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Up In Smoke

THE MEANING OF FIRE
» Thursday 10 July 2008 | 4:30 pm
» The Bohemian Café, 524 Bernard Avenue
An informal afternoon hour showcasing the people and ideas featured in Okanagan Home. Join us as as we examine, with writer and ecologist Don Gayton, the difficult choices we have to make in order to protect our communities and manage our ecosystems.
» This is a free event. Refreshments will be available at a modest cost.
» Seating is limited, please reserve yours HERE

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Getting Out in Front of a Burning Concern

Every year in North America we spend billions of dollars fighting one of humanity's most ancient foes - wildfires. Yet if anything, the threat seems to get worse.

Ecologist and writer Don Gayton believes the time has come for society to reframe our conversation with forest fires, and he'll explore the issue Thursday, July 10, at 4:30 pm at the Bohemian Café as the Okanagan Institute's Express Series continues with Up In Smoke: The Meaning of Fire.

"Fire is fascinating from a scientific point of view, but it's also interesting from an anthropological point of view because humans and fire have co-evolved: we grew up together," Gayton says.

"Contemporary society has ignored the question of fire, leaving it to the firefighters to solve. We have some of the best firefighters in the world, but the recent intense interface fires are beginning to exceed their capacity to respond. We as a society need to acknowledge we live in a fire-maintained ecosystem, and that total fire suppression is not an option."

Don Gayton is the author of several award-winning works of creative non-fiction, including Interwoven Wild, which was nominated for the BC Book Prize this past year, Kokanee (New Star, 2003), Landscapes of the Interior (1997) and The Wheatgrass Mechanism (Fifth House, 1990). An ecologist with a speciality in grassland and dry forest ecosystems, he currently lives in Summerland and works for FORREX, a non-profit natural resource extension society.

Fire on the landscape is full of paradoxes, says Gayton. "Our dry forests evolved under a frequent fire regime, but some of that fire activity was set by lightning, and some by humans. When an ecosystem becomes dependent on a human activity, this challenges our notions about what is "natural," and challenges our notions of the separation between humans and nature."

"The truth is humans and nature are fatally, and fascinatingly, co-mingled. How we sort out that relationship, and deal with the very real threat to life and property that fire presents, is going to be a fascinating debate we will have with ourselves over the next few decades."

Up In Smoke: The Meaning of Fire is a free event, and takes place at the Bohemian Café. This marks the 48th event the Okanagan Institute has held since the Express series got underway in July 2007. Since that time, the series has played host to many Okanagan luminaries, including former deputy secretary general of Amnesty International Derek Evans, artists Lee Claremont and Gary Pearson, BC Book Award nominee Don Gayton, CBC Literary prize winner poet Harold Rhenisch, animator and filmmaker Jim Cliffe, architect Jim Meiklejohn, and others from a variety of creative fields.

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08 Jul 2008

Celebrate summer at the Rotary Centre for the Arts with...
Summer is here and to celebrate, the Rotary Centre for the Arts is throwing open it's doors and inviting you to spend some time in the Cultural District enjoying amazing musical talent in a unique venue. Join us after work on select Thursday evenings in July & August to experience "Live After 5" - a free showcasing of local professional musicians. This is a "sneak peek" at what is in store for the upcoming RCA Spotlight Series. Presented by Tree Brewing, these local artists will be "opening" for one of 12 fabulous touring acts in the new series!

"Live After 5" is open to everyone interested in arts and entertainment. Come and have some fun while meeting new people in an approachable and relaxed environment! The entertainment will be held in the glamorous open space of the South Atrium at the Rotary Centre for the Arts; a perfect space for lounging on the grass or enjoying food and beverages from Staccatos Bistro on the open patio!

Along with the entertainment, we invite you to browse the Galleria, visit artist studios and enjoy the summer festivities happening at the RCA. The building will be bustling with activity as Thursday evenings host the wildly popular Salsa Thursdays held weekly from 8:00-10:30pm and the First Thursdays Art Crawl held monthly at the Rotary Centre for the Arts and organized by participating RCA resident artists.

Live After 5 Summer Cocktail Series Schedule:

• July 10 - A Day Late & A Dollar Short 5-7PM
• July 17 - Closing Iris 5-7PM
• July 24 - Kevin & Devon 5-7PM
• August 7 - First Thursday Art Crawl - Viva Musica's Viva Vocals 4-7PM
• September 3 - Blu & Kelly Hopkins 5-7PM

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08 Jul 2008

The thermometer is finally telling us that summer is here and now it is time to get things swinging.  July 22, 2008 Raise the Roof Summer Celebration has all the ingredients of an evening to remember, amazing musical talent, a unique venue, things to sink your teeth into and something to cool you off.  

You may have seen them other places at other times but never has an event brought such a diverse group of performers together all in one evening for an outstanding buffet of listening.  Smashlee, Ari Neufeld, Andrew Smith, Norm Strauss, Dean Clark, Neville Bowman, Sleddogs, Ten2Nine, The Corvairs, Serge Ryga, Ellen Churchill, Tracy Ross, Scott Gamble and up and coming talent Jessica Toplak are just a few of the evenings performers.

“If summer means spending time with good friends and having fun then you won’t want to miss this event.” says organizer Tracy Ross  “These are spectacular performers and they are ready to put on an amazing show. There will be a little bit of everything, lots of original work and some that you are familiar with, jazz to contemporary and of course some rock.”  

Tickets are on sale now through the Kelowna Actor’s studio box office at 862-2867 or on line at www.kelownaactorsstudio.com

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30 Jun 2008

First medal exhibition in Western Canada by members of the Medallic Art Society of Canada. Juried medals from across Canada, the U.S.A. and Australia will be shown.

You and your family are invited to the Opening Reception

When:   Saturday, July 5, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Where:  Geert Maas Sculpture Gardens and Gallery,
     250 Reynolds Road, Kelowna

Exhibition continues throughout the summer till September 5, 2008

* The Monograph SPIRIT OF KELOWNA A Celebration of Art & Community is currently at the printers. A proof will be available for viewing at the Opening Reception.

IMPORTANT DATES:

Saturday, July 5, from 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. One and only opportunity for participants of the Spirit of Kelowna medallion project to have a piece of their mould as a memorabilia, immediately following the opening reception at Geert Maas Sculpture Gardens.

Saturday, August 16, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Dedication ceremony at Kelowna City Hall where the Spirit of Kelowna medallions have now been permanently installed.

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30 Jun 2008

MANAGEMENT AND STAFF LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU JOIN US !
Upcoming Events June 30 to July 4	Greetings! Please be our guest this week, and savour our freshly prepared food, enjoy our unique and relaxing atmosphere, and experience musical performances you will not forget!     Sincerely,  The Management and Staff
JUNE 30 - JULY 1 The Minstrel Cafe hosts two dynamic Canadian Women in Music   June 30 - Kelowna-born Nat Jay  - Show startsat 8 PM  - $5                          &    July 1 - T.Nile with special guest Ann Vriend - Show starts at 8 PM - $10    Nat Jay Bio   Nat Jay took her first steps in her parents' music school in Kelowna (Jay Ess Music School) and continues to land on her feet in the world of music today. With her single, "Love When I Can" featured on ABC's Men In Trees in March 2008, upcoming appearances on CBC Radio 2's "Canada Live," and the highly anticipated summer release of her debut EP, Lights Across the Sky, the young talent has hit the ground running and doesn't plan on slowing down anytime soon. Compared with such powerhouse voices as Brandi Carlile, KT Tunstall and Natalie Maines(Dixie Chicks), Nat Jay's compelling and highly accomplished vocal delivery will certainly turn heads in a noisy club, but it is her emotive songwriting ability that will steal the hearts of each and every audience member.   Reservations Recommended June 30 - 8 PM                   Entertainment Charge $5   T. Nile   From Tamara's website:   "Come from Galiano Island with a banjo on her knee, Vancouver's T. Nile could well be the biggest roots noise out of these very rootsy parts since Neko Case and the Be Good Tanyas." ~ John P.McLaughlin "As for T. Nile, her set was as refreshing as a splash of water... she served up a mouth watering menu of rustic and groovy ditties... her vocals were sweet, carefree and tangy..." ~Sandra Sperounces, Edmonton Journal review of Edmonton Folk Music Festival, Aug. 12, 2007 "Eclectic songs, rooted in tradition but looking forward. One of Canada's musical gifts to the 21st century." ~Gary Cristall Reservations Recommended July 1 - 8 PM                        Entertainment Charge $10  ~     JULY 3 - PATIO PERFORMANCE featuring Kath and the TomKats  - Show starts at 8 PM    " Join us for a patio perfromance from a dynamic pop, rock and rhythm & blues band ! "    Reservations Recommended July 3 - 8 PM                Entertainment Charge $10   ~    JULY 4 - Circus in Flames - Show starts at 8 PM    " slightly twisted with an energetic thrust that falls just shy of reckless abandon "   Reservations Recommended July 4 - 8 PM                        Entertainment Charge $5
Minstrel Cafe & Bar 4638 Lakeshore Road Kelowna, BC 250-764-2301 www.minstrelcafe.com

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29 Jun 2008