FESTIVALS
Dawson takes to the river
Dawson City’s four-day arts and culture celebration kicked off yesterday, marking the 11th Annual Yukon Riverside Arts Festival, presented by the Klondike Institute of Art and Culture (KIAC).
Today through Sunday, August 14, the riverside festival grounds host the retail Art Fair, interactive projects and demonstrations, workshops for adults and kids, the local performers’ stage, and outdoor art installations. More than 30 artists from Dawson, Whitehorse, Alaska, Yellowknife, and Calgary are participating, offering works and expertise in a wide range of traditional, craft, and contemporary art practices.
Other festival highlights include a Friday film night with screenings of Cry Rock, directed by Banchi Hanuse, and CBQM, directed by Dennis Allen, presented in partnership with the Yukon Film Society and Danoja Zho Cultural Centre, a Saturday night encore screening of films created in KIAC’s Third Annual One Minute Film Challenge, and MothUp Dawson: Quittin’ Time, true stories told live by local and visiting storytellers, is also taking place on Saturday night.
Most festival activities are free and all are family-friendly. For a full schedule and more information, visit www.kiac.ca.
READINGS
Parking lot prose
Tonight in the Coles parking lot, across from Canadian Tire, David Thompson is reading from his book, Talking at the Woodpile. Jessica Simon is also reading from her collection, From Ice to Ashes.
The readings are from 7 to 8 p.m. under the blue canopy in front of the store.
Both authors are returning for encore performances.
It’s free.
VISUAL ART
Snow and swans
Manu Keggenhoff’s feature show, Facing the Elements, is now hanging at the Copper Moon Gallery. It features winter, birds and grasses on canvas.
The show will be up until August 31.
The Copper Moon Gallery is at 3 Glacier Drive in McCrae. Call 633-6677 for more information.
MARTIAL ARTS
Get your aikido on
Toshiro Suga is offering an aikido seminar in Whitehorse form August 15 through 22.
For more information email aikidoyukon@yahoo.ca or call 334-9844.
FIRST NATION SPORTS
Clap hands
The 24th annual Hand Games Championship Tournament is being hosted by Kwanlin Dun from August 19 through 21. It’s taking place at Helen’s Fish Camp (near Whitehorse).
For more information contact Alicia Vance at 633-7800, or Darlene Smith at 633-7855.
WILDLIFE
Bee aware
The Yukon Science Institute is hosting bee expert and advocate Gordon Hutchings for a lecture and film screening on Sunday, August 14. Hutchings will be speaking about bee pollinators, their life cycles and their habitat needs. He will also unearth some interesting facts about the Yukon’s ground-nesting bee species, which don’t necessarily share much in common with bumblebees.
The lecture is at 7 p.m. The documentary film Queen of the Sun screens at 8:30 p.m. Directed by Taggart Siegel it’s “a poetic and passionate homage to bees and beekeepers.”
The event is free and is at the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre.
Salmon sightings
Head to the Whitehorse Rapids Fishway on Wednesday, August 17, to see chinook salmon travel through the ladder and learn about their journey to the Bering Sea. Visitors can also watch the collection of broodstock for the next generation of salmon. There will be kids activities, free cake and door prizes. It’s from 5 to 7 p.m. For more information contact 633-5965.
Run wild
The Yukon Wildlife Preserve’s annual family run/walk fundraiser is on Monday, August 15 – Discovery Day. There’s a five-kilometre and a 2.5-kilometre family fun run/walk to raise money for wildlife rescue and rehabilitation. Registration is at 9:30 a.m. The race starts at 10 a.m. To pre-register call 456-7400. It’s $15 for adults, $10 for youth and $7 for children. Donations are welcome.
FUNDRAISERS
Haiti help
The Rotary Club of Whitehorse is hosting a dinner tonight with Morgan Wienberg to raise funds for her ongoing charity work in Haiti. Wienberg has spent the last year working with children affected by the earthquake. She will be making a presentation about her work and future plans.
It’s $60 a plate, and $30 of that will go to the children Wienberg is helping. It’s at 6 p.m. at the Westmark Klondike.
To RSVP contact Elaine at 667-7470.
THEATRE
Open pit
For the past eight weeks, six artists have been creating theatre from scratch through a collective called Open Pit. Three public presentations of the new physical theatre show will be held on Friday, August 19 and Saturday, August 20 at the Yukon Arts Centre Studio Theatre.
For more information go to www.openp.it.
SUMMER CAMP
School brush up
Skookum Jim Friendship Centre is hosting its fourth annual Booster Camp from August 22 through 26. It’s for youth Grades 8 through 12 and features science experiments, cultural activities and a math review. It’s free, but space is limited. All participants get a free backpack with school supplies. Register by stopping by the centre or call 633-7680.
If you would like your event listed in Get Out! please send details to friis@yukon-news.com.
