Nearly 7,000 free activities will take place in some 800 communities across Canada for the fourth annual Culture Days from Sept. 27 to 29, including over a dozen activities in the Comox Valley.
“Culture is an important part of our community’s life and identity and we are proud to be participating in Culture Days. I encourage everyone to get involved in the fantastic array of events on offer,” comments Ramona Johnson, I-Hos Gallery manager.
The third annual Culture Days will be celebrated in hundreds of cities and towns from coast to coast to coast, with thousands of free activities from a wide range of disciplines including: visual arts, traditional and ceremonial cultural expressions, music, dance, theatre, architecture, heritage, film and video, literature, culinary arts and new media.
At least 1.2 million Canadians participated in over 6,000 activities spanning over 800 communities during Culture Days 2012. The momentum continues to build and participation in Culture Days 2013 is anticipated to surpass last year’s.
Check out some of the free and fun Culture Days activities in the Comox Valley including:
Courtenay
• Blessing Ceremony of three totem poles at Spirits of the West Coast Native Art Gallery – Sept. 28, 1:30-3:30 p.m., 2926 Back Road.
• Make Your Own Buttons at Comox Valley Art Gallery – Sept. 28, 1-3 p.m., 580 Duncan Ave.
• Swing Dance Workshop with ValDance – Sept. 27, 7-8 p.m., 360 Cliffe Ave.
• Traditional Storytelling at Puntledge Campground – Sept. 28, 11-12 p.m., 4624 Condensory Road.
• Transience + Permanence Gallery Reception at Comox Valley Art Gallery – Sept. 27, 7-9 p.m., 580 Duncan Ave.
Comox
• Guided Tour at Comox Air Force Museum – Sept. 27, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. & 2 p.m.-3 p.m. Corner of Ryan and Military Row.
• Pour your H’art Out at Pearl Ellis Gallery – Sept. 27 & 28, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sept. 29, 1 p.m.-4 p.m., 1729 Comox Ave.
• Behind Closed Doors: A Sneak Peak of How to Smoke Salmon at Salish Sea Foods – Sept. 27, 11-12 p.m., 820 Shamrock Pl.
• Canoe and Tribal Journeys Talk at K’ómoks First Nation Band Hall – Sept. 28, 11 a.m.-3 p.m., 3320 Comox Road.
• Smudging Ceremony at I-Hos Gallery – Sept. 29, 3-4 p.m., 3310 Comox Road.
• Scratch Board Demonstration at Pearl Ellis Gallery – Sept. 27, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 1729 Comox Ave.
Cumberland
• #6 Mine Park and Cumberland Recreation Climbing Wall with Village of Cumberland – Sept. 28, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., 2664 Dunsmuir Ave.
• Hands-On Activities at Cumberland Museum and Archives – Sept. 27, 28 & 29, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.. 2680 Dunsmuir Ave.
For more details regarding events in the Comox Valley, visit www.culturedays.ca and plan your Culture Days weekend using the Bright Spots Schedule, presented by Sun Life Financial.
Launched in 2010, Culture Days is a civil society-driven initiative overseen by a national
steering committee and volunteer provincial task forces whose members come from a variety of backgrounds including cultural programming, tourism, municipal cultural planning and public engagement who rally their arts and cultural communities to promote the event to the public at the local level.
— Culture Days