will feature Peter Richards, Leon Berrouard, Malcolm Stanley, John MacAllar, and Vian Emery. Admission is cash only at the door. 4023 Dixon Rd, Breadalbane.

Literary achievements

A celebration of Deirdre Kessler’s contributions—Mar 20

Bookmark, Charlottetown’s locally owned, independent bookstore, and UPEI’s English Department’s Winter Tales are hosting a celebration of Deirdre Kessler’s contributions to the PEI literary community. The event takes place on March 20 at 7 pm in Schurman Market Square, Don & Marion MacDougall Hall, UPEI. Richard Lemm and Laurie Brinklow will co-host the evening, and Island writers, students, and friends will share short readings of Kessler’s work. Admission is free and all are welcome.

Deirdre Kessler has had a pronounced influence on the Island’s culture and literary scene as an author, educator, and advocate for Lucy Maud Montgomery’s writing. She is a former Poet Laureate of PEI, a novelist, children’s author, non-fiction writer, and occasional radio broadcaster. For many years, Kessler has been a sessional professor of children’s literature, creative writing, and the course on L.M. Montgomery with the Department of English at UPEI. She has supported other writers as a workshop facilitator, book editor, and teacher. She has been involved in the L.M. Montgomery Institute from its early days, and is on the editorial board of the Journal of L.M. Montgomery Studies.

As the author of more than two

dozen books, Kessler offers readers a diverse range of worlds to immerse themselves in. In her latest book, Darwin’s Hornpipe, a sailor accused of mutiny is thrown overboard near the Galapagos and must not only survive but go on to seek justice for his friend. Her memoir, Mother Country, examines what is home and family. In the Maritime classic children’s book Lobster In My Pocket, a lonely girl meets a talking lobster. A cat sets out to see the whole wide world in Adventures of an Island Cat named Brupp. Her poetry collection Afternoon Horses is filled with a sense of wonder, the beauty of nature, and the joys and sorrows of family life.

With such a deep range of work to celebrate, the evening’s festivities will have something for new and old fans alike.

Creative Writing Master Class

Public reading at UPEI—Mar 5

The annual public reading by UPEI’s Creative Writing Master Class will take place on March 5 at 7 pm in Schurman Market Square, Don and Marion McDougall Hall.

The reading will showcase 14 of the Island’s emerging writers: Koraleigh Ahearn, Emma-Claire Csernyik, Madalyn Clempson, Arielle Dunn, George Kuku, Lauren Lafrance, Austin Lynds, Noah Mannholland, Allie McHugh, Madeleine MacCannell, Easton Power, Cybelle Rieber, Omaima Shaik, and Hanna Walton. They will read excerpts of fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction.

“Many writers featured in master class readings over the years now grace shelves (and screens) in bookstores, homes, libraries, and schools

(L–R): Class members Austin Lynds, Kylee Bustard, Sam Ching, Noah Mannholland, Alice LévesqueCarreau, and Brian Collins.

on PEI and across Canada,” says Dr. Richard Lemm, UPEI Department of English. “You are invited to hear and meet our future authors.”

Admission is free.

JOHN FLOOD

Deirdre Kessler soaking up some rays

Santiago Guzmán

A gift of Island Poetry

THE APPLE ORCHARD

(for

Josephine MacDonald)

The trees in my orchard are coming down, one by one as the quick seasons pass. I did not own them but they were my own when they cast cool shade on the green grass of my growing. They seemed always old, yet always were there for us to climb in white-blossom spring and summerfold and back-to-school days when every limb hung out its harvest in the ripening sun.

There were Yellow Transparents by late July, Red Astrakhans then with their red-veined hearts, hard little Crabapples hoarded for jelly, and Winter Apples at last, too tart for us to eat but apt for pies. Squat or tall, smooth-skinned or gnarled, prickly or welcome, their canopies were the roof-tree of my little world. They’re coming down now, one by one.

And so, I will live with the lingering taste of all those apples on my tongue. And I in my turn may take my place in the orchards of those who now are young. And I will share whatever fruit my branches bear as the quick seasons pass, hang swings from my limbs, put forth new shoots, be shade, not shadow, on their grass until their orchard’s days are done and the trees and the grass and the sun are one.

—Edward MacDonald

Edward MacDonald is a professor emeritus of history from UPEI and a recipient of the Order of Canada and the Order of PEI. His poetry collection, The Geography of Home: Poems from a Lost Time, is forthcoming in fall 2025.

Each month Bren Simmers selects a poem by an Island poet for The Buzz

BOOK LAUNCHES

Ashleigh Tremere book launch

The release of Ashleigh Tremere’s first poetry collection, But The Heart Has Its Seasons, will be celebrated at a book launch on February 28 from 7–8:30 pm at The Gallery Coffee House & Bistro. The event will feature readings from the author and local poets, food, and

Exchange Publication Award

UPEI professor emeritus Dr. Edward MacDonald recognized

Dr. Edward MacDonald, professor emeritus of history, UPEI, has been awarded a $7000 SSHRC Exchange Publication Award for his book The Geography of Home: Poems from a Lost Time The SSHRC Exchange Publication Award is given out annually to support the publication of a manuscript written or edited by UPEI faculty in the social sciences and humanities. The book will be published by Island Studies Press.

In the introduction to his book, Dr. MacDonald writes that “home is a place in the heart. It is part actual and part invented, part remembered and part reconstructed, part learned and part inherited.” Through his poetry, he traces the rural PEI that he grew up in from the late 1950s through the early 1970s, a landscape on the cusp of far-reaching change.

He goes to say that the depiction of an era offered in the book is a mixed-media portrait, combining prose and poetry, history and memory. Each poem takes as its touchstone a place, person, practice, or plot and is paired with a short reflection that unpacks facets of the culture being explored.

Dr. MacDonald writes that while history attempts to trace changes over time, “memories are the little, coloured stones that we collect to assemble a mosaic of our lived past.”

Dr. MacDonald is the author of If You’re Strong-hearted: Prince Edward Island in the Twentieth Century and co-author of The Summer Trade: A History of Tourism on Prince Edward Island and has written, compiled, or co-edited nine other books. In 2024, he was appointed to the Order of Canada and then the Order of PEI for his work as an Island historian and teacher. He retired from teaching last year and was granted the designation of professor emeritus at Convocation in May.

libations. Copies will be available for purchase. All are welcome. 82 Great George St, Charlottetown.

Callum Beck book launch

Island Studies Press will celebrate the release of Callum Beck’s new book, The Belfast Riot of 1847, with book launch events in Charlottetown and Summerside. The Charlottetown launch will be held on March 5 at 7 pm, in the Faculty Lounge, Main Building Room 201, UPEI. The Summerside launch will be on March 30 at 1 pm, at the Eptek Art and Culture Centre. The events are free, and all are welcome. Thanks to the Bookmark and the Eptek Centre, books will be available for purchase.

SUBMITTED

Dr. Edward MacDonald

PEI BOOKS

The Belfast Riot of 1847

Callum Beck

Island Studies Press will launch Callum Beck’s new book, The Belfast Riot of 1847, this month with events in Charlotteown and Summerside.

On March 1, 1847, Prince Edward Island experienced the second-worst election riot in Canadian history. This seldom-discussed event is the subject of Beck’s new book, published by Island Studies Press with the support of a SSHRC Exchange Publication Award from the Office of the Vice-President, Academic and Research at UPEI.

During the Belfast Riot, about 200 Scottish Protestants and 300 Irish Catholics got into a brawl, resulting in at least three men dead and up to 100 others injured. This event set the stage for the hardening of the sectarian conflict between Protestants and Catholics on PEI for the next 125 years. The Belfast Riot of 1847 examines the social and political conditions that led to the riot, introduces the reader to the major players on both sides, provides a detailed account of its unfolding, and takes a nuanced look at who was to blame.

Beck was born and raised in Charlottetown, PEI. He completed a BA in Philosophy at UPEI, a Master of Arts in Religion at Emmanuel School of Religion in Tennessee, and a PhD at Open University in the UK. Professionally he has served as a pastor and sessional faculty at UPEI.

The Charlottetown book launch will be held on March 5 at 7 pm, in the Faculty Lounge, Main Building Room 201, UPEI. The Summerside launch will be on March 30 at 1 pm at the Eptek Art & Culture Centre. The events are free, and all are welcome. Thanks to the Bookmark and the Eptek Centre, books will be available for purchase.

But The Heart Has Its Seasons

Ashleigh Tremere

Ashleigh Tremere is celebrating the release of her debut poetry collection, But The Heart Has Its Seasons. All are welcome to the book launch on February 28, 7–8:30 pm, at The Gallery Coffee House & Bistro in Charlottetown.

Life is made of seasons—the natural rhythms dictated by a land’s geography and the natural rhythms of our bodies through time. This truth, and the Island’s distinctly marked natural shifts, have shaped the context for Tremere’s first collection of poetry. It is an exploration that intertwines these two concepts as one. Rooted in a love for the natural world and seeking to find the same emotion in the not always granted gift of aging, But The Heart Has Its Seasons calls readers to hold space for the beauty and the challenges in the cycles of life—both within and outside themselves.

Tremere is a writer, artist, landscaper, and grower of wild gardens in Epekwitk/PEI.

Copies can be purchased at The Gallery Coffee House & Bistro, independent book sellers, or directly from the author. Printed locally by DALMAC.

In Flames Aurah Poetry

In Flames, written by Ally Griffin under the pen name Aurah Poetry, is a collection of reflections from a two-year period of navigating life’s challenges.

“Love. Loss. Healing. Mental Health. And a messy mind trying to figure it all out. Open these pages and begin a journey with me,” says Griffin.

“Find comfort and community within these words that will resonate with many.”

In Flames will be available on March 8 at Amazon. Copies will also be available locally in Charlottetown soon.

RED:

The Island Story Book Volume 37

RED: The Island Story Book Volume 37 will be available Island-wide in March.

“We’re deeply honoured to have a John Sylvester photo grace the front cover of this volume,” say the RED editors. “An eye-grabbing Island capture by one of the masters. You’ll not miss this one on the shelves.“

There’s a lot going on in this volume of RED. Island scribes came through with flying colours. Author Keith Milligan presents “Rising From the Ashes,” a story of the terrible fires in Western PEI in 1960 and the trademark resiliency of rural Island communities.

Miscellaneous Mom, Carly Martin, calms the political waters with a political proposal that’s sure to gain

bipartisan approval: deporting annoying people.

Ron Slover is on board with a story about a PE Islander who served in the American Civil War in his story “An Islander in Mr. Lincoln’s Army.”

Biologist and Natural Historian Kate McQuarrie is back with another installment of PEI Untamed, this time digging through peat and revealing its stories in a place known as Black Banks on the shores of Cascumpec Bay.

Part two of RED’s feature interview with Stratford, PEI’s own wrestling legend, Kowboy Mike Hughes, is also included.

All this and more in volume 37 of RED: The Island Story Book.

BOOK CLUBS

“Book”in It Walking

The “Book”in It Walking book club will meet at the Summerside Library on March 11 at 10 am. Members will go for a 20-minute stroll before heading inside to discuss the latest reading selection. Register in advance by calling 902-4367323. Grab a copy of the book at the front desk. 57 Central St, Summerside.

Afternoon Book Club

The Afternoon Book Club will meet at the Summerside Library on March 17 at 1 pm. Drop by the circulation desk to pick up a copy of this month’s book selection. 57 Central St, Summerside.

Book Club

The book club will meet in the Bluejay Room at the Charlottetown Library on March 17 at 6 pm to discuss 1984 by George Orwell. Pick up a copy of the book at the welcome desk. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Book Lovers Book Club

The next informal, conversation-style book club at the Charlottetown Library is on March 18 at 6 pm. Participants can chat about what they’re currently reading, share old favourites, offer recommendations, and celebrate their love of reading with fellow bibliophiles. No assigned reading, no pressure, and no registration required. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Summerside Book Club

Summerside Book Club members meet for a lively discussion about some of today’s most thought-provoking books. Pick up a copy of the latest book club selection at the circulation desk. The next meeting is March 29 at 2 pm. 57 Central St, Summerside.

John Steffler

Reading and workshop at UPEI—Mar 27

Poet and novelist John Steffler will give a public reading of his poem, “That Night We Were Ravenous,” in the Faculty Lounge, SDU Main Building, UPEI, on March 27 at 7 pm. The imaginative poem is about a near-fatal encounter with a moose on a Newfoundland highway at night. Admission is free. Presented by the UPEI Faculty of Arts and Department of English, and Bookmark.

Steffler will also give a writing workshop on March 29 from 9:30 am–1 pm in Room 335, SDU Main Building, UPEI. This workshop will centre on a “Caught in Time” exercise. This involves considering an object, person, or event as part of a continuum: a series of choices, influences, accidents, or transformations. The workshop will include time for participants to write and take part in a group discussion of drafts and ideas. For details, fees, and

Conversation panel

Discussing DUCKS: Two Years in the Oilsands

The PEI Writers Guild and the Advisory Council on the Status of Women present “DUCKS: Study Group,” a conversation panel delving into themes of gender-based violence, migratory labour, and the environment in Kate Beaton’s graphic novel, DUCKS: Two Years in the Oilsands. A panel of women thinkers and writers

On the move

Bookmark relocating in Charlottetown this summer

Since 1972, Bookmark has been a fixture in downtown Charlottetown. The bookstore initially started in a small location on Richmond Street and several years later moved to Queen Street to offer book lovers more selection in a larger space. Today Bookmark has deep roots in the community through its many community partnerships and charitable support, its active programming of author events and support for the Island literary community, and its well curated bookshop that is responsive to local demand.

to register, email rlemm@upei.ca.

Steffler was Canada’s Parliamentary Poet from 2006–2008. Originally from Ontario, he taught for many years at the Corner Brook campus of Memorial University in Newfoundland and Labrador. His poetry often evokes the natural world, including ecological concerns, and delves into family, community, and regional history.

The Government of PEI wants to hear your thoughts on what’s needed during a crisis. Your voice matters in shaping support services.

If you or someone you know has experienced gender-based violence (GBV) (harmful acts directed at an individual based on their gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity), we want to hear from you.

To take the survey or learn more scan here:

will offer their perspectives on DUCKS, winner of Canada Reads 2023. The panel will be held March 20, from 2–4 pm at The Guild, 111 Queen Street, Charlottetown.

The novel has been described by Beaton’s publisher, Drawn & Quarterly as “...an untold story of Canada: a country that prides itself on egalitarian ethos and natural beauty while simultaneously exploiting both the riches of its land and the humanity of its people.”

The event is free of charge but attendees are asked to register in advance at theguildpei.com.

For more information, email info@ peistatusofwomen.ca.

In the summer of 2025, Bookmark will be furthering their commitment to being PEI’s bookseller by embarking on a new adventure in a new location. Bookmark will be moving around the corner onto Kent Street into the former home of Denis Office Supplies.

Owner Dan MacDonald says, “We have outgrown our current space and look forward to increasing our assortment of books especially children’s but also categories like horror, non-fiction and others. We will also have more space to better display our stationery offering. We thank the PEI community for trusting us as their bookseller.”

The move is anticipated to take place in early June. Stay tuned to Bookmark’s web site and social media for ongoing updates.

Welcome to City Cinema from The Charlottetown Film Society

City Cinema is owned and operated by our non-profit Society. We welcome donations, and can provide tax receipts. We will continue to present a diverse mix of films and welcome your suggestions and support. Become a member, bring friends, and share feedback!

Advance Tickets

Please visit our website at citycinema.ca, we accept all major credit cards online and both debit and credit at the cinema. Seating may be limited, advance tickets are strongly recommended.

Subject to Change

Film availability and showtimes are subject to change. Please check our website and book tickets in advance.

Rent City Cinema

City Cinema is available for rent for private film viewings! We provide the projectionist and will have the canteen and bar open for your group. Please fill out the form under Venue Rental on our website and we’ll respond with information and rates.

Admission

Regular $12

Member $9

65 and over $10

14 and under $ 8

We now accept credit cards online and both debit and credit at the cinema

Annual membership - $25.00

Nickel Boys

March 1–7

PG, strong language. Dir: RaMell Ross, US, 2024, 140 min. Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, Hamish Linklater. Best Picture nominee - 2025 Oscars

“Nickel Boys follows Elwood, a young idealist living in Jim Crow-era Florida. Under false accusations, he’s sent to the Nickel Academy for Boys, a “correction school” in reality a prison by any other name, complete with the exploitation of its inmates as free labour. While there, Elwood befriends another young man named Turner, who has a much more cynical outlook on freedom for AfricanAmericans or any potential of escaping the school itself… It embodies a subjective perspective that so few films about Black lives have. In one heart-stopping moment, Elwood tentatively creeps around a corner, in fear of what he hears around it; the camera’s limited point-of-view only adds to that innate paranoia. But it’s also a unique and sensory approach to portraying memory, its associated sounds, textures and actions seen up close… Nickel Boys turns so many entrenched ideas about performance and perspective on their head… A triumph. Its unique approach brings a new dimension to its source material, while amplifying the emotional resonance between the present and a horrifying past.”

—Kambole Campbell, Empire

The 97th Academy Awards live at City Cinema!

March 2, 7:30 pm

Free admission with donation

City Cinema’s Oscar party is here! Featuring the live televised broadcast of the 97th Annual Academy Awards. Hosted by Conan O’Brien! Get ready for the best buttery popcorn Charlottetown has to offer. Come in your very finest attire for a chance to win the best dressed prize for your efforts. All guests are encouraged to come early to ensure time to locate seats, get drinks and snacks at concession, and not miss any of the show!

PEI Advisory Council on the Status of Women presents:

Madan Sara:

The Power of Haitian Women

March 4, 2 pm

Tickets free of charge

If Haiti has continued to resist and exist, it is in large part because of the persistence, discipline, and vision of valiant Haitian women. Haitian filmmaker Etant Dupain has profiled a particular group of women whose work is at the heart of Haiti’s informal economy.

City Cinema and The Benevolent Irish Society present:

Calvary

March 9, 4:30 pm

14A, strong language, brief strong violence. Dir: John Michael McDonagh,

Ireland, 2014, 101 min. Brendan Gleeson, Chris O’Dowd, Aidan Gillen. An honest and good-hearted priest wrestles with a cynical, spiteful community after he receives a death threat from an unknown parishioner.

A Complete Unknown

March 10–12, 14–15

PG, coarse language. Dir: James Mangold, US, 2024, 141 min. Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning. Best Picture nominee - 2025 Oscars

“Bob Dylan, played here by Timothée Chalamet in a near-magical performance that throws off all the right kind of sparks: newness, genius, a touch of aloofness that was probably easier for Dylan to fake than modesty and, under it all, a kind of aggressive, combative hunger… It’s a movie made with affection, but also with the wisdom that visionaries can sometimes be jerks. Then again, their hero won’t get a fairer shake than in A Complete Unknown, which presents the tunes vividly while keeping things neatly chronological among the four or so years that any biopic interested in Dylan’s artistic arrival would have to cover, from his penniless 1961 arrival in New York through his 1965 rebellion at the Newport Folk Festival… In shaping the material [director] James Mangold landed on a counterintuitive but brilliant organizing principle... In order for this dream to happen, that is, in order for Dylan to become Dylan, a lot of other people’s dreams had to die. But there’s a surprising amount of collateral damage here, too. You see it in the movie’s collision of genres, folk, blues, rock, and it’s fine sense of popular art in flux. Edward Norton supplies the film with a gentle Pete Seeger, someone used to leading audiences in peaceful, utopian song but increasingly mystified by this newcomer who sharpens the folk movement into a spear and then takes the battle in a completely different direction… In A Complete Unknown, a cryptic Bob Dylan comes into view, gifted and callous.” —Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times

Pride PEI Presents Double Feature Movie Night

March 13. 7 pm & 9:10 pm

Admission by donation

Join Pride PEI for a double bill movie night curated by LACUNA. Starting with a series of all ages short films at 7:00 PM followed by our 19+ feature presentation of Bound at 9:10PM. Enjoy Pride specials throughout the night and hunker down for a good old fashioned movie night!

Craft Along Movie Matinee: Little Women

March 15, 2 pm

PG. Dir: Greta Gerwig, US, 2019, 135 min. Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh

Bring your knitting, crochet, embroidery, cross stitch, or other handicrafts, plus your crafty friends for a cozy afternoon at the movies. Lights will be dim so you can see the screen and your skeins! Little Women is a coming-of-age period drama. 19th century Massachusetts. While the March sisters - Jo, Meg, Amy, and Beth - enter the threshold of womanhood, they go through many ups and downs in life and endeavor to make important decisions that can affect their future.

City Cinema and The Benevolent Irish Society present:

Breakfast on Pluto

March 16, 4 pm

14A, mild sexual scenes. Dir: Neil Jordan, Ireland, 2005, 129 min. Cillian Murphy, Stephen Rea, Brendan Gleeson, Liam Neeson.

In the 1970s, a young trans woman, Patrick “Kitten” Braden, comes of age by leaving her Irish town for London, in part to look for her mother and in part because her gender identity is beyond the town’s understanding.

March Break with Studio Ghibli!

Featuring three films by director Hayao Miyazaki. Presented in both English dub and Japanese with English subtitles.

My Neighbor Totoro

March 17, 18, 20

G. Dir: Hayao Miyazaki, Japan, 1988, 86 min.

When two girls move to the country to be near their ailing mother, they have adventures with the wondrous forest spirits who live nearby.

The Boy and the Heron

March 17, 19, 21

PG. Dir: Hayao Miyazaki, Japan, 2023, 124 min.

In the wake of his mother’s death and his father’s remarriage, a headstrong boy named Mahito ventures into a dreamlike world shared by both the living and the dead.

Howl’s Moving Castle

March 18, 19, 20

PG. Dir: Hayao Miyazaki, Japan, 2004, 119 min.

When an unconfident young woman is cursed with an told body by a spiteful witch, her only chance of breaking the spell lies with a self-indulgent yet insecure young wizard and his companions in his legged, walking castle.

Dune: Part One

March 22, 2 pm

PG. Dir: Denis Villeneuve, US, 2021, 155 min. Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac.

A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence-a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential-only those who can conquer their fear will survive.

Dune: Part Two

March 22, 7 pm

PG. Dir: Denis Villeneuve, US, 2024, 166 min. Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem.

Best Picture nominee - 2025 Oscars

Paul Atreides unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.

City Cinema and The Benevolent Irish Society present: Wolfwalkers

March 23, 4:30 pm

G. Dir: Tomm Moore/Ross Stewart, Ireland, 2020, 103 min. Honor Kneafsey, Eva Whittaker, Sean Bean.

A young apprentice hunter and her father journey to Ireland to help wipe out the last wolf pack. But everything changes when she befriends a free-spirited girl from a mysterious tribe rumored to transform into wolves by night.

From Ground Zero

March 24–28

18A. Real life violence and brutality, frightening scenes, mature themes. Dir: Various, Palestine/France/Qatar/Jordan, 2024, 115 min. In Arabic with English subtitles.

Best Documentary Feature Film nominee2025 Oscars

From Executive Producer Michael Moore and Palestine’s Official Submission for the 2025 Academy Awards, From Ground Zero, is a collection of revealing stories from 22 Palestinian filmmakers living through war, who capture their lives in Gaza amidst war. Using a blend of animation, documentary, and fiction, they create a powerful testament to the steadfastness of the human spirit. This film serves as a remarkable reflection of how art can thrive even in the darkest times, showcasing the enduring spirit and creativity that emerge amid ongoing devastation.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

March 29, 2 pm

14A. Scary images. Dir: Peter Jackson, New Zealand, 2001, 178 min. Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen.

journey to destroy the powerful One Ring and save Middle-earth from the Dark Lord Sauron.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

March 29, 7 pm

14A. Battle scenes, scary images. Dir: Peter Jackson, New Zealand, 2002, 179 min. Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen.

While Frodo and Sam edge closer to Mordor with the help of the shifty Gollum, the divided fellowship makes a stand against Sauron’s new ally, Saruman, and his hordes of Isengard.

City Cinema and The Benevolent Irish Society present: Song of the Sea

March 30, 4:30 pm

G. Dir: Tomm Moore, Ireland, 2014, 93 min. Brendan Gleeson, Fionnula Flanagan, David Rawle.

Ben, a young Irish boy, and his little sister Saoirse, a girl who can turn into a seal, go on an adventure to free the fairies and save the spirit world.

Best Picture Sundays

Join us every Sunday evening in March for screenings of films that previously won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

No Country for Old Men

March 9, 7 pm

14A. Strong graphic violence. Dir: Joel Coen/Ethan Coen, US, 2007, 122 min. Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin.

Best Picture - 2007 Academy Awards

Violence and mayhem ensue after a hunter stumbles upon the aftermath of a drug deal gone wrong and over two million dollars in cash near the Rio Grande.

Spotlight

March 16, 7 pm

14A. Mild language, sexual references. Dir: Tom McCarthy, US, 2015, 129 min. Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams.

Best Picture - 2015 Academy Awards

The true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.

Chicago

March 23, 7 pm

14A. Mild sexual content. Dir: Rob Marshall, US, 2002, 103 min. Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere.

Best Picture - 2002 Academy Awards

Two death-row murderesses develop a fierce rivalry while competing for publicity, celebrity, and a sleazy lawyer’s attention.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

March 30, 7 pm

14A. Battle scenes, scary images. Dir: Peter Jackson, New Zealand, 2003, 201 min. Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen.

Best Picture - 2003 Academy Awards Gandalf and Aragorn lead the World of Men against Sauron’s army to draw his gaze from Frodo and Sam as they approach Mount Doom with the One Ring.

FEBRUARY

Thu Fri 27 28 7:00 7:00 Shaft

Coming to America

MARCH

Nickel Boys

Nickel Boys

Nickel Boys

Academy Awards

Nickel Boys

Madan Sara

Nickel Boys

Nickel Boys

Nickel Boys

Nickel Boys private event

Calvary No Country…Old Men A Complete Unknown A Complete Unknown A Complete Unknown Pride - Queer Shorts Pride - Bound A Complete Unknown Little Women Craft… A Complete Unknown Breakfast on Pluto Spotlight

Totoro (dub)

The Boy…Heron (dub)

Howl’s…Castle (dub)

Totoro (sub)

The Boy…Heron (dub)

Howl’s…Castle (dub)

Totoro (dub)

Howl’s…Castle (sub)

The Boy…Heron (sub)

Dune: Part One

Dune: Part Two

Wolfwalkers

Chicago From Ground Zero From Ground Zero From Ground Zero From Ground Zero From Ground Zero

LOTR: Fellowship

LOTR: Two Towers Song of the Sea

LOTR: Return…King tba

A meek Hobbit from the Shire and eight companions set out on a

Tivoli Cinema

Tivoli Cinema screens a variety of new and old releases. Upcoming screenings include: RATS! (2025, R, Maxwell Nalevansky/Carl Fry) from February 28–March 6; The All Golden (2023, Unrated, Nate Wilson) on March 5 & 6; The Cartoons of Max Fleischer (2024, G, Max Fleischer) from March 7–9; Bring Them Down (2025, R, Christopher Andrews) from March 7–13; A New Leaf (1971, G, Elaine May) on March 7; North by Northwest (1959, PG, Alfred Hitchcock) on March 11; Opus (2025, R, Mark Anthony Green) from March 14–20; Double Feature: Past Lives (2023, PG-13, Celine Song) & Challengers (2024, R, Luca Guadaningo) on March 14; Leprechuan (1993, R, Mark Jones) on March 15; Escape from New York (1981, R, John Carpenter) on March 16; National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983, PG-13, Harold Ramis) on March 19 & 20; Spring Breakers (2012, R, Harmony Korine) on March 20 & 21; Eat the Night (2025, R, Caroline Poggi/Jonathan Vinel) from March 21–27; An American in Paris (1951, G, Vincente Minnelli) on March 22; The Heirloom (2024, PG, Ben Petrie) from March 28–30; Fortescue (2024, Unrated, Rebeccah Love) on March 29 & 30; Solastalgia (2019, G, Millefiore Clarkes) & Geographies of Solitude (2022, G, Jacquelyn Mills) on March 30. For showtimes, updates and tickets, visit tivolicinema. com. 155 Kent St, Charlottetown.

Afternoon Movie

Visit the Charlottetown Library for an afternoon movie on March 4 at 1 pm. This month’s screening is The Big Lebowski (R) (1998). 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Madan Sara: The Power of Haitian Women

The Institute of Island Studies and the PEI Advisory Council on the Status of Women will host a film screening and discussion at City Cinema on March 4 from 2–4:30 pm. The featured film is Madan Sara: The Power of Haitian Women Doors open at 2 pm. Concessions will be available. Admission is free, with tickets available by reservation at citycinema. ca or at the door (subject to capacity). 64 King St, Charlottetown. Info: info@ peistatusofwomen.ca; 902-368-4510

Eptek Lunch Film Series

The Friends of Eptek’s free lunchtime film series continues on Thursdays at noon in the main gallery at Eptek Art & Culture Centre. Upcoming screenings include: A Stitch in Time (Episodes 5 and 6) on March 6; Craft in America: Jewelry on March 13; The Nature of Things–The Wild Canadian Year: Spring on March 20; and Elizabeth: Fashioning a Monarch on March 27. 130 Heather Moyse Dr, Summerside.

Anime Club (+18)

Watch and discuss two episodes of anime at the Charlottetown Library on March 11 at 6 pm. Titles change monthly and are chosen at the start of every meeting. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Polar Pride Fest presents double bill movie night

Polar Pride Fest will present a double bill movie night at City Cinema on March 13 from 7–11 pm. The evening will feature a series of short films for all ages at 7 pm, followed by the film Bound at 9 pm for those aged 19+. In partnership with City Cinema and curated by LACUNA. Entry is by donation at the door. 64 King St, Charlottetown. Info: pridepei.ca/ polar-pride-fest25

March Break movie

Families can enjoy a March Break family screening of Moana 2 at the Charlottetown Library on March 17 at 10 am. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Rendez-vous de la Francophonie screening

As part of its Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie celebrations, the Acadian Museum of PEI will present a screening of Trécarré on March 23 at 2 pm. The event, taking place primarily in French, will include discussions and music. 23 Main E, Miscouche. Info: 902-432-2880, museeacadien@gmail

Monday Movie

Watch a movie on the big screen in the auditorium at the Charlottetown Library on March 31 at 6 pm. This month’s Monday Movie choice is Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (2023) (PG-13). 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Madan Sara

Film screening and discussion at City Cinema

The Institute of Island Studies and PEI Advisory Council on the Status of Women will host a film screening and discussion at City Cinema on March 4 from 2–4:30 pm.

The featured film, Madan Sara: The Power of Haitian Women, by Haitian filmmaker Etant Dupain, highlights the resilience, discipline, and vision of Haitian women, focusing on those at the heart of Haiti’s informal economy. Doors open at 2 pm. Concessions will be available. Admission is free, with tickets available by reservation at citycinema.ca or at the door (subject to capacity). For more information contact: info@peistatusofwomen.ca or 902-368-4510.

Madan Sara: The Power of Haitian Women

Talking from Experiences

by Ashleigh Tremere

Indoor adventure

The Banff Mountain Film Festival started 39 years ago, before I was even born. It’s become a staple in adventure communities all over the world. Over 400 short films and documentaries are submitted every year and once they select the winners, the films go on tour. They even do a showing in Antarctica! Early in February, the festival landed here in Charlottetown. For the last 15 years PEI Adventure Initiative has seen to it that we get to experience two evenings of intense, thought provoking and beautiful films.

I attended the Saturday night showing, which is a whole separate set of films than the Friday evening. As I lingered in the entryway of the UPEI Performing Arts Centre, adjacent to The Rustico Surf Club merch table I heard many little snippets of conversations. Most common among them were the standard Winter greeting of “haven’t seen you in a while” followed by “Did you catch last night too?” A friend told me they never miss this event and after this, I don’t think I will either. Even the opening trailer is a vivid, wild ride!

Of course the films revolve around outdoor adventures but that doesn’t just mean the thrilling, hair raising kind. There was a fascinating one about this man from B.C. who has spent years filming Anna’s Hummingbirds. They are a species that don’t migrate in the Winter and his obsession has meant immense knowledge added to the scientific study of them.

Films ranged in length, language, and production budgets as well. Anywhere from two minutes to fifty. Japanese, French, English (or some combination of) and from clearly well sponsored to independent leaning. I’m always a fan of variety. The crowd was equally varied—in age at least. Little kids already dressed in pajamas for their late evening drive home and more seasoned outdoor and film enthusiasts alike. There were also a ton of prizes at intermission from local sponsors.

I think that everyone has some secret adventure desire or at least I know I have a few. I believe that’s why we’re drawn to these documentaries. Even if you don’t have the same drive to, say, do a forty-some-odd-day trek

Short Film Face Off

Call for submissions

The Short Film Face Off is calling for submissions from filmmakers across Canada to be part of a national broadcast on CBC and GEM. The Halifax-produced CBC and CBC GEM long-running series will return in August for its 18th season. Hosting the show again this year is writer and broadcaster, Amanda Parris.

Telefilm Canada provides a $30,000 cash award to the top filmmaker as voted on by home audiences. Submissions are free. Films must be no longer than 12 minutes and must be dramas or comedies. Applicants must be at least 19 years of age and Canadian citizens.

across a barren yet beautiful ice pack and climb a mountain, there is something intriguing about watching those who do achieve it. I feel like it stirs something of a feralness inside us. A driving urge that arises, regardless of the relation to subject matter, reminding us of adversities we’ve encountered or those we’d still dream of seeing ourselves overcome. Maybe I am over-romanticizing here but the films, taken as a whole, reminded me of how there is no one set path and everyone defines success and achievement differently. To quote one of the films: “Life is beautiful when you stop and take a look at it.”

I find the somewhat common practice of clapping after films a bit bizarre, so I don’t generally contribute. That night, it was genuine applause from me.

Artist webinar series

CARFAC Maritimes has developed a monthly live webinar series for visual artists across the Maritimes. Its mandate is to protect the economic and legal rights of visual artists. Topics discussed aim to educate and inform artists on all aspects of fair treatment. Upcoming sessions include “What Does Reconciliation Mean in the Arts?” with Michelle Sylliboy and “Building a No Brag Brand” with Stacy Cornelius. Info: 506-866-8747; carfacmaritimes.org

The deadline to apply is March 21 at shortfilmfaceoff.ca.

BRIANNA ROYE

Show host Amanda Parris

Film stills from Banff Mountain Film Festival winners Canyon Chorus, Mikah Meyer (above) and The Bird in My Backyard, Ryan Wilkes

SCHOOL’S OUT

Art Camp at Good Vibes

Good Vibes Art School offers March Break Camps for ages 6–12. Activities include painting, drawing, mixed media, printmaking, and sculpture. Limited spaces available. Register: 902-916-0891. 3421 Brackley Point Rd, Brackley.

March Break at the Summerside Library

The Summerside Library will offer daily March Break programming for children from March 17–23, 1–3 pm. Programs include paper collage (March 17), sculpting (March 18), painting fun with negative spaces (March 19), modeling clay animals (March 20), button making (March 21), painting with Constable Uppal (March 22), and coloring mandalas (March 23). 57 Central St, Summerside.

March Break at the Charlottetown Library

The Charlottetown Library’s March Break programming for kids aged 6–12 includes: Bad Art Projects (March 18, 10 am); 3,2,1 Blast Off (March 18, 5:30 pm); Giant Cardboard Forts (March 19, 9:30 am); Creative Kids Club (March 19, 3:30 pm); Pokémon Party (March 20, 10 am); and Build It, Break It (March 21, 12:30

pm). Youth aged 11–18 can drop by the library from 2–4 pm daily for March Break activities, including screen printing and cooking (March 17), robotics and cooking (March 18), linocut printmaking and cooking (March 19), Shrinky Dinks and polymer clay (March 20), and stop-motion animation, Perler beads, and cooking (March 21). 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

PD Day rock art

Kids aged 6–12 can spend their morning transforming ordinary stones into colourful works of art with rock painting in the Makerspace at the Charlottetown Library on March 7 at 10 am. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Teen volunteers

Teens looking for volunteer hours on a school PD Day can drop by the Children’s Library at the Charlottetown Library Learning Centre on March 7 at 2 pm to help decorate for spring. Supplies and snacks will be provided. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

PD Day Arts Camp

Nurture a child’s interest in visual arts or performing arts and sign them up for a PD Day Arts Camp at Confederation Centre of the Arts on March 7. Through a combination of guided and open-ended activities, young artists will explore painting, drawing, singing, dancing, and more. Info/register: confederationcentre. com; 902-566-1267

March Break Arts Camp

Registration for the March Break Arts Camp for the week of March 17–21 at the Confederation Centre of the Arts is open. The camp will lead children aged 6–12 through a variety of activities, from drawing, painting, music, and dance. Alongside these activities, campers will get guided tours of the Gallery and a backstage tour of the Sobey Family Theatre by Centre staff. Info/register:

Heritage and Culture Awards

Presented at the Mayor’s Heritage Tea in February

The City of Summerside recently presented its 2024 Heritage and Culture Awards on February 20 at the Mayor’s Heritage Tea with Mayor Dan Kutcher. Heritage and Cultural Activities Awards were presented to: Paul Gallant for the writing and directing of the play, Port-la-Joye, presented at the Scott MacAulay Performing Arts Centre in July 2024; Noella Moore as the driving force behind the exhibit, The Creator’s Gift which highlighted the artistic work of Indigenous artists; Jane Whitten for her exhibit, Of Growing Concern: 40 Years of Textile Creation Amid the Havoc of Climate Change and for hosting monthly maker sessions at Eptek Art & Culture Centre; Carter Jeffery and Arnold Smith for organizing the exhibit, The Folk Art of Kerras Jeffery, which featured the art and history of the late PEI artist; David La Gallant for initiating and working with partners to have the Claude Picard painting, The Irony of History, England, First Nation to Salute the Acadian Flag, reproduced as a mural on the side of the Summerside Seafood Supreme building. The mural depicts the new Acadian flag (1884) being flown for the first time at sea on a steamship in the Summerside Harbour; Arnold Gallant for his work with MacNaught History Centre and Archives; Kiele Poirier for creating art programming for all ages and demographics through Art Buds; George K. Jomon for being the key organizer

SALES

Gifts From The Heart Sale

Gifts from the Heart holds a monthly thrift sale on the last Saturday of each month, offering the public a chance to shop its inventory. The next sale is on March 29 from 10 am–3 pm, with proceeds supporting operating costs. Led by Betty Begg-Brooks and volunteers, the organization provides free food, clothing, furniture, and housewares to low-income families and those facing temporary hardship across PEI. Donations of new and gently used clothing and household items can be dropped off at 10 Maple Hills Ave, Charlottetown, on Mondays and Wednesdays (10 am–4 pm). Food, furniture, and monetary donations are gratefully accepted daily during office hours.

Fundraising garage sale

An indoor fundraising garage sale will be held at Trinity United on April 4 (9 am–3

of the Canada–India Multicultural Festival held in Summerside in 2024; Constable Mallory Metallic for building awareness, positivity, and respect for Indigenous culture among her police colleagues and the broader community; The organizing committee of the St. Eleanor’s Community School for its work in organizing and delivering extensive programming; and The Harbourfront Players for their production of the play An ALL-OUT Island Christmas, written by Island playwrights Karen Slater and Wayne Murphy.

The Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Donna Arsenault for serving as a volunteer and community leader for over two decades.

The Publication of the Year Award went to Carolyn McKillop, who used the archival resources of MacNaught to research the community history of Tyne Valley. The book, Tyne Valley, The People, Their History, written by Gary MacDougall and illustrated by Maurice Bernard, was released in 2024.

The Culture Award of Honour was given to Mary Dennis for nearly three decades of investment in the performing arts in Summerside, going above and beyond her employment at Harbourfront Theatre.

The Heritage Award of Honour was awarded to Paul H. Schurman for his extensive contributions to preserving and celebrating Summerside’s abundant history.

pm) and April 5 (9 am–2 pm). Browse a wide selection of items, including china, crystal, CorningWare, and a collection of new Ty Beanies. Admission is free, and everyone is welcome. 220 Richmond St, Charlottetown.

Pinch Penny Fair

Friends of Confederation Centre of the Arts are accepting donations for one of its annual fundraising events—the Pinch Penny Fair. For over 50 years, this event has raised funds to support arts education programs at the Centre. This year’s Pinch Penny Fair will take place on April 26 (10 am–1 pm) at Confederation Centre of the Arts. Admission is free for children 12 and under. This giant indoor yard sale includes books, sporting goods, toys, plants, music, jewellery, furniture, tools, glassware, and more. Donations for the Pinch Penny Fair will be accepted at the Centre’s box office entrance at 130 Queen Street on April 11 (3–7 pm), April 12 (10 am–3 pm), and April 22 (3–7 pm). Clothing, televisions, and computer donations cannot be accepted. Info: friends@confederationcentre.com

Youth advisory board

New group formed at Confederation Centre of the Arts

Ten Island residents passionate about culture and community have formed the inaugural youth advisory board at Confederation Centre of the Arts.

Last year, the Centre conducted a community engagement survey that showed the need to do more to engage with two groups in particular; people under 40, and people who are new to the Island. As one response to these findings, the Centre recently asked a few young leaders in the community to put together a youth advisory board (YAB) of people under 30 who would be interested in helping Confederation Centre of the Arts connect with more youth. The resulting board of ten will meet quarterly with management and provide advice and guidance on connecting the Centre to a younger adult population. They will report to the CEO and board of directors about various initiatives, and will help promote awareness and engagement of Centre programming, particularly among the members’ peers.

UPEI. Originally from Tanzania, he serves as vice president external of the UPEI Student Union and has also served as a member of the UPEI Board of Governors.

“We are excited to introduce this dynamic group of young voices from Prince Edward Island who are dedicated to helping the Centre shape its future,” says Centre CEO Steve Bellamy. “With their diverse perspectives and creative ideas, they will play a vital role in ensuring the Centre remains inclusive, relevant, and engaging for the next generation. In return, we are providing mentorship and engagement opportunities for YAB members throughout the Centre.”

The first chair of the advisory board is Shreesh Agrawal, a fourth-year economics and philosophy student at

“The Centre has so much to offer younger adults, not only in visual and performing arts, but as a place where major issues affecting this country can be discussed and where solutions can be explored,” says Agrawal. “The long-term sustainability of the Centre is tied directly to its ability to engage younger Island residents now, and as a board, we look forward to assisting in those efforts.”

The Youth Advisory Board for Confederation Centre of the Arts includes: Shreesh Agrawal, Chair; Leena Daboo, Vice-Chair; Caleb McKenna, Secretary; Brian Affouan; Prabhakar Bholah; Divya Daboo; Hannah Johnston; Adam MacKenzie; Songobele Mulenga; and Joey Vo.

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

(clockwise from top-left): Shreesh Agrawal, Leena Daboo, Caleb McKenna and Joey Vo

COMMUNITY #1

Arts and media mixer

Holland College is hosting a mixer on March 12 to give prospective students the opportunity to find out more about the Music Performance, Fundamental Arts, Graphic Design, Journalism and Communications, Photography and Videography, and Video Game Art and Animation programs. The mixer, which takes place from 7–9 pm at Upstreet Brewery on Allen Street in Charlottetown, will give prospective students the opportunity to meet instructors and current students to find out more about the programs. Program manager Liam Corcoran said the mixer will be a relaxed, informal get-together. Prospective students will also be able to find out about what degree pathways the programs offer and where they can access funding for their post-secondary education. Attendees will receive an application fee waiver code and there will be a draw for Holland College swag. Info: hollandcollege.com

Save the date: BIS 200th anniversary

Save the date for the 200th anniversary of the Benevolent Irish Society (BIS). Major events will take place across PEI beginning April 18 with the Wellington Hotel Launch from 2–4 pm. The public is welcome to attend and view artifacts collected over two centuries. Other events include an exhibit at Confederation Centre, a Celtic Heritage Fair, free concerts, historic walking and self-driving tours, traditional instrument workshops, and more. Stay tuned for details in next month’s issue of The Buzz. Info: benevolentirishsocietyofpei.com

CCOA seeking summer housing

Confederation Centre of the Arts is currently seeking summer housing for artists involved in The 2025 Charlottetown Festival. PEI’s housing crunch makes it challenging to find accommodations, and the Centre relies on the support of the community to welcome top-tier talent to the Island. The Centre assists seasonal artists with their housing search by assembling a list of options from the community. Artists will then connect with a host directly to book, arrange payment, coordinate details, etc. There are artists coming to the Island this summer who need accommodations between mid-May and late September.

The dates and lengths of their stays vary; most artists will stay for the whole summer, but others only stay for three to eight weeks. Hosts with any availability within that window are encouraged to reach out. All types of accommodations are welcome, including houses, condos, apartments, secondary suites, spare bedrooms, etc. Places in Charlottetown are preferred but hosts in other communities can also submit. Locations within walking distance to the Centre, or near transit lines and/or bike-friendly areas are ideal. Hosts will receive a few perks for making their rental space available. CCOA asks the community to share this call with friends, family, and co-workers to help spread the word. Info: confederationcentre.com/housing; housing@ confederationcentre.com

Seniors Navigator

The Seniors Navigator will be at the Charlottetown Library for drop-in assistance on March 5 and 19 from 9:30 am–3:30 pm. The Seniors Navigator helps seniors access programs and services from community organizations and municipal, provincial, and federal governments more efficiently. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

LDAPEI parenting support

An online parenting support group for parents of children with learning disabilities meets on the third Thursday of each month at 7 pm. The hour-long session is facilitated by Eloise D’Aubin, a transformative emotional intelligence and transitional coach with over a decade of experience empowering individuals and communities, particularly BIPOC clients, and Darlene Oaks, a former counselor with expertise in youth substance abuse and family support. The group offers a safe, non-judgmental space for parents to connect, share experiences, receive expert advice and emotional support, and gain guidance on supporting their child(ren) and family. Register at ldapei.ca. A link will be provided upon registration.

ADHD PEI

A monthly discussion to talk about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) will take place at the Charlottetown Library on March 19 at 7 pm. Peers can seek advice from others on a particular subject or simply have personal experiences and frustrations heard and understood. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Order of PEI nominations open for 2025

should demonstrate excellence or outstanding leadership in the community or in their chosen profession or occupation. Those invested in the Order in 2024 were: Kathryn Dau-Schmidt, for her commitment to the teaching and promotion of traditional fiddling on PEI; Dr. G. Edward MacDonald, for his research of Island history and for increasing the understanding and appreciation of Island culture; and Reginald “Dutch” Thompson, for his dedication to recording the first-hand stories and lived experiences of Islanders from times gone by. All submissions must be received by the Secretary to the Advisory Council no later than 4:30 pm on or before March 19. Nomination forms are available online at orderpei.ca. Info: 197 Richmond Street, Charlottetown; 902-368-5970

Breastfeeding information

Pregnant individuals and new parents are invited to a breastfeeding information and support meeting on March 11 from 5–6 pm at Beaconsfield Carriage House, 2 Kent St, Charlottetown. Hosted by accredited leaders of La Leche League PEI, topics include preparing to breastfeed and dealing with challenges. All are welcome to attend. Follow @LLLC.PEI on FB for updates. Info: 902-316-2167

Rainbow Youth Club

Members and allies of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community looking for new friends and fun times can join the PEI Rainbow Youth Club at the Summerside Library. Open to youth aged 12–18, the Club offers opportunities for youth-led discussions, engaging activities, and creative self-discovery. Led by trained PEERS Alliance staff and volunteers, meetings include a healthy snack. Participants will not be asked to identify and all are welcome to attend. The next meeting is March 4 at 6 pm. 57 Central St, Summerside.

RVF events at Acadian Museum of PEI

As part of Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie, the Acadian Museum of PEI in Miscouche will host events throughout March. Highlights include a living library with guest speakers on March 9 at 1 pm and a screening of Trécarré with discussions and music on March 23 at 2 pm. Both events are primarily in French. The Love Bites! exhibit launches on March 30 at 2 pm. Info: 902432-2880, museeacadien@gmail.com

Code Club

Kids ages 9–12 can join the Code Club at the Charlottetown Library. Meetings are Wednesdays at 4 pm in the Makerspace. Topics include robotics, Scratch, video game design, and coding practice. All experience levels welcome. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

can share their views, a private discussion forum, private chat functionality, and links to their social media. There are meetings every Saturday via Zoom. PEI Autistic Adults was started by an autistic senior and currently has over 140 members ranging from students to seniors. Those who wish to participate in the meetings but who do not wish to interact online can email peiautisticadults@gmail. com. PEI Autistic Adults is not affiliated with any organization.

Cape Bear Lighthouse expanding its board

The Cape Bear Lighthouse and Marconi Station is expanding its board and inviting those passionate about preserving local history or community engagement to join. Those interested should be willing to learn or are competent in non-profit work, strategic planning, fundraising, marketing, computer literacy, or grant writing. Email info@capebearlighthouse. com for more information.

Volunteers needed at Western PEI hospitals

Health PEI is relaunching its volunteer programs at Western Hospital in Alberton and Community Hospital in O’Leary. The hospitals are seeking compassionate individuals who want to make a positive impact and help enhance the care and comfort of the patients in their community. Apply online at volgistics.com/appform/1378427500 or contact Brandi Hudson at blhudson@ihis.org or 902-853-8692 for more information.

Job opportunities in the tourism industry

Friday, March 14

Advertising: sales@buzzpei.com

Editorial: info@buzzpei.com

The Order of Prince Edward Island Advisory Council is acception nominations for the 2025 award. The Order of PEI is the highest honour the Province can bestow. It was established to recognize Islanders who make remarkable contributions to the social, economic and cultural life of their province. Nominees

PEI Autistic Adults

PEI Autistic Adults is an online and in-person peer-support group for autistic adults and seniors on PEI to talk about autism, share experiences of navigating PEI as autistic adults, and support each other. The website, peiautisticadults. com, has a public blog where members

The Tourism Industry Association of PEI (TIAPEI) is helping job seekers find opportunities in the tourism industry with two major Tourism Job Fairs and a province-wide Rural Hiring Day. With over 700 jobs available, these events offer a chance to meet employers, apply on the spot, and start a rewarding career in one of PEI’s largest industries. The Charlottetown Tourism Job Fair will take place on March 1 from 11 am–3 pm at the Eastlink Centre. The North Shore Tourism Job Fair will be held on April 5 from 11 am–2 pm at Green Gables Heritage Place in Cavendish. Job seekers will be connected with tourism employers across PEI, offering positions in hospitality, dining, golf, outdoor adventure, and more. Attendees are encouraged to bring their résumés, meet employers in person ,and secure summer or long-term employment. There are opportunities for everyone, including retirees. Parttime, full-time, seasonal, and year-round positions are available. TIAPEI is hosting the Rural Hiring Day on April 25 from 1–3 pm. Unlike a traditional job fair, this province-wide initiative allows businesses to stay at their locations while job seekers visit them in person, providing a firsthand look at the workplaces and an opportunity for one-on-one conversations with hiring managers. This event is ideal for those looking to find employment closer to home and gain a better understanding of available opportunities in their communities. Info: tiapei.ca

Polar Pride Fest

New winter celebration from Pride PEI—Mar 13 to 16

Polar Pride Fest, a new Pride PEI initiative bringing vibrant winter celebrations to the community, runs from March 13–16 at venues in Charlottetown.

Festivities kick off March 13 at The Guild with the Dry Happy Hour Series (4–6 pm), featuring a panel discussion moderated by Chanel Briggs on the importance of identity-specific spaces. Later, PEIRSAC presents BDSM 101 Date Night (7–10 pm), a two-hour workshop facilitated by San Anbalagan. Meanwhile, a Double Bill Movie Night (7–11 pm) presented by City Cinema and curated by LACUNA will feature all-ages short films at 7 pm and the 19+ screening of Bound at 9 pm.

On March 14, the Dry Happy Hour Series (4–6 pm) at The Guild continues with Prioritizing Self-Care in 2025, a Pride PEI panel on wellness in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. At 6:30 pm, the Black Cultural Society presents Hoop Til You Drop (Part 1) with Yigale at Downstreet Dance. The night wraps up with PJ’s, Pints & Pizza at Craft Beer Corner (8 pm–1 am), featuring karaoke with Marli Trecartin & Izzy Serebrov.

On March 15, the community can choose their own adventure from 1–4 pm. Activities include the Hoop Til You Drop (Part 2) workshop (12:30 pm), Intro to Hot Yoga with Scott MacTaggart at Modo Yoga (2–3 pm), and Creative Pride: Expressive Arts Studio with Julie Bull at The Guild (1–4 pm). The Vic Park Snow Day (1–4 pm) offers fort building, a hot

Well-being tune-up

One-day wellness retreat at Florence Simmons

Thrive Symposium, a one-day wellness retreat, will be held at Florence Simmons Performance Hall in Charlottetown on April 5, from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm. A professional team of storytellers, musicians, dancers, and motivational speakers will explore four keys to inner change—designed to unlock a flourishing life—helping guests rebalance their lives and tap into a transformative life force.

The presenters and performers, all donating their time to Thrive Symposium, have combined decades of experience as healers and trauma overcomers. Through inspiring stories, music, and the latest neuroscience,

chocolate pop-up with Old General Catering House, a snowshoe walk, and bonfire pits. PEITN’s Trans Clothing Swap (1–4 pm), a closed event for Trans+ individuals, takes place at the PEITN office. Other options include Drop-in Board Games (1–3 pm) at the Montague Rotary Library, Letting Go: An Introduction to Medicine & Song with Rainier Ward (1–3 pm), and a pole workshop (4–5 pm) at Aerial Warehouse.

That evening, the Pride Night Market at Founders Food Hall (6–10 pm) features outdoor bonfire pits, a s’more station, cocktail demonstrations, a disco skating rink, local musicians, and diverse vendors. The Polar Night Dance (10 pm–1:30 am) at The Mack closes the night with Siddhu Sneh (a.k.a. prettybitch.wav) and DJ STP DAD.

On March 16, a Drag Brunch at Abbiocco (10:30 am–12 noon) showcases the queens from BoLo Drag Haus with DJ Fundance. Pride Storytime (1–2 pm) welcomes all ages at the Charlottetown Library. The Pride Piano Bar (3–5 pm) at the Salvador Dali Café features hosts Craig Fair, Brandon Howard Roy, and Lindsay Connolly.

Many events are free or by donation, while some require tickets, pre-registration, or waivers. For admission details, the full schedule, accessibility considerations, registration links, and resources, visit pridepei.ca/polarpride-fest25 or scan the QR code in the ad on page A29.

Nominations for the 2025 Order of Prince Edward Island are open!

Nominations for 2025 must be received by 4:30 p.m. on March 19, 2025.

guests will have the opportunity to experience true inner transformation. Featured speakers and performers include author and singer-songwriter Sheila Ann Smith, dancers Deborah Christie and Terry Arsenault, author and physician Dr. Hendrik Visser, and author, professional speaker, and storyteller Catherine Garant. This high-energy retreat is designed to help people of all generations thrive in life, love, work, and leadership.

Thrive Symposium is sponsored by the Integrated Health Transformation Centre (IHTC), a holistic functional medicine non-profit on PEI dedicated to helping individuals, couples, employers, and families grow from effectiveness to greatness. Tickets are available online at Ticketpro Atlantic, with half-price rates for students. For more details and registration links, visit ihtc.info/ events. Funds raised will support IHTC’s efforts to help Islanders who lack access or funds for healthcare and therapy.

The Order of Prince Edward Island is the highest honour the province can bestow. It’s awarded annually to three Islanders who have made remarkable contributions to the social, economic or cultural life of our province.

Send completed nominations to: Laura Morrell Secretary to the Advisory Council PO Box 2000 Charlottetown, PE C1A 7N8 or OPEI@assembly. pe.ca

If you know someone who has shown excellence or outstanding leadership in their community or in their chosen profession, this is your opportunity to nominate them for this special honour.

Nomination forms and information about the Order are available online at OrderPEI.ca

The Council accepts nominations in English and French.

Canadian issues discussed in the birthplace of Canada – led by

Engage in conversations on healthcare, climate

and

Distinguished Alumni

Holland College Foundation names 2024 recipients

The Holland College Foundation has named Kerry Anne MacDougall (Founder of Insight Studio and KA MacDougall Consulting in Charlottetown, PE), Kent MacDonald (VP of Strategic Alliances, Long View Systems Inc. in Calgary, AB), and Kent MacLean (CEO and Director, Allumiqs Corporation in Halifax, NS) as recipients of this year’s Distinguished Alumni Awards.

Foundation Board Chair Mark Ledwell praised their accomplishments and dedication to their professions: “Our 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award honourees have made significant impacts in their communities— each recipient exemplifies dedication, commitment, and the lasting influence of a Holland College education.”

This is the 17th year for the awards. MacLean, MacDougall, and MacDonald join over 50 Distinguished Alumni.

Jo-Ann Campbell-Boutilier, Holland College’s Executive Director, Foundation and Alumni, said that recognizing and celebrating the achievements of its graduates is a top priority for Holland College. “We are immensely proud of our 50,000 alumni who are making an impact around the globe,” saysv Campbell-Boutilier.

A celebration and dinner will be held at the Culinary Institute of Canada on April 14.

Learn more about nominating an alumnus of Holland College for a Distinguished Alumni Award by visiting hollandcollege.com/alumni. Nominations are accepted year-round.

International Women’s Day

Accelerate Action for Equality—Mar 8

The Advisory Council on the Status of Women, the Coalition for Women’s Leadership, Women’s Network PEI, and community volunteers invite everyone to celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8, from 6:30–9:30 pm in the Rotary Auditorium of the Charlottetown Library Learning Centre (enter via the back doors on Pownal Street).

The evening will feature a variety of performers showcasing movement and dance, along with opportunities to learn basic movements. Speakers will share their passion for advancing women and girls and growing community. There will be refreshments, a children’s corner, and IWD gifts for all. The event will wrap up with a collective singing of the IWD anthem, “Bread & Roses.”

People of all genders are welcome at this free event. Connect and reconnect in friendship, allyship and

Holocaust Education

Awareness exhibit and tour at Three Oaks Senior High

The Atlantic Canada Holocaust Education Foundation is bringing a curated Holocaust Education Exhibit to PEI. The exhibit will be on display at Three Oaks Senior High in Summerside and open to the public on March 4 and 6.

Educators, students, families, and the PEI community are encouraged to visit this powerful and important learning opportunity. The program

Barb McDowall speaking at IWD 2023

celebration to accelerate the global movement towards gender equality. For more information, contact info@ peistatusofwomen.ca or 902-368-4510, or visit peistatusofwomen.ca.

will begin promptly at 6 pm with a guided tour to provide historical insights and context throughout the exhibit. As an immersive educational experience, the history of antisemitism, the timeline of the Holocaust and Nazi propaganda will be explored. The exhibit will highlight survivor testimonies and stories of the Righteous Among the Nations—individuals who risked their lives to save Jewish people during the Holocaust.

Note that some exhibit materials contain sensitive and graphic content. The exhibit is recommended for ages 13 and older. Viewer discretion is advised.

Doors open at 5:45 pm. This is a free event with pre-registration required at zeffy.com/ticketing/ holocaust-education-exhibit-pei.

glassware, etc. (no clothing, TVs, or computers please)

April 11 3PM to 7PM

April 12 10AM to 3PM

April 22 3PM to 7PM

(L–R): Kerry Anne MacDougall, Kent MacLean and Kent MacDonald

The Nature of PEI by Gary Schneider

Water, water…

In a mostly frozen landscape at this time of year, my thoughts still often turn to flowing water—its beauty, its importance, its fragility. I continue to have an intimate relationship with the Orwell River, which runs through the Sir Andrew Macphail Homestead. It is a lovely waterway, home to large Eastern Hemlock and Yellow Birch, barred owls and bald eagles, and a myriad of other flora and fauna.

It is a lovely natural area but it is also full of human history. At one time it was very much a working landscape—there is still evidence of where Sir Andrew would bathe in that frigid water, and you can see where the river was once dammed.

Here is how Sir Andrew described the Homestead:

“The Farm was acquired from the Fletchers. The north and south branches of the Orwell River joined within the area, flowed in a deep wooded ravine, passed through the adjoining property, and met the tide where it was crossed by a bridge. Upon this stream were three mills. Heavy timber grew upon either bank. The stream now runs upon gravel and rock, through grassy meadows where mill-ponds once were, through gorges where with an unerring instinct the early settlers built their three dams, through the woods where trees have grown to immense size, protected by the high banks which prevent their removal. There also, as a neighbor observed, is all the accommodation a sea-trout could require.”

It is somewhat hard to believe that water was once such a critical source of energy in the province, driving mills to crush grain and saw timber. The rivers were also a key part of the transportation system and before the coming of roads were often how we moved things—including logs—from one place to another.

And for thousands of years before the European settlers arrived, the waterways were used by the Mi’kmaq, who had an uncanny ability to be part of an ecosystem without destroying it.

Today, we are trying to figure out that same role—how to part of the natural world. We are learning to understand how to exist within nature without destroying it. The buffer zones adjacent to our rivers and streams are incredibly important when viewed through a biodiversity lens. That’s where you can find winter wrens, kingfishers, wood ducks, and dozens of other birds. As for mammals, these are common habitats for beavers, mink, and raccoons. And amphibians are very common in these areas.

I worry about our waterways when I read about neonicotinoids—a pesticide that has a toxic effect on pollinators— being present in our streams. The headline in the October 29, 2004 issue of Canada’s National Observer read “In Canada’s potato province, streams run with pesticides.” That’s not the headline that “Canada’s Food Island” should be attracting. Our own provincial inspectors found the pesticide in amounts up to 4.5 times greater than the government’s safety thresholds. To date, there has been no enforcement action taken.

While no direct link to the potato industry has yet been shown, neonicotinoids are mainly used by the potato industry. It is probably too much to ask the industry to self-regulate, so if we are concerned about environmental health, pollinator decline, and diversity, government really needs to take immediate action on this threat.

We all want to have a healthy environment, and if that means finding other, less toxic ways to handle pests, that is what we must do. There are already plenty of threats to wildlife in this province—we don’t need any more.

MACPHAIL WOODS

COMMUNITY #2

EAL Conversation circle

The Immigrant & Refugee Services Association PEI hosts EAL conversation circles for adults on Thursdays at 6:30 pm and Saturdays at 10 am at the Charlottetown Library. Adults interested in practicing their English language skills are encouraged to join for informal conversation. No registration is required. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Free tax clinics

The Community Volunteer Income Tax Program will be available at the Summerside Library (57 Central St) from March 1 to April 25 during operating hours to assist individuals with modest incomes in filing their tax returns. Those in need can drop off their information at the library, and volunteers will prepare their returns. For more information, call 902-436-7323. Free tax clinics will also be available for Island residents with modest-to-no income and a simple tax situation at the Charlottetown Library (97 Queen St) on Thursdays at 6:30 pm and Saturdays at 1 pm.

French-speaking tax volunteers needed

The Community Volunteer Income Tax Program urgently needs French-speaking volunteers across the Island to help residents file their taxes and access benefits. This free program ensures those in need receive eligible benefits and credits. Sign up or learn more at canada.ca/ taxes-volunteer.

Disability Tax Credit

Independent Living Nova Scotia will be at the Summerside Library (57 Central St) on March 13 and the Charlottetown Library (97 Queen St) on March 11 from 3–7:30 pm to assist Atlantic Canadians with disabilities in navigating the Disability Tax Credit (DTC). Support will be available for determining eligibility and other steps in the application process.

Eastern Kings ATV Club launches new website

The Eastern Kings ATV Club has launched its website, easternkingsatv. com, a digital hub connecting riders, promoting responsible recreation, and strengthening PEI’s ATV community. The site is a comprehensive resource for trail enthusiasts interested in the Eastern Kings region. It offers trail maps, safety tips, upcoming event listings, and membership information. Riders can purchase PEI ATV Federation memberships and trail passes at ridepei.ca, gaining access to well-maintained trails, events like poker runs, and opportunities to participate in trail stewardship projects that benefit the community. The Club invites everyone to be part of shaping the future of responsible riding and trail building

on PEI, whether they’re a seasoned rider or new to ATVing. Visit easternkingsatv. com for up to date announcements and events from the Club.

War Amps key tags mark milestone

The War Amps is celebrating 50 years of its Child Amputee (CHAMP) Program, which supports young amputees with financial assistance for artificial limbs, peer support, and more. Island residents can expect to receive their 2025 War Amps key tags in this year’s mailing to mark the special anniversary. Each key tag has a confidentially coded number. If the keys get lost, the finder can call the toll-free number on the back of the tag or place them in any mailbox in Canada and The War Amps will return them to the owner by courier, free of charge. The War Amps receives no government grants; its programs are made possible through the public’s support of the Key Tag Service. For more info, or to order key tags, visit waramps.ca or call 1-800-250-3030.

Commonwealth Day celebration

The Royal Commonwealth Society of PEI invites members of the public to join in a celebration of Commonwealth Day at the Kirk of St James in Charlottetown on March 10 at 7 pm. The day is acknowledged annually throughout the 56 member countries worldwide.

The Honourable Dr. Wassim Salamoun, lieutenant governor of PEI, will read the Commonwealth Day message from His Majesty, King Charles III. Bishop Christopher LePage will read the names of the 56 Commonwealth Nations as their flags are presented by Sea, Army, Air, and Navy League Cadets. The PEI Regiment Band and the Singing Strings will provide music, followed by light refreshments. There is no admission but a free will offering is appreciated. 35 Fitzroy St, Charlottetown.

Provincial support for inclusive communities

Thirty-two community organizations across the Island are receiving support from the provincial government for projects that promote diversity and inclusion. The Gender, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (GEDI) and Community Enhancement Program provided a total of $650,000 in funding for 2025. The BIPOC Business and Professional Network was one of the organizations that received funding this year with the goal of creating a greater sense of belonging across the Island. Since the program’s inception in 2022, a total of $1.8M in funding has been distributed to over 56 organizations and 81 projects. The funding streams for this year include open proposals, gender-based violence prevention, and community events and celebrations. Through the bilateral agreement between the Governments of Canada and PEI to support the National

Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, the Interministerial Women’s Secretariat has provided an additional $150,000 for gender-based violence prevention efforts. Visit princeedwardisland.ca to learn more about the GEDI program.

Pride Night Market

Part of Pride PEI’s Polar Pride Fest, the Pride Night Market at Founders Food Hall will be held on March 15 from 6–10 pm at Founders Food Hall & Market in Charlottetown. This dynamic event features outdoor bonfire pits, a s’more station, cocktail demonstrations, and a disco skating rink. Local musicians will provide a live soundtrack while diverse vendors showcase their businesses. Warm up by the fire with goodies from one of the many vendors onsite and celebrate pride, creativity, and joy. Admission is by donation. For the full schedule of Polar Pride Fest events, accessibility considerations, registration links, and resources, visit pridepei.ca/polar-pride-fest25.

PEITN’s Trans Clothing Swap

PEITN’s Trans Clothing Swap, an identity-specific event, will be held on March 15 from 1–4 pm at the PEITN office, Suite 302, 85 Fitzroy St, Charlottetown. Participants can bring gently used clothing, shoes, and accessories to trade for new finds. Private try-on spaces and gender-neutral washrooms will be available to ensure a comfortable swap experience. The event offers a chance to revamp wardrobes in a fun, inclusive space. This is a closed event for Trans+ individuals and is part of Pride PEI’s Polar Pride Fest. For the full schedule of events, accessibility considerations, registration links, and resources, visit pridepei.ca/ polar-pride-fest25.

Free cancer and precision medicine conference

The Atlantic Cancer Consortium Patient advisory committee is organizing a free, virtual, public conference on cancer and precision medicine for Atlantic Canadians. The conference, Cancer is Personal: Humanizing Precision Medicine in Atlantic Canada, will be held from 9:30 am–6 pm NDT on March 15. Speakers include patients, caregivers, healthcare and service providers, leaders, scientists, advocates, and special guest Darrell Fox. Select talks will be delivered in French. Participants will hear about patient and family stories, precision medicine in cancer treatment, clinical trials, medical and psychosocial support programs offered to Atlantic Canadians, and how advocacy shapes the future of health care and policy in Atlantic Canada. Register online at mun. jotform.com/250295627862061.

Explore the science of skincare with STEAM PEI

Youth aged 12–18 can join STEAM PEI at the Summerside Library on March 8 at 1 pm to explore the science of skincare. With hands-on learning, participants can gain valuable tips on caring for their skin with creativity and self-confidence by crafting their own personalized product. Visit steampei.com to register. 57 Central St, Summerside.

AA Secular 12-step Group

The Alcoholics Anonymous Secular 12-step Group meets every Thursday at 6:30 pm at Beaconsfield Carriage House. They discuss Beyond Belief: Agnostic Musings for 12 Step Life by Joe C, using science-based excerpts for informal discussions on getting and living sober. The meeting is an hour long, and all are welcome. 2 Kent St, Charlottetown.

Teen volunteer club

Teens interested in obtaining volunteer hours and participating in the teen volunteer club at the Charlottetown Library are welcome to meet weekly on Mondays from 4–5 pm to brainstorm and discuss new library programs. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Teen advisory group

Teens are welcome to join the teen advisory group on Mondays at 3:30 pm in the Summerside Library. Meetings start with an opportunity for teens to share their voices and opinions, followed by assisting staff with various tasks. Participation allows teens to earn volunteer hours toward the Community Service Bursary. 57 Central St, Summerside.

Teen leadership program

Teens aged 13–18 interested in developing leadership skills and helping their community can join a volunteer and leadership program in the Charlottetown Library auditorium every Thursday from 2–6 pm. Presented by Boys & Girls Club, the program offers an opportunity to work on a project from start to finish and make a valuable impact in the community. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Community fridges

In addition to offering free food, clothing, furniture and houseware to qualified low income families and those experiencing temporary hardship, Betty Begg-Brooks and the volunteers at Gifts from the Heart also manage three community fridges. Food donations can be dropped off during community fridge operating hours (Monday–Friday from 9 am–5 pm) at the nearest fridge location—10 Maple Hills Ave in Charlottetown, the West Royalty Community Centre, or the Stratford No Frills parking lot. Training is provided for those interested in volunteering at the community fridges. Volunteer shifts are from 9 am–1 pm or 1–5 pm. Monetary and food donations are accepted during the week at the Charlottetown office location, 10 Maple Hills Ave. Call Betty at 393-0171 for after hours drop-offs, to volunteer, or to register as a client.

Tech help

Members of the public can have their technology questions answered at the Charlottetown and Summerside libraries. Bring devices and questions to the Charlottetown Library on Saturdays from 2–4 pm and teen volunteers will provide tech help. In Summerside, oneon-one tech help is offered on Thursdays at 3 pm. Call the Summerside Library in advance at 902-436-7323 to register.

The Cove Journal by JoDee Samuelson

Snow tracks

It’s been a real old-fashioned winter with plenty of frigid days and nights, and enough snow to satisfy the needs of every outdoor enthusiast. We’ve snowshoed in every direction, across partially snow-covered potato fields, through acres of naked unharvested soybeans, between icy glistening rocks of the Cove shoreline, and everywhere we venture we see tracks.

I recognize crow, bluejay and bunny footprints, but with other tracks it’s the question: “Is it a dog, a fox or a coyote?” I’m no expert, but big doggy-like tracks in an open field are probably from a coyote. Toenails are sometimes a clue. Coyotes wear their nails down through running, so their toenail prints might not be as evident as a domestic dog’s. Also, if you find scat (poop) containing fur and bones, it’s probably from a coyote—although many wellfed dogs have been seen to merrily snack on a tasty rodent or two.

As for foxes, their footprints are small and delicate, and their hind feet step into their front foot tracks leaving a very tidy trail. They also eat rodents. Our friend Bev says that fox tracks smell like foxes and I’ll take her word for it. My mother had a very dead, dusty and odourless fox stole, complete with glass eyes and a mouth that clamped shut to hold it in place around your neck. Fox stoles must have outgrown fashion for we children were allowed to play with it, totally oblivious to the limp boneless legs that would never make footprints again.

I was always obsessed with patterns and footprints. Some of you, of a certain generation, remember those brown rubber overshoes (yes, you pulled them on over your shoes) that closed with a buckle, and featured a little strip of fake fur around the top that sort of kept the snow out but didn’t keep your feet from freezing.

Whenever I got a new pair—I suppose I got new ones every year, they didn’t last—I’d walk backwards in the snow and admire the crisp zigzaggy patterns they made.

Even today if there’s a fresh snowfall I walk backwards and look at my tracks. And there have been plenty of fresh snowfalls this winter. Most mornings before daylight we see the lights of a snowplough hurtling up our road, flinging snow to left and right, possibly wiping out a mailbox or tipping over a garbage bin.

Snowplough drivers do an amazing job of missing most objects and staying on the road, so I was shocked the other day to see a snowplough tipped gently off the highway past the point of no return. When you see such a behemoth in the ditch, lights flashing, unable to move, you lose your annoyance over the unplowed drifted-in section of road between the Cove and the next community, and start remembering how much we love our snow-clearing people.

Well, the plough is gone now. Who pulled it out? Another snowplough? No idea. All I know is they left plenty of tracks.

Giant pumkin growing workshop

The PEI Giant Pumpkin Growers Association is hosting a workshop for beginners to learn how to grow giant pumpkins at York Community Centre on March 12 at 6:30 pm.

The workshop will include free giant pumpkin seeds and all the information needed to get started. Everyone is welcome. 689 Rte 25, York.

NATURE

Hoofing it in the Highlands

Daphne Davey will be the guest speaker at Nature PEI’s monthly meeting on March 4, where she will present “Hoofing It in the Highlands.” The highlands she speaks of are in Cape Breton, where, in September 2024, she had the pleasure of hiking 11 trails in four days.

ACTIVE

A community hike hosted by MacPhail Woods will take place on March 1 at 10 am on the MacPhail property. The group will begin at the Nature Centre where participants will have access to

Eight of those trails were in Cape Breton Highlands National Park. She encountered only 90 minutes of rain during the entire trip and had plenty of time to take photos. The meeting takes place at 7:30 pm at Beaconsfield Carriage House, located at the corner of West and Kent Streets in Charlottetown. After some discussion among members and a fun fundraising exercise, the presentation will begin at 8 pm. It will also be streamed live on the Nature PEI Facebook page. Admission is free, and all are welcome.

PEI Untamed with Kate MacQuarrie

Visit Kate MacQuarrie’s PEI Untamed to learn, explore, and reconnect with nature. Upcoming sessions include Edible & Medicinal Plants on March 4 in Stanley Bridge, Edible & Medicinal Plants (via Zoom) on March 18, Introduction to Mushrooms (via Zoom) on April 22, and Foraging & Cattail Pickles with the Beach Goats on May 17. Info/register: pei-untamed.com

Birch Loop Trail. The hike is intended to be strenuous as opposed to a casual meander. Bring water and hiking poles if they’re available. 269 MacPhail Park Rd, Vernon Bridge.

Cornwall Run Club

The Cornwall Run Club holds a social run every Wednesday at 6 pm, covering approximately five kilometres. Runners of all skill levels are welcome. The run starts and ends at Village Green Brewery (30 Church St, at the old post office/ dental clinic in Cornwall). Follow @ Cornwall Run Club on FB for updates.

Kidney walks

The annual Kidney Walk will take place at Credit Union Place (511 Notre Dame St) in Summerside on June 7 and at Victoria Park (100 Victoria Park Rd) in Charlottetown on June 8. Walks begin at 10 am. The events will include entertainment, prizes, face painting, and refreshments. Every year, Canadians unite at the Kidney Walk to celebrate and support the strength of the kidney and transplant

Daphne Davey

Community hike

TALKS, etc

Gambling awareness

Nora McCarthy-Joyce, a gambling education specialist with PEI’s Department of Health and Wellness, will lead a one-hour Gambling Awareness Education session at Summerside Library (57 Central St) on March 5 and Charlottetown Library (97 Queen St) on March 12, both at 2 pm. She will cover types of gambling, signs of gambling harm, and available resources in PEI. All are welcome.

Dry Happy Hour Series

Pride PEI will present the Dry Happy Hour Series as part of its Polar Pride Fest taking place from March 13–16. The series will feature two panel discussions at The Guild in Charlottetown. Admission is free and registration is not required to attend. The panel on March 13 at 4 pm will discuss “The Importance of Identity-Specific Spaces.” During the 2024 Pride Fest, Pride PEI hosted intentional identity-specific spaces. Moderated by Chanel Briggs, curators of those events will explore this significant development in Pride programming. The panel on March 14 at 4 pm, “Prioritizing Self-Care in 2025,” will explore diverse wellness strategies with the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in mind. Hosted by Pride PEI, this discussion centers on empowering individuals to nurture their mental and physical well-being—especially in these challenging times. By offering actionable approaches that honour individual experiences while building collective strength, this panel promises to provide nurturing, practical guidance for thriving in 2025. As a special gesture of care, each participant will receive a small self-care package to support their wellness journey beyond the event. Info: pridepei.ca/ polar-pride-fest25

Seniors Café

The next Seniors Café at the Summerside Library is on March 14 at 11 am. Guest speaker Susan Cannell will talk about pilates. Tea and coffee will be provided. 57 Central St, Summerside.

Polar Pride workshop and discussion

On March 15, from 1–3 pm, Rainier Ward will lead “Letting Go: An Introduction to Medicine & Song.” This workshop blends ceremony with open discussion on letting go of pain and embracing medicine. Participants will engage with a bundle and various medicines, learning their purpose while reflecting on their meaning. Venue tbd. Part of Pride PEI’s Polar Pride Fest (March 13–16). For admission details, the full schedule, accessibility considerations, registration links, and resources, visit pridepei.ca/ polar-pride-fest25

Island Lecture Series

The next Island Lecture Series, hosted by the Institute of Island Studies at UPEI, will feature guest speaker Heidi Haering presenting, “The ‘family farm’: A keyword in Prince Edward Island land politics.” The lecture will be held in the Faculty Lounge at UPEI’s Main Building on March 18 at 7 pm. Admission is free and all are welcome to attend. Drawing on anthropological fieldwork for a master’s thesis, this talk will deal with the struggle to define the “family farm” in PEI and how this ambiguity helps or hinders the work of farmers, agribusiness and government. It will discuss how participant definitions of the “family farm” contrasted with how they farmed and were sometimes at odds with their ideals. This talk will also shed light on the possible reasons that agribusiness and governments look to the pastoral romanticism of “family farm.”

Gardening tips

Guests from Kool Breeze Farms will be at the Summerside Library on March 29 at 1 pm to offer gardening tips. Attendees will learn how to get their garden going in the spring, how to prune shrubs, and more. 57 Central St, Summerside.

Family Law 101

A free legal information session, Family Law 101, will be held at Summerside Library on March 31 at 6:30 pm. Presented by Amber Wilson of Key Murray Law in partnership with the Law Society, this session is designed to help Islanders understand the basics of family law. Key topics include separation and divorce, child support, and property division. Additional resources will be discussed for those currently facing a family law issue or simply looking to be better informed. Call 902-436-7323 or register at the circulation desk. 57 Central St, Summerside.

Heidi Haering SUBMITTED

Festival Route 11

Headliners

announced for fifth year at Union Corner

The Fédération culturelle de l’Île-duPrince-Édouard will celebrate five years of Festival Route 11 at Union Corner Provincial Park in Wellington, PEI, from August 1–3 with a weekend-long dance party. As always, audiences can also look forward to the festival’s signature multi-sensory outdoor experience: music, culinary arts, and visual arts.

Festival-goers will be dancing the weekend away, whether in their seats or on their feet. The barndance is back and bigger than ever, as the main kick-off event of the festival. Capping off Friday night’s mainstage show under the big tent, high-energy dance caller Jean-François Berthiaume will have audience members itching to swing their partner. Folk music-lovers may remember this larger-than-life fellow from calling sets at last fall’s Goolaholla Festival.

Another festival staple returns: Saturday’s Cajun dance party. This

Concert in the Church

Island-style Mardi Gras at St. Bonaventure—Mar 2

An Island-style Mardi Gras celebration featuring house band Fullerton’s Marsh, lively fiddle tunes, skits and more will take place at St. Bonaventure’s on March 2, 2–4 pm. Admission is at the door. The church is located at 1295 Donaldson Road, Tracadie Cross.

Park

year features the four-time Grammynominated Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, widely considered to be among today’s top Cajun bands. With the festival’s signature large scale art installations inside the tent helping to set the vibe, there will be little to stop attendees from being lured into a twostep or two.

The toe-tapping continues on Sunday afternoon with headliner Mary Frances Leahy. Audiences mustn’t underestimate her for her youth: Leahy, the daughter of Cape Breton’s Natalie MacMaster, has been performing since the age of five. An accomplished musician, with collaborations with artists such as Yo-Yo Ma under her belt, she has been developing her own sound, rooted in Celtic, and influenced by jazz and latin music.

In addition to the barndance and mainstage shows, Saturday will feature all day family-friendly activities (free admission), and Shane Pendergast’s Jack Pine Folk Club under the little tent.

Tickets are on sale at festivalroute11.com. Volunteer and get a free weekend pass.

PEI Bluegrass concert

Fundraiser at Beaconsfield

Carriage House—Mar 2

The PEI Bluegrass & Old Time Music Society is hosting a fundraising concert on March 2 at Beaconsfield’s Carriage House in Charlottetown, starting at 2 pm. The event will feature Island bluegrass performers The Stiff Family and Whitecap Drive.

Admission is at the door. There will be a 50/50 draw and raffle tickets for a Martin DX-2 guitar. Proceeds support the 38th Annual PEI Bluegrass & Old Time Music Festival, happening July 4–6 at the Dundas Fairgrounds.

Island Jubilee

Upcoming shows in March and April

The Island Jubilee Old Time Radio Music Show at Florence Simmons Performance Hall in Charlottetown on March 2 will feature Whitney Rose, Julien Kitson, and Abi Marie. The show on April 6 will feature John Connolly and Catherine O’Brien.

John Connolly is an award-winning songwriter with a diverse career spanning music, theatre, film, and television. He has released multiple original albums, produced albums for fellow artists, and composed for both stage and screen. As a musical director, Connolly has brought his expertise to theatre, radio, and TV productions. He has performed throughout PEI and across Canada, including at the Olympics. He has also shared the stage with celebrated artists like Joel Plaskett and Jimmy Rankin.

Summerside’s Harbourfront Theatre Summer Festival for three seasons, and most recently, as interim executive director at Kings Playhouse in Georgetown. She is an actor, director, writer, and producer.

Catherine O’Brien is the co-founder and artistic producer of the Island’s Young at Heart Theatre, now in its 21st year. She served as artistic director for

The Island Jubilee Old Time Radio Music Shows are co-hosted by Janet McGarry and Serge Bernard with the Jubilee All-Stars. Showtime is 2 pm. Tickets are available at ticketpro.ca.

islandjubilee.com

Catherine O’Brien (left) and John Connolly are the feature performers in the April 6 edition

RICHARD HALL

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys (left) and Mary Frances Leahy

Songwriter’s Circle

Celebrating International Women’s Day—Mar 8

(L–R): Catherine MacLellan, Ashley Condon and Meaghan Blanchard

Three PEI songwriters take the stage for an International Women’s Day Songwriter’s Circle at Copper Bottom Brewing in Montague.

Catherine MacLellan, Ashley Condon, and Meaghan Blanchard— formerly The Eastern Belles—have performed across North America and will reunite on March 8 at 7:30 pm.

Doors open at 5:30 pm. Tickets are available in the taproom or online via Eventbrite.

C’mon In

St. Patrick’s Day party at Trailside Music Hall—Mar 17

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on March 17 at Trailside Music Hall with Robbie Doherty, Pierce Clarke, and their seven-piece band for the C’mon In! East Coast Kitchen Party

This high-energy show is a tribute to East Coast music, featuring a lively mix of traditional folk, sea shanties, and contemporary hits. From Stompin’ Tom and Anne Murray to Great Big Sea, C’mon In! delivers the songs that define the region’s unique sound.

Doors open at 6 pm. Music starts at 7:30 pm. Visit trailside.ca for tickets.

The Irish Descendants

35th anniversary concert at Harbourfront Theatre—Mar 16

Celtic group The Irish Descendants will bring their 35th anniversary concert to Harbourfront Theatre in Summerside on March 16.

The Irish Descendants played a pivotal role in introducing traditional Newfoundland music to a broader Canadian audience in the early 1990s, sharing the stage with bands like Great Big Sea. Their authentic renditions of timeless East Coast tunes, infused with an Irish twist, have made them a cherished part of Canada’s folk music scene.

As the official band for Newfoundland and Labrador’s 500th-anniversary celebrations, they were honoured to perform for Her Majesty the Queen—an event that marked a turning point in their career.

The band features Con O’Brien (guitar, lead vocals, frontman), Madeline Carter (fiddle), Jeff Kinsman (electric guitar), and Rowan Sherlock (mandolin, piano, fiddle). harbourfronttheatre.com

Music PEI Week 2025

Five days of celebrations and performances

Music PEI Week 2025, running from March 4–8, will feature five days of performances highlighting this year’s award nominees and special guests.

On March 4, a sponsor reception will be held at The Gallery Café in Charlottetown, where the Buzz Album Art of the Year nominees will be on display until March 10. That evening, at 7:30 pm, Grooves at The Guild will spotlight Richard Wood, Lefunk, Bettii, Gizmo, and Pearly Gates.

On March 5, Out Loud Sessions at The Guild in Charlottetown at 7:30 pm will feature Dazey, Carlie Howell, Noah Malcolm, Inn Echo, and Joce Reyome. Meanwhile, in Georgetown, the Down East Stinger at Kings Playhouse will showcase Shane Pendergast, Whitney Rose, Dennis Ellsworth, and Aubin Pi la S.C.B.

On March 6, Happy Hour Music Trivia from 4–6:30 pm at Evermoore Brewing in Summerside will offer attendees a chance to flex their knowledge of the PEI music scene. At 7:30 pm, the SOCAN Songwriter of the Year Concert at the Scott MacAulay Performing Arts Centre in Summerside will feature a Songwriter’s Circle with nominees Dylan Menzie, Gizmo, Lawrence Maxwell, Noah Malcolm, and Whitney Rose. The evening will conclude with the presentation of the SOCAN Songwriter of the Year Award.

Also on March 6, Charlottetown’s Craft Beer Corner will host the Rhythm and Flow-Case at 7:30 pm, showcasing DEMIXX, Norm Strangely, Rightflow, BraedenV, and Cavy, with DJ Alley Cat spinning on the decks.

On March 7, from 5–6 pm, the all-ages Dry Happy Hour Mixer at Beaconsfield Carriage House in Charlottetown will screen videos from the Music Video of the Year nominees. Following this, the All Ages Amplified show will feature performances by 20 Eyes, Oakdrive, Space Bud, Heather, and Absolute Losers. Later, at 8 pm, the Music Mosaic event at Charlottetown’s Trailside Music Hall will showcase Todd MacLean, Luisa Güiza, Tiffany Liu, Hikado, and Vishtèn Connexions.

On March 8, the Awards Gala Red Carpet at Confederation Centre of the Arts will celebrate this year’s nominees and special guests as they enter the Sobey Family Theatre for the 24th Annual Music PEI Awards Gala, hosted by Matt Rainnie. From 7–9:30 pm, the gala will honour the outstanding achievements of PEI’s artists and industry professionals as the 2025 Music PEI Awards are handed out. Some of this year’s top nominees will perform, including Vishtèn Connexions, Dylan Menzie, Hikado, and Lawrence Maxwell, with Craig Fair’s house band.

musicpei.com

A Songwriters Circle

Three Island musicians share the stage at Trailside—Mar 27

Nick Doneff, Dennis Ellsworth, and Scott MacKay present A Songwriters Circle at Trailside Music Hall on March 27 at 8 pm.

ST. PATRICK’S DAY WEEKEND PARTY!

Special weekend music Friday, Saturday & Sunday

March 14: music with Dave Woodside

March 15: music with Billy White

March 16: Pint special til 5pm & 2pm live music afternoon at with Barry O’Brien

11 Brook St, Montague, PEI

See full schedule of events online

Nick Doneff is a Charlottetown-based musician and songwriter that has become a staple within PEI’s musical landscape by way of his earnest songwriting, laid-back demeanour, and singular approach to the guitar.

Dennis Ellsworth has released two albums with his former group Haunted Hearts, a duo album with Kinley Dowling, two EPs, and 10 solo albums, including his recent triple-album project Bound by Love Scott MacKay has a deep appreciation for 1950s and ’60s country music, but the Charlottetown singer-songwriter also brings sharp wit

to his songwriting. His latest ECMAwinning album, Stupid Cupid, offers a fresh, modern take on classic country. trailside.ca

Dennis Ellsworth (top), Scott MacKay (bottom) and Nick Doneff (right)

Con O’Brien

At the Trailside

A few of the musical offerings in March

The Pogues and Shane MacGowan Tribute

Featuring the Free Whiskey Band

Mar 13

The Pogues & Shane MacGowan Tribute returns, featuring the new Free Whiskey Band—Thomas Webb, Peter Cann, Crazy Legs, Davy Weale, Katriona MacNeil, David Pendergast, Peter Webb, and Thomas Kirkham.

This show has been one of the most requested at Trailside since their soldout performance in March 2024.

Route 225 & Friends

With Kelley Mooney, Trinity Bradshaw and Craig Fair

Mar 22

Known for their powerhouse performances and broad musical range, Route 225 will headline the evening with a set featuring music highlights from across generations.

The show will also include performances by Kelley Mooney, Trinity Bradshaw, and Craig Fair.

PRIDE MUSIC

Karaoke with Marli Trecartin and Izzy Serebrov

As part of Pride PEI’s Polar Pride Fest (March 13–16), Craft Beer Corner hosts PJ’s, Pints & Pizza on March 14 from 8–10 pm. Guests are encouraged to wear pajamas, enjoy karaoke with hosts Marli Trecartin and Izzy Serebrov, and take advantage of half-priced Abbiocco pizza delivered to the venue, along with Pride drink specials. Admission is free (19+). 156 Great George St, Charlottetown. Info: pridepei.ca/polar-pride-fest25

Pride Piano Bar

Joe H Henry

Mar 21

Powerhouse Nova Scotia-based singer-songwriter Joe H Henry will be celebrating the release of his debut album, Real Things

Described as “one of the brightest new lights on the East Coast music scene” by the executive director of Stanfest and the DeCoste Centre in Pictou, Henry’s one-of-a-kind voice and gifted storytelling have quickly made him a favourite among festival and concertgoers.

A Lainey Wilson Tribute

Featuring Whirlwind Mar 29

Hang tight honey, the six-piece band Whirlwind, is sure to have the audience singing along to their favourite Lainey hits.

The band lineup features Jeff Doherty, Isaac King, Josh MacNeil, Travis Lapointe, Ryan Hughes, and Keira Loane.

Trailside Music Hall is located at 155 Kent Street in Charlottetown. Showtimes are 8 pm, with doors opening at 6:30 pm. For tickets and info visit trailside.ca or call 367-3311.

The Pride Piano Bar returns on March 16, from 3–5 pm at the Salvador Dali Café in Charlottetown. Sing along to show tunes and celebrate the spirit of Pride with hosts Craig Fair, Brandon Howard Roy and Lindsay Connolly. Whether a seasoned performer or just love to belt out a tune, this is the perfect opportunity to express onerself and enjoy an afternoon of music and community. This is a 19+ event with free admission (tips for performers are encouraged). 155 Kent St, Charlottetown. Info: pridepei.ca/ polar-pride-fest25

DANCES

Downstreet Social Dance

This month’s Downstreet social dance will be held on March 15 from 8–10 pm. All levels and styles of dance are welcome. 101 Grafton St, 2nd floor, Charlottetown. downstreetdance.com

Polar Night Dance

A late-night dance party in celebration of the Polar Pride Fest (March 13–16), will take place at The Mack in Charlottetown on March 15 at 10 pm. Featuring the sounds of Siddhu Sneh AKA prettybitch.wav and DJ STP DAD, the night promises a continuous flow of music. Admission is by donation. This is a 19+ event. 128 Great George St, Charlottetown.

RCAF Social and Dance

A Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Association Social and Dance sponsored by 201 (Confederation) Wing is being held at the Malcolm Darrach Community Centre on March 23 from 1–4 pm. Entertainment by We3 and a light lunch will be provided. Admission at the door. Everyone is welcome. 1 Avonlea Dr, Charlottetown. Info: 902-367-0450

Joe H Henry takes the stage at Trailside on Mar 21

Lainey Wilson

Annelies

Luminos Ensemble performs James Whitbourn

Luminos Ensemble will perform “Annelies” by James Whitbourn— bringing Anne Frank’s message of hope and resilience to life 80 years later—at St. Paul’s in Charlottetown on March 16 at 2:30 pm.

“Eight pounding hearts, footsteps on the stairs, a rattling on the bookcase.” Grammy-nominated British composer James Whitbourn’s “Annelies” opens with a harrowing scene, as Anne Frank and her family, in hiding, come perilously close to being discovered.

In recognition of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camps in 1945, PEI’s ECMA-winning Luminos Ensemble will perform this powerful choral work based on The Diary of a Young Girl

Anne Frank’s story of courage, humanity, and resilience speaks not only to the horrors of the Holocaust but also to the ongoing global struggles for justice, equality, and human rights. Whitbourn’s evocative musical setting underscores the timeless message of Anne’s diary: the power of hope, the importance of remembering the past, and the necessity of standing up

against hatred and intolerance.

The 16 singers of Luminos Ensemble will be joined by Luminos Chamber Orchestra members Madeline Kapp MacDonald (violin), Amy Simon (clarinet), Natalie Williams Calhoun (cello), and Leo Marchildon (piano). Soprano Georgia Edwards performs as Anne under the direction of Artistic Director Margot Rejskind.

“As we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi death camps, we are reminded of the fragility of freedom and the importance of standing up for human dignity,” says Rejskind. “‘Annelies’ brings Anne’s legacy to life in a way that is beautiful and haunting, and above all hopeful, as Anne was herself.”

Tickets are available at luminosensemble.com.

Night Music

Sarah Hagen solo recital at St. Paul’s—Mar 21

Sarah Hagen’s Night Music, a solo piano recital, returns to St. Paul’s in Charlottetown on March 21.

Hagen invites people yearning for an evening of thoughtful meditation through music to join her for an hour of a carefully curated programme of works by Bach, Satie, Chopin, and others. In the spirit of shared reflection, 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 door or by e-transfer to sarah@sarahhagen.com. sarahhagen.com

A Chat with Jaelem Bhate by Peter Richards

Into the future

On April 6, the Prince Edward Island Symphony Orchestra will present the fourth concert of the season with Music Director Jaelem Bhate, at Confederation Centre of the Arts in Charlottetown.

Just prior to the November 2024 concert, on behalf of The Buzz, I met with Jaelem and asked him how he goes about programming an orchestral season.

This first season was very much just to introduce myself and to get to know the people a bit more and the way it was structured is that the first and fourth concerts were a bit more adventurous and the inner two were a bit, let’s say, closer to home.

The April concert is titled Encounters, presenting “The Observatory” by Caroline Shaw, “Mothership” by Mason Bates and “Pictures at an Exhibition” by Modest Mussorgsky as orchestrated by Maurice Ravel. I asked Jaelem to elaborate on what the Symphony audience might encounter in this concert.

I wanted the fourth concert of this season, the finale of the artistic Confederation Centre season, to showcase the future of what was coming. Season two will introduce some new spices, some new concepts of how will be served. The fourth concert of the year is a feed of that. The idea of the future led to “Mothership” by Mason Bates, which is a spaceship coming down to earth and making its way through four different cultures represented by four different soloists. It’s electroacoustic: there will be a DJ dance track happening in the hall while the orchestra is playing… I’ll have an earpiece in and will be conducting along to this track but the audience will be hearing it as well.

Ex-Romantico

PEISO concert—Mar 2

The PEI Symphony Orchestra’s concert Ex-Romantico will take place on March 2 at 2:30 pm at Confederation Centre of the Arts, featuring a special premiere and guest soloist James Sommerville, former principal horn of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Concert attendees are welcome to the free, pre-concert talk at 1:30 pm.

Ex-Romantico is a program designed to explore music that amplifies and exaggerates human emotions, capturing the essence of Romanticism

In Carolyn Shaw’s “Observatory,“ the observatory in question is Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles which looks out over the city. Some of it is looking outwards into space but also looking down on the mass of 14 or 15 million people in the metro LA area. She takes quotes from famous classical works, morphs them, reverses them, flips them upside down and integrates them into her music. And it’s a mishmash of humanity that LA represents.

Then I thought, what does that sound like? That sounds like “Pictures at an Exhibition.” Attending an exhibition and coming across different pictures that represent scenes of life from different areas. And then each of those pieces is interrupted by the promenade theme.

So I realized that all three of these pieces have this idea of encountering something familiar to them. That’s the through line. This was all music written by humans and we all have this idea of a first meeting, a first encounter or dreaming about alien life or what’s in space. We’ve all looked up and wondered what’s out there. But also, since the dawn of time, we’ve been explorers coming into contact with each other’s cultures—sometimes for better, sometimes worse—so this very innate human drive to explore is represented by all these pieces.

On May 4, Jaelem Bhate will lead the PEI Symphony in a bonus, fifth concert for the season titled May the Fourth Be With You: The Music of Star Wars with music by John Williams, Tchaikovsky and Richard Strauss. The will perform John Williams’ themes of “Imperial March,” “Across the Stars,” “Battle of the Heroes,” “Duel of the Fates,” “Princess Leia’s Theme”—all from the Star Wars movie franchise—as well as the classical repertoire that inspired them.

while reaching beyond its traditional boundaries.

The concert will open with Fauré’s “Pavane,” a piece that pulls at the heartstrings. Following this, the PEI premiere of Kati Agócs’ “Horn Concerto,” co-commissioned by the PEISO and composed for Sommerville, will take centre stage. The afternoon will conclude with Mendelssohn’s fiery “Symphony No. 3,” often referred to as the “Scottish Symphony,” inspired by the composer’s travels to the rugged highlands of Scotland.

The Symphony will present its fourth concert of the season on April 6. Visit confederationcentre.com to purchase tickets.

Sarah Hagen

SUBMITTED

Anne Frank

ONGOING MUSIC

ceilidhs, dances, series, sessions...

Assumption Ceilidhs

A ceilidh is held on the third Sunday of each month from 2–4 pm at Assumption Parish Centre in Stratford. Hosted by Assumption Catholic Women’s League and Assumption Knights of Columbus, the afternoon features Young at Heart with Leo Gallant, Randy Cheverie, Norman LeClair, Dave Shephard, Paul Chandler, Robert Cain and Dave Moore, plus special guests. Admission is at the door. A 50/50 draw, tea, and light refreshments are included. Proceeds go to Our Lady of the Assumption Parish. Info: Leo Gallant, 902-569–3202, leowgallant@hotmail.com

Dunstaffnage Ceilidh

A ceilidh takes place on the first Sunday of each month at 7 pm at the Dunstaffnage School Centre. Hosted by Road Masters Band and guest entertainers. There is a 50/50 draw. Admission at the door. 13529 St. Peter’s Rd, Dunstaffnage.

Got Blues Matinee

Got Blues, led by Chris Roumbanis with friends Mike Robicheau and Alan Dowling, hosts a weekly Saturday matinee from 2–4 pm at the Salvadore Dali Café. Each week, a special guest joins the first set, followed by an electric blues jam in the second. There is no cover charge; they pass the hat. The upcoming performances feature: singer/guitarist Brian Pawley (Mar 1); singer/guitarist Tim MacPherson and singer/guitarist Donnie Bowers (8); singer/guitarist Em Peters and singer/keyboardist Spencer Soloduka (15); singer/harmonicist Shrimp Daddy (Michael Reid) (22); and singer/guitarist Joseph MacMillan (29). 155 Kent St, Charlottetown.

Groove Court

Groove Court and special guests play classic rock, blues, and groove classics on the third Saturday of each month from 5–8 pm at Baba’s Lounge. Admission is pay-what-you-can at the door. 181 Great George St. Charlottetown.

Island Jazz

Jazz on Thursdays at Baba’s Lounge features top local musicians performing original music, standards, jazz and pop favourites. Each show features a different group and two sets starting at 8 pm. The upcoming lineup includes: SOPA Gets Real (Mar 6); Adam Hill Project (13); Sean Ferris (20); Shane Azari Quartet (27); Latin Jazz ft. Maya Marquez (Apr 3). Admission is by donation. 181 Great George St, Charlottetown.

Schooner Sessions

Sessions with Mark Douglas and friends take place weekly on Thursdays at 7 pm at The Old Triangle, 189 Great George St, Charlottetown.

Stratford and Area Lions Club

A monthly Ceilidh is held on the second Sunday of every month at the Cotton Centre in Stratford. Admission includes a light lunch. Info: Erma Rose (902-569-3956).

Summerside Legion

A kitchen party featuring classic country and old rock ‘n’ roll with Back in Tyme (Blair Coughlin, Peter Burke, George MacPhee, and Bob Gagnon) will take place on Saturdays, March 1, 15 and 29, from 2–5 pm at the Summerside Legion. Admission is at the door. 340 Notre Dame St, Summerside.

Sunday Blues Jam

Dan Doiron hosts a weekly blues jam on Sundays from 2–5 pm at Copper Bottom Brewing. Each week, a special guest joins him for the first set before the floor opens for others in the second. The guests for March are Roger Stone (Mar 2), Scott Parsons (9), Blu Robin (16), Chris Roumbanis and Mike Robicheau (23), and Spencer David and Em Peters (30). Free admission. 567 Main St, Montague.

Sunday Session

An afternoon Tune Session featuring traditional music and craic with host fiddler Roy Johnstone takes place weekly on Sundays from 2–4 pm at The Old Triangle. 189 Great George St, Charlottetown.

Trad Night at Village Green

PEI’s smallest brewery, specializing in traditional and modern beer styles, hosts a Trad Night every Thursday. Enjoy free, live music from 7–9 pm in the cozy taproom. Space is limited. Located at 30 Church St in the old post office/dental clinic (turn at Church St and Cornwall Rd), Cornwall.

Very Best of Up West

Artist and songwriter Blair “Arnie” Gaudet, joined by bass player Wade Carragher, presents a monthly music series in collaboration with the Albert & Crown Pub. Once a month the pair will feature a different artist performing live in a fun-filled, jam-style atmosphere at the pub. Reservations are recommended by calling 902-853-0000. Info: @albertandcrownpub on FB. 480 Main St, Alberton.

Winsloe United Ceilidh

The next fundraising ceilidh at Winsloe United will take place on March 2 at 2 pm. Host Jacinta MacDonald and the Winsloe United House band once again welcome mother and son duo, Louise and Jonathan Arsenault. Fiddler Steve Perry will also return. The church is wheelchair accessible and will serve a light lunch during intermission. Admission is at the door, which opens at 1:30 pm. 121 Winsloe Rd, Winsloe.

Disco Night

After hours at Village Green Brewery—Mar 15

Shake off the winter blues at a Village Green Brewery theme party on March 15 from 9–11 pm. March theme: Disco.

Dress the part and grab some friends (and a pair of dancing shoes). There will be disco music, snacks, drink specials, and a prize for best costume.

The brewery is located at 30 Church Street in Cornwall.

KARAOKE

Boonoonoonoos

Saturdays (9–11 pm) with KiiKii Rose & DJ Selecta Chevron. 177 Great George St, Charlottetown.

Baba’s Lounge

Mondays (10 pm). 181 Great George St, Charlottetown.

The Factory

Thursdays (10 pm) with Jack. 189 Kent St, Charlottetown.

Montague Legion

Fridays (8 pm) with Gloria. 15 Douses Rd, Montague.

North Rustico Lions Club

March 21 (8 pm) with Len Skinnner. 17 Timber Ln, North Rustico.

Razzy’s Roadhouse

Karaoke and Trivia on March 15 with J-ROD. 161 St. Peters Rd, Charlottetown.

RCAF Wing Summerside

Sundays (7–10 pm). 329 North Market St, Summerside.

Summerside Legion

Thursdays (7 pm) with Lesa Coughlin. 340 Notre Dame St, Summerside.

Inn Echo JUNO nomination

Album of the Year hopefuls for Hemispheres

Inn Echo, the Music PEI Awardwinning and CFMA and ECMA nominated Celtic group from Charlottetown, PEI, has been nominated for the 2025 JUNO Award for Traditional Roots Album of the Year for their 2023 release, Hemispheres

Formed in 2019, when three musicians—Karson McKeown, Tuli Porcher and Tom Gammons —from different metaphorical worlds converged on PEI, the band plays a contemporary take on traditional Celtic music. Their sound features a blend of fiddle, cello, and guitar, creating instrumental narratives with roots in Irish and Scottish traditions. They incorporate influences from blues, pop, and dub, resulting in a fresh, dynamic sound.

Having toured internationally, they are known for their energetic

Jamie Fine

performances and innovative approach to traditional music. Hemispheres is a tribute to the places they’ve toured, carrying a piece of their home with them. It was produced by Jake Charron and Donnie Richard.

This year’s winners will be revealed in Vancouver, BC at the JUNO Awards Gala on March 29.

Oh What A Night

PEI Brewing Company—Mar 8

Jamie Fine takes the stage at the PEI Brewing Company in Charlottetown on March 8 at 8 pm.

The four-time JUNO Award nominee uses her music to inspire audiences to explore emotions that people feel but often struggle to express.

whitecapentertainment.com

WORKING FOR CHARLOTTETOWN

SENIORS • We increased the GIS by 10% for individual seniors and restored the age of eligibility for OAS & the GIS to 65 years. In 2023, OAS delivered $12 million and the GIS delivered $4 million to residents of PEI.

Office: 75 Fitzroy Street, Suite 201 Phone: 902-566-7770 • Email: sean.casey@parl.gc.ca

Harbourfront Theatre—Mar 2

Oh What A Night! will be onstage at Harbourfront Theatre in Summerside on March 2 at 2 pm.

Hear songs from the songbook of the boys from Jersey, Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, including “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” and more.

harbourfronttheatre.com

Fundraising concert at Afton Hall—Mar 2

A family-friendly concert will be held at Afton Hall in New Dominion on March 2 from 3–5 pm. The concert is a fundraiser for the West River Community Fridge, with admission by food donation for the fridge or a cash donation. The event will feature local musicians and include a cake auction, with cakes made by community volunteers. Sponsored by District 17 Green Party, the West River Community Fridge Committee, and Friends.

(L–R): Karson McKeown, Tuli Porcher and Tom Gammons

Music Arcade by Dennis Ellsworth

Hello Mischief

Hello Mischief is a relatively new five piece band from Charlottetown. The band is comprised of Jinny Greaves (guitar, baritone ukulele, vocals), Andrea Boehner (drums, percussion, vocals), Chloe Cork (trumpet, percussion, vocals), Kat MacNeil (accordion, piano, guitar, vocals), and Amanda Beazley (bass, guitar, vocals).

In May 2021, during the height of COVID, Amanda sent her friends a message asking them if they had any interest in forming a band. The idea was to get out of the house on a weekly basis, skirt the cabin fever, and have some fun hanging out and playing music. In the earliest days, Andrea was not yet in the picture but the other four women started meeting on a weekly basis and they discovered some magic together.

At first they were playing a variety of cover songs but organically they began to craft their own songs. When asked to describe their sound, the five members all contributed thoughts and the prominent theme or characteristic would be eclectic. The songs are described as very lyric driven, with stylistic traces of Americana, roots, folk, pop music, and Eastern European sounds. The songs tend to lean toward moody and dark themes, even getting into murder ballad territory. The band draws influence from artists like Nick Cave, Lucius, Gillan Welch, and Tom Waits.

Every member contributes song ideas and they complete and arrange the songs together in a very collaborative, exploratory nature. The process is democratic and fun.

Every year, they escape their everyday lives for a retreat they call Bandcamp. This serves as a fun, creative, focused time for the members to grow closer and stronger together. During Bandcamp retreats they work on songs,

visual ideas for the band, and brainstorm together about future projects.

These women are finding beauty and joy in each other’s company and the musical connections they are forging. Hello Mischief gives them all a chance to take space in their lives, away from their everyday responsibilities. They shared with me how important it is that their band provides a place to freely express themselves artistically and to exist outside the norms that society tends to have for women and mothers. It allows for new dimensions of identity, as a group and as individuals.

The band was nameless until September 2024, but after a highly collaborative and exhaustive creative experience involving scissors, magazines, and some nifty collage work, they stumbled on Hello Mischief, and it stuck.

With 16 original songs in their repertoire, they are now talking about capturing them on recording. No exact plans are in place, but they have started discussing it and are hopeful they will begin working on this before the end of the winter.

This band started as something strictly for themselves. On stage, it is still mostly that way, often playing more for each other than for the audience, but they are beginning to settle into their comfort zone.

Informal jam session

The next jam session for adults at the Summerside Rotary Library will be held on March 10 and 24 at 6:30 pm. Bring an instrument or borrow one from the library and join other musicians for an informal evening of playing music. 57 Central St, Summerside.

Raine Hamilton Trio

Backstage Pass series at Harbourfront Theatre—Mar 7

On March 7, at 7:30 pm, Summerside’s Harbourfront Theatre welcome Canadian Folk Music Award winner Raine Hamilton and their string trio as part of the Harbour Highlights series, curated by the Harbourfront team.

This concert is part of Harbourfront Theatre’s unique Backstage Pass series, where the audience is seated on stage alongside the artists, creating an intimate, community-driven atmosphere.

Hamilton is part prairie songstress, part storyweaver— each song carries a story, shared between performances with humour and grace. They blend a deep love of the violin with the singer-songwriter genre, composing for both violin and voice as well as guitar and voice. With the addition of cello and upright bass, expect rich string arrangements that ebb and flow, offering moments of

movement and comfort.

A classically trained violinist and musicologist, Hamilton and their string trio create chamber-folk, a fusion of classical string quartet traditions and organic singer-songwriter folk. harbourfronttheatre.com

Songwriting contest

A Lawrence Maxwell Musician Support Fund initiative

The Lawrence Maxwell Musician Support Fund has opened submissions for its inaugural songwriting competition.

PEI songwriters are asked to submit a video of themselves performing an original unreleased song for the chance to win a $1000 cash prize and professional studio time. Industry professionals from off-island will judge the submissions and the top four

Concert at Park Royal

Classic hits from the 60s & 70s

Park Royal United presents a concert featuring members of the former Blue Crystals on April 5 at 7 pm. Performers include David Altass, Gary Cudmore, Ian Hunter, Paul Chandler, and more. These musicians will reunite to perform classic hits from the 1960s and

scoring finalists will advance to a live songwriter round show at Trailside Music Hall on May 22. From there, the audience will act as the final judge and will vote on their favourite song. The winner will be crowned that evening. The fund was created after a travel fiasco in 2023 where Maxwell and his band were travelling to perform in Europe. Due to unforeseen issues, the band lost over $17,000 in airline fees. Lawrence created a support fund to help recoup some of the loss. After tremendous support from the community, the fundraising efforts have seen an excess which is now being used to support local music-inspired initiatives for artists based in PEI.

Submissions will run from March 1–31. Songwriters who wish to apply can do so, free of charge, online at lawrencemaxwell.com.

1970s, covering contemporary, country, and rock favorites.

The concert will also feature We3, a local trio known for their vocal harmonies and musicianship.

During intermission, a fudge sale (cash only) will be available. Tickets (free for children) can be purchased in advance online through Eventbrite, at the church office (cash only), or at the door on the evening of the performance (cash only). Proceeds will support Park Royal United’s programs and outreach.

Info: 902-894-9656

Raine Hamilton

SoPA Winter Concerts

Holland College present two shows in March

Music Performance students from Holland College’s School of Performing Arts (SoPA) will present the third and fourth shows in the SoPA Winter Concert Series at Florence Simmons Performance Hall in Charlottetown this month.

On March 7, five second-year Music Performance students will perform 20-minute sets that represent their unique musical journeys. The students select their music, choose the musicians that will help them bring this music to life on stage, and run their own rehearsals.

Rum Behaviour

Farm Centre—Mar 14

DJ Macky

Duane Andrews

With band and Ray Legere at Harbourfront—Mar 25

On March 25, Summerside’s Harbourfront Theatre will welcome virtuosa JUNO Award-winning guitarist Duane Andrews, along with his ensemble, The Hot Club of Conception Bay, and acclaimed Maritime fiddler Ray Legere.

Rum Behaviour returns with special guest artist DJ Macky, bringing dancehall, reggae and afrobeats to the Farm Centre in Charlottetown on March 14. Also on the bill for the show are DJ Kay’D and Chevron.

Doors open at 10 pm. Tickets are available online via Eventbrite or at Boonoonoonoos in Charlottetown.

This concert features vocalists

William MacKinley, Robin Jackson, and Beibei Zhu, drummer Danika Poirier, and bassist Kendall Perry playing their favourites from genres including indie rock, classic pop and rock from the 60s, 70s, and 90s, original songs and some contemporary jazz.

Stay tuned for details about the next performance on March 28.

All concerts in the series are free to attend. Cash donations and non-perishable food items will be gratefully accepted in support of the Holland College Food Bank.

Malaika Meditations

New single from PEI/Nigerian artist C. Ruth

PEI-based Nigerian artist Charles Ruth (C. Ruth) delivers an introspective new single, “Malaika Meditations.”

Blending poetic storytelling with raw emotion, C. Ruth channels his personal journey of resilience after the tragic loss of both parents. Inspired by Kendrick Lamar, Skepta, and Bob Marley, his music fuses deep reflection with rhythmic energy, embracing themes of healing, perseverance, and spiritual growth.

“Malaika Meditations” is available now on Spotify.

Andrews‘ music is the product of a great ear, an adventurous spirit and a love of music that is beyond category. He blends traditional Newfoundland music with the swing jazz of the Django Reinhardt. Andrews grew up exposed to a mélange of cultural influences and his development as a guitarist reflects that. After earning an honours degree in Jazz Studies from St. FXU, he continued his studies at the Conservatoire International de Paris and the Conservatoire National de Région in Marseille, France. His self-titled debut (2004) led to Crocus (2006), Raindrops (2008), and two collaborations with Cape Breton fiddler Dwayne Côté: Dwayne Côté and Duane Andrews (2010) and The Empress (2012). Ray Legere, known for his “fiddle

of fire,” is a Nova Scotian bluegrass fiddler, mandolinist, guitarist, and bandleader. He has been named the Bluegrass Artist of the Year at the East Coast Music Awards for several years running, and is recorded on the Honour Roll at the Central Canadian Bluegrass Awards as the Best Fiddle Player, after winning that title from 1996–2000. Legere is an inductee of both the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia Country Music Halls of Fame. Tickets are available online at harbourfronttheatre.com.

Cavendish Beach Music Fest

Four-days of country music this summer

Atlantic Canada’s largest multi-day festival will return to Cavendish, PEI, from July 10–12.

Thursday’s Bell Main Stage lineup will feature performances by some of the biggest names in country music, including Quebec trio The Wild Palominos, rising Canadian artists Tony Stevens and Sacha, chart-topping Bryan Martin, and 2024 CCMA Entertainer of the Year Josh Ross. MultiGrammy Award-winning global superstar Shania Twain will close out the evening with her biggest hits.

The weekend continues on Friday with Métis singer-songwriter Amanda Rheaume, Nate Haller, Adrien Nunez, JUNO Award winner Meghan Patrick, Nashville rising star Stephen Wilson Jr., and two-time Platinum hitmaker Tyler Hubbard.

East Coast native Justin Fancy will kick off the festival’s final day, followed by Texas singer-songwriter

Abby Anderson, two-time JUNO winners Tim & The Glory Boys, country star Bayker Blankenship, and singer-songwriter Wyatt Flores. Lainey Wilson, 2024 CMA Entertainer of the Year and Grammy Award-winning songstress, will close out the weekend. A limited number of tickets are still available at cavendishbeachmusic.com.

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

Weekend headliners Shania Twain (left), Lainey Wilson (top) and Tyler Hubbard

Duane Andrews

DAVID HOWELLS

(L–R): Warren Power, Kendra Lyttle, Robin Jackson, and Danika Poirier

LIVE MUSIC

bars, lounges, cafés...

Albert & Crown Pub

Floyd Gaudet (Feb 28 @6 pm); Very Best of Up West with Jamie Matthews (Mar 15 @8 pm); Blair Gaudet (21 @6 pm); Alyssa Harper & Jim MacLean (22 @8 pm); Crystal Paynter & Cory Gallant (28). 480 Main St, Alberton.

Baba’s Lounge

Fridays & Saturdays (10 pm *unless noted): Sam O, DNCTHNG, Nodacob (Mar 7); Riptyde (8); House Show - D.R.O.K, Saint Matthew, Dale Manette (14); Something Jazzy with Luiza and Matty Bridges (15); Punk/Harcore Night - Ryan Kirkpatrick (21); Javier & Diego (22); Retro Night - DJ Hype (28); Danny Gallant Band (29 @5 pm); Boiler Room Babas (29). Open Mic with KINLEY on Wednesdays (9 pm). Island Jazz on Thursdays (8 pm). 181 Great George St, Charlottetown.

Bogside Brewing

Fridays & Saturdays (6:30–9:30 pm): Brian Dunn (Feb 28); Taylor Johnson (Mar 1); Stephen Szwarc (7); Jon Matthews (8); David Woodside (14); Billy White (15); Barry O’Brien (16 *Sun @2 pm); Carter MacLellan (21); Marvin Birt (22); Michael Sigouin (28). Blizzard Goat on Saturdays (3–5 pm). 11 Brook St, Montague.

Borden-Carleton Legion

St. Patrick’s Day Party (Mar 15 @10 pm); Jonny Ray Arsenault (29 @9:30 pm). 240 Main St, Borden-Carleton.

Brothers 2

Thursdays (7–9 pm) & Fridays (7–10 pm): Karen & Mike (Feb 28); Chris Ahern (Mar 6); Nick Hann (7); Todd Gallant (13); Todd & Chris (14); Marc Coughlin (20); D’Arcy & Moe (21); David Woodside (27); Danny Dourin (28). 618 Water St, Summerside.

Rustlers (22); Kim Albert (29). All are welcome. 99 Pownal St, Charlottetown.

Claddagh Oyster House

St. Patrick’s Day on March 17 with Carter MacLellan (@3 pm) and Cian O’Morain & Mary MacGillivray (@6 pm). 132 Sydney St, Charlottetown.

Craft Beer Corner

Gin & Jam with Josh Carter & Benny

Von on March 19. Live DJ on Saturdays (10 pm): Alfrred (Mar 1); Tully (8); Javier (15); Diego (22); DJ Novah (29). 156 Great George St, Charlottetown.

The Factory

Late Night DJ on Fridays & Saturdays: DJ Douce (Mar 1/14/22); DJ Josh Hood (7/29); DJ Derek (8/21); DJ Method (15/28). 189 Kent St, Charlottetown.

FiN Folk Food

Fridays (5–7 pm); Shane Pendergast (Feb 28/Mar 7); Nathan Carragher (14/21/28). 106 Beach Rd, Grand Tracadie.

Founders’ Food Hall & Market

Fridays (4:30–6:30 pm) & Saturdays (5–7 pm): Margarita Wayne (Mar 1); Kelley Mooney (7); Jordan Cameron (8); Steve Zaat (14); March Break (21); Noah Malcolm (22/28); Brian J Dunn (29). 6 Prince St, Charlottetown.

Gahan House

Fridays & Saturdays (8–10 pm). 126 Sydney St, Charlottetown.

Hunter’s Ale House

Thursdays, Fridays & Saturdays (11 pm): Magic 93 Band (Mar 1); Max & Isaac (6/13); Ten Mile House (8); Boney Oaks (15); DJ Method (16); TBA (20/27);

John Brown Grille

Fridays (9 pm) & Saturdays (2 pm): Kim Albert (Mar 1/21); Dan Doiron (7); Adam & Liam (8); Vintage 2.0 (14); Richie Bulger (15/28); Liam & Jon (22); Saul Good Duo (29). DJ Dance Party on Saturdays (11 pm): DJ Dekz & MoJo (1); DJ Method (8/22); DJ Derek (15); TBA 29). 96 Kensington Rd, Charlottetown.

Kettle Black: Stratford

Open Mic with Robert McMillan on Sundays (2–4 pm). 17 Glen Stewart Dr, Stratford.

Lone Oak at Fox Meadow

Fridays (6–8 pm): John MacLaren (Mar 7); Brian Dunn (14); Mike Stratton (21); Brad Milligan (28). 167 Kinlock Rd, Stratford.

Lone Oak Brew Pub

Craig Fair on Thursdays (6–8 pm). 15 Milky Way, Charlottetown.

Marc’s Lounge

Fridays & Saturdays (9 pm *unles noted): Lawrence Maxwell (Feb 28); Curtis Klein (Mar 1); David Woodside (7); Lawrence Maxwell (14); Mike Stratton (15); Mat Hannah (21 @8 pm); Mike Stratton (22); John McLaren (28/29). 125 Sydney St, Charlottetown.

North Rustico Lions Club

Saturdays (8–11 pm): The Rod & Blake Duo (Mar 1); Seaglass (Mar 8); Kelly Buote (15). Jam Session on Tuesdays (7 pm start). 17 Timber Ln, North Rustico.

O’Brien’s Social Bar & Kitchen (Red Shores)

Saturdays (6–9 pm): Lawrence Maxwell (Mar 1); Wayne Gallant (8); no show (15); Billy White (22); Karen & Mike Penton (29). 21 Exhibition Dr, Charlottetown.

Olde Dublin Pub

Brian Dunn (Mar 1 @6 pm); Neon Country (1 @10 pm); Luka Hall (7 @6 pm); Brad Milligan (7 @10 pm); Dan Doiron (8 @6 pm); ShipWrecks (8 @10 pm); Ryan

Gordon Belsher & Courtney Hogan Chandler and Sam’s Steppers (@8 am), Chris & Roger Ahern (@11:30 am), The Ross Family (@3 pm), Tip ‘Er Back (@5:30 pm), Wannabeez (@8 pm), and Robbie Doherty & Pierce Clarke (@11 pm); Thatcher MacKay (21 @6 pm); MacBeth (21 @10 pm); Vintage 2.0 (22 @6 pm); Adam MacGregor and The Foes (22 @10 pm); Brian Dunn (28 @6 pm); Stratton and Kays (29 @6 pm); Main Street Bullies (29 @10 pm). 132 Sydney St, Charlottetown.

The Old Triangle

Fridays & Saturdays (8–11 pm). 189 Great George St, Charlottetown.

PEI Brewing Company

Fridays (4–7 pm): Adam MacGregor (Feb 28); Nathan Carragher (Mar 7); Brothers MacPhee (14); Stephen Szwarc (21); Curtis Reginald (28). 96 Kensington Rd, Charlottetown.

PonyBoat

DJ Gufaah & DJ Mando on Fridays and Saturdays (11 pm). 157 Kent St, Charlottetown.

Razzy’s Roadhouse

Fridays (6–9 pm): Dan Doiron (Feb 28); Brian Dunn (Mar 7); Brian Dunn (14); Dash & Rip Rocks (21); Dan Doiron (28). 161 St. Peters Rd, Charlottetown.

RCAF Wing Summerside

Live music on Saturdays (9 pm). 329 North Market St, Summerside.

Slaymaker & Nichols

Nick Gauthier on Fridays & Sundays (2–5 pm). 82 Fitzroy St, Charlottetown.

Tekila

Daniel Rodriguuz Mariachi on Fridays (7–9 pm). Mango Street Trio on Saturdays (7–9 pm). 165 Prince St, Charlottetown.

Upstreet Craft Brewing

Fridays (7:30–8:30 pm): Ice Cream Social (Feb 28); Cherry Plaza (Mar 7); BraedenV (14); Jesse MacCormac (21); Many Journeys (28). Open Mic with Basil Wong-Southey on Mar 1 (7–10 pm). 41

ISSUE# 375 • MARCH 2025

buzzpei.com @buzzpei

Editor: Yanik Richards

Editor: Michelle Ollerhead

Website: Nakeesa Aghdasy

Partners: Maggie Lillo (Ruby Square Graphic Design), Carly Martin (Hawthorne House Media)

Contributors: Julie Bull, Dennis Ellsworth, Edward MacDonald, Sean McQuaid, Takako Morita, JoDee Samuelson, Tara Reeves, Peter Richards, Gary Schneider, Rob Shaw, Bren Simmers, Ashleigh Tremere

Office: 160 Richmond Street, Charlottetown

Mail: P.O. Box 1945, Charlottetown, PE C1A7N5

Phone: 902-628-1958

E-mail: info@buzzpei.com

Social Media: @buzzpei

The Buzz is published monthly by Little Kit Bag Inc.

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.

Little Kit Bag Inc., operating as The Buzz, acknowledges that we are located on and operate on Mi’kma’ki, the traditional unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq people who have lived here for many thousands of years, and who continue to live here.

COVER: To Be Seen, acrylic on canvas, 22” x 22”, by Rob Shaw.

Rob Shaw is a visual artist and designer who spreads his time between Truro, NS and Cable Head East, PEI. Shaw sees the world with a ruler in his mind. The geometric nature of his work derives from an obsession with simplified shapes, hard edges and a passion for colour. His works are a rich portrayal of landscapes through the lens of geometric abstraction. Inspired by the striking views and vistas within his local community and throughout Atlantic Canada, Rob’s fractured landscapes are a fresh approach to traditional landscape painting.

Rob’s artwork has been on display locally at The Gallery Coffee House & Bistro in Charlottetown, Amelia’s by Truckin’ Roll in Charlottetown, and is available in the summer months at the Black & White Cafe in St. Peter’s Bay.

To see more visit art.robshaw.ca or Instagram @shaw.art.design

APRIL BUZZ DEADLINE

Submissions and advertising booking deadline for the April issue: Friday, March 14

Advertising: sales@buzzpei.com

Editorial: info@buzzpei.com

TRIVIA

Bogside Brewing

Tuesdays (6:30 pm). 11 Brook St, Montague.

Borden-Carleton Legion

Mar 1 & 29 (7 pm) with Fallon. 240 Main St, Borden-Carleton.

Churchill Arms

Tuesdays (8:30 pm) with Henry. Saturdays (2 pm) with Wade Babineau. Reserve by calling 902-367-3450. 89 Kent St, Charlottetown.

Coach’s Restaurant & Sports Bar

Thursdays (7:30 pm) with Greg Lucas. 345 Mt Edward Rd, Charlottetown.

Copper Bottom Brewing

Fridays (7 pm) with PEI Beer Guy. 567 Main St, Montague.

Evermoore Brewing

Thursdays (8 pm) with Will MacDonald. 192 Water St, Summerside.

The Factory

Entertainment Trivia Thursdays (7 pm) with Darcy Campbell; Fridays (8 pm) with Doc. 189 Kent St, Charlottetown.

FiN Folk Food

Thursdays (5:30 pm) with Adam Ramsay. 106 Beach Rd, Grand Tracadie.

Hopyard

Wednesdays (8 pm) with Hank. 151 Kent St, Charlottetown.

GAMES

Charlottetown Scrabble Club

The Charlottetown Scrabble Club meets on Tuesdays from 5–8 pm at the Charlottetown Library. All skill levels are welcome. Scoresheets, strategy tips, and cheat sheets are provided. Admission is free. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Tabletop roleplaying game

A weekly roleplaying games program at the Charlottetown Library runs on Thursdays from 5:30–8:30 pm until March 27. It is beginner friendly, and queer- and trans-inclusive. Advance registration is required. Email kels@ peeralliance.com to register. 97 Queen St, Charlottetown.

Crokinole

Socialize and enjoy a game of crokinole on March 12 and 26 at 2 pm at the Summerside Rotary Library. 57 Central St, Summerside.

Hunter’s Ale House

Namte That Tune Trivia on Sundays (9 pm) with Andrew Rollins; Entertainment Trivia on Thursdays (9 pm) with Darcy Campbell. 185 Kent St, Charlottetown.

Lone Oak Brewing Co

Fridays (7 pm) with Bailey Dawson or Cody Dawson. 103 Abegweit Blvd, Borden-Carleton.

Lone Oak at Fox Meadow

Fridays (7 pm) with Kirk MacKinnon. 167 Kinlock Rd, Stratford.

North Rustico Lions Club

March 14 & 18 (7:30 pm) with Barry Parsons. 17 Timber Ln, North Rustico.

O’Brien’s Social Bar & Kitchen (Red Shores)

Trackside Trivia on Thursdays (7–9 pm) with Jerry McCabe. 21 Exhibition Dr, Charlottetown.

Olde Dublin Pub

Hurricane Trivia on Mondays (7:30 pm); Trivia & Tunes on Thursdays (7:30 pm) with Cone. 131 Sydney St, Charlottetown.

The Old Triangle

Saturdays (2 pm) with Dave Connolly. Register by calling 902-892-5200. 189 Great George St, Charlottetown.

PonyBoat

Twisted Trivia on March 5. 157 Kent St, Charlottetown.

Razzy’s Roadhouse

St. Paddy’s Karaoke and Trivia on Mar 15 with J-ROD. 161 St. Peters Rd, Charlottetown.

Drop-in board games

PEERS Alliance is hosting a drop-in board game afternoon at the Montague Rotary Library on March 15 from 1–3 pm as part of Polar Pride Fest (March 13–16). 53 Wood Islands Rd, Montague. Info: pridepei.ca/polar-pride-fest25

Games for teens

Teens are invited to drop by the Summerside Library between March 16–23 to participate in the Great Game Off. Games this month include: Guess Who (daily); Ready Player 2 (March 17, 2 pm); and Multi-player Madness (March 18, 1 pm). 57 Central St, Summerside.

Board game cafe

BUZZ IFIEDS

GLENROY FINE FURNITURE

After seven years on Vancouver Island I am back on PEI and ready to discuss all your custom woodworking and furniture needs. John Atkins @ 236-594-3346.

SHOP SUSTAINABLY WITH RECYCLED RUNWAY, offering size-inclusive thrifted and vintage women’s fashions. Follow us for Thrift Thursday drops on Instagram and shop in-person by appointment or at events! Instagram: @ recycledrunwaypei

PROFESSIONAL ART

PRODUCTS. Bailey Studio Gallery offers the highest, professional calibre painting supplies to be found in Canada - including Gamblin Oils, Libeco Linen, Meeden Easels and Boxes, Rosemary & Co and Princeton Brushes. www.professionalart.ca.

Bring family and friends to the Summerside Library on March 24 at 6:30 pm for an evening of board games. Bring a game or choose to play one of the library’s. 57 Central St, Summerside.

Eptek scavenger hunts

Visitors of all ages are invited to test their skills at Eptek Art & Culture Centre’s scavenger hunts. Try to find all 20 images. 130 Heather Moyse Dr, Summerside.

JUNE 14 - AUG 29

SOBEY FAMILY THEATRE

This hilarious and heartfelt musical comedy returns to The Charlottetown Festival with a newly reworked production. Canadian music icon Alan Doyle stars in this tale of a struggling Atlantic fishing village promised a new factory – but first, the community must charm a doctor into taking up full-time residency there.

JUNE 17 - AUG 30

SOBEY FAMILY THEATRE

Experience one of the greatest real-life jam sessions in rock and roll history – featuring hit songs that defined an era, like “Blue Suede Shoes”, “Great Balls of Fire”, “I Walk the Line”, and more.

Musical adaptation by ADAM BRAZIER, ALAN DOYLE, BOB FOSTER, EDWARD RICHE