Gabriola's Sleepy Hollow

The Gabriola Volunteer Fire Department with the support of the Community held it's annual fireworks display last night at Twin Beaches, it was amazing - the weather couldn't have been nicer & the bon fire & hot cocoa kept the viewers warm.

From there it was over the haunted house, hosted by Deborah & Jim, there amazing halloween display this year, surrounded the suspicious untimely death of Sir Edgar Allen Poe. Year after year, this haunted house is more and more amazing, thanks to the tireless efforts of so many volunteers - you guys are amazing!

For the next few evenings, the pumpkins that were around the island, are dropped off on North Road, in an area that islanders refer to as the tunnels. Come dusk, they are lit up! Beware that cars travel much slower on North Road during these evenings, as they go through the tunnel stopping at nearly all of the carved pumpkins. This years display is exceptional - if you haven't taken a walk or drive down the tunnel at dusk - it's a must do! Have a spook-tacular evening...

Art Start: Fairy Wings Worshop

Perfect timing… Halloween being just around the corner and the Art Start weekend featured a “fairy wing” workshop. For those who haven’t seen the stunning wings around the island, at many events, the wings are hand crafted by a very talented young group of ladies on the island or participants of their workshops.

From start to finish Hayden & Genny, (wing creators extraordinaire), led the workshop with 12 eager participant of all ages. In three hours, the wire frames that sat at the tables to start were hand shaped, covered with nylons, vividly painted on & decorated with glue, flowers, and of course glitter. The results were amazing! Gabriola has 12 more sets of wings, thanks to the Arts Council & everyone for putting on this spectacular workshop.

Sunshine in the end of September

We’ve been lucky to have such gorgeous weather this past week, what a nice way to celebrate the arrival of fall. We went to the Gabriola Sands Provincial Park, commonly referred to as “Twin Beaches” on the Northwest side of Gabriola. The kids kept busy in a big pool of water and along the seashore, a great place to enjoy the 27 degree weather. Sumbitted by: Tina LYNCH

Gabriola Wine Festival!

To be honest, I really enjoy a glass of wine at the end of the day and I’m still training my taste buds to distinguish a good glass of wine. On Saturday, September 26 the Surf Lodge ( 885 Berry Point, Gabriola Island) is hosting the 6th Annual Wine Festival from 3:30-6pm. You’ll be treated to a selection of over 100 wines to taste, you’ll want to pick up your $30 ticket soon from the Village Liquor Store or Artworks. Submitted by: Tina LYNCH

See you at the Fall Fair…

Gabriola’s annual fall fair, is set to take place on 20 September 2009 at the Gabriola Commons, from noon to 3:00. There will be something for everyone this year, from the local musicians, 4-H displays, demonstrations, a petting zoo, quilting bee, & so much more…

For those with a green thumb, there will be competition for ribbons in the agricultural categories & with the summer we’ve been having there’s sure to be some spectacular displays! The scarecrow contest, a competition, that the Lynch family won in it’s first year, is sure to be fierce – we still proudly display our scarecrow in mom’s garden, it’s the perfect perching place for the birds, it’s supposed to scare off!

If your interested in entering into the competitions, entry forms are available on island at Raven Feed, Wild Rose Garden Centre & Wheelbarrow Nursery. (Entries will be accepted on Sunday morning, competition day, from 9:00am to 10:30 am.

Come and find out what’s taking the place of the “recycle” fashion show! See you at the fair…

The Big TENT !

There will be a lot of entertainment this weekend, August 21, 22 & 23 - presented by the Gabriola Theater Festival, with productions on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

There are 8 productions offered in a variety of locations on the Island. Single show tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door, except for the Itchy Fish production of “A midsummer night in Oz” which will only cost you $5 at the door. To find out show times and places to get your tickets visit : www.gabriolatheatrefestival.ca .

There are a lot of other events as well, Zigster the trickster will perform some magic in the Village between 10-1 on Saturday, and you can stroll down Lochinvar between 10-4 on Saturday,the street will be closed to traffic for 50 local artists that will have booths set up to share their creativity.

Ever thought of Joining the Circus???

Well today on Gabriola the New Old Time Chautauqua came to the island with its crew of 61 performers to give Gabriola Islanders a full day of circus events…

The musical vaudeville circus in its 28th annual summer time tour, came through the Village in full costume and musical instruments, and I mean through the Village leading the parade… Everyone was welcome and there were many familiar faces in the crowd, mostly behind big red noses… No sooner did they enter the parking lot at the Folklife then the parade carried on through Village Food Market, gaining yet more unsuspecting shoppers who soon became lured by shiny instruments, and the vibrant costumes. In front of Artworks they did a teaser of what’s in store for their big performance at 7:00 tonight at the Commons, and tickets are available right at the Entrance to the Commons.

But before the show these merrymakers led the parade, first through the office & out the back window, back to the Commons. All those who had ever thought about joining the circus were welcome by the performers both adults & kids had the opportunity to learn a variety of skills including juggling, acrobatics, mask making, clowning, etc.

For those that can’t get enough tonights “Big Show” is going to inspire – bring a blanket or a chair, the performance take place on the lawn...

The New Old Time Chautauqua is a non profit organization, whose mission is to nurture and build community through laughter, entertainment and education. They present family-oriented events in diverse communities, especially to rural and under-served populations. The traveling troupe partners with local organizations and service groups, with the intention of inspiring creativity and supporting community.

This summer Aqua Chautauqua will travel by boat and bus to maritime communities in Canada and Washington State. The merry band of performers and educators will create community events with colorful
Parades, creative and informative workshops and vaudeville shows with all the bells and whistles.

This show will benefit the fund raising efforts of the Commons to reduce carrying charges for the mortgage and enable renovation projects to get underway sooner. Thus the motto at "The Commons... a Place For Everyone" can be truly implemented!

Picnic Place

The Descanso Bay Regional Park is a great little spot on the North-West side of Gabriola to go for a picnic, if youre catching the ferry from Nanaimo it’s just a short 1.5km walk from the ferry landing. You’ll find an idealic setting with picnic tables in a meadow with the sandstone shores just in front. There is also a campground located here, for more information or to reserve a campsite phone 250.247.8255.

Helping Hands

Gabriola Fellowship Church is hosting a summer camp for kids from 3 years old to Grade 7 this week, from July 6-10. This year’s theme is “ First Response-Help At Hand”, inside the church you can certainly see the organizers have been busy using their hands to create the setting with the handmade props and artwork. My kids (age 4 & 6) love going into this inviting atmosphere and learn a lot through the songs, games, sharing, crafts and activities. Submitted by: Tina LYNCH

With Glowing Hearts...

The Island was full of Canada day events and activities yesterday, there was a band playing and a bbq in the Village parking lot, the Potato Gun Contest at Brickyard beach and in our own neighborhood we had a party.

In my eyes a great country starts with good families, and neighbours that stick together, and yesterdays gathering at Spring Beach with more than 100 neighbours was evidence that Gabriola is on track. It was a heart warming event to watch the kids dance around and dip into the ocean, neighbors catching up with each other and trying to answer the local trivia quiz and it ended with the most delicious cake I've ever had!

The day was capped off by a friends & family BBQ with the little ones still active, from the cake they at the events they had travelled to that day... Just another day of glorious island living! Submitted by: Tina LYNCH

The Empty Bowl Project Part Two

On May 30th, we took the opportunity to drop into Sunstone pottery, on Gabriola to create our bowls for Hunger in support of People for a Healthy Community's Emergency Food Depot.

On walking into the pottery studio, we felt fortunate to have the talent if many exceptionally tallented local potters who came out to lend their support and guide us in molding, creating & glazing our bowls for hunger. We spent time sculpting, creating & re-creating the bowls - trying to get them just right, only to look at Emma & Jane (4 years old) and realize who had created the master pieces!

The bowls are now finished, thanks to Potter Graham Sheehan and his colleagues, and will be on display at Artworks from 18 June to 24 June, 2009. The bowls are up for silent auction, so you can bid on your favorite bowl (or for those who just want to donate bid on bowls 37 to 40 - they may not be beautiful but they were created with joy!)

All proceeds from this event go to Gabriola's Emergency Food Depot - so it's a great cause, & helps our community locally.

Fish ON!

If you are looking for something to do this weekend on Fathers day, then the Silva Bay Salmon Derby, on Gabriola, comes at the perfect time... Held from dawn till dusk Sat. June 20th, and dawn until noon the June 21st, they are anticipating 75 or so participants, with all the nice weather we've been having in June hopefully even more than last year! We will be out there with our Dad fishing on Ship's Point - look for us reeling in the really big one...

Bob Meyer, of Silver Blue hints that, "fish have returned to their normal haunts off the Grande & the structure off Thrasher. Depths range 85 to 180 feet, Rhys Davis teasers in clear green scale for whole or strip baits, Coyotes in glow green/silver, green/white, or black white or the green spackleback hoochie are top producing lures." Bob Meyers fishing charters can be booked through Bob@SivlerBlueCharters.com .

Against Bob's best advice, and I give him full credit as the local fishing expert, I'll be fishing with some unidentified pink lure - for those that know me that's no surprise :), (I'm not sure my Dad will be impressed.)

Tickets are $25 per rod, $50 for immediate family.

Tickets are available at Village Paint and Hardware, or Silva Bay Marina, Harbour Chandler or Pages Resort & Marina.

Prizes on lower deck at 1 Sunday, and includes some great stuff, combo GPS/sounder, portable VHS, etc. $1,000 for largest Chinook. $1,000 donation to the Nanaimo River Hatchery. Good luck!

Gabriola's First Theatre Festival - August 21 - 23rd, 2009

What a weekend it's going to be... 7 main stage productions, the launching of a young peoples theatre company & so much, much more! With so much local talent on display, you'll want to get your tickets early so as not to be disappointed - ticket information as well as information on the festival and the 7 main stage shows can be found by visiting: www.gabriolatheatrefestival.ca .

Alongside the productions to be found on the main stage, the weekend will be jam packed with additional activites in the Village area including;

Razberry's Jazz Cafe - in between theatre shows look for the open stage between Rasberry's & Artworks where you'll find a variety of local musicians and entertainers.

The Gabriola Lions - legendary pancake breakfast will be served on Saturday the 22nd between 9:00 - 11:00 am.

Street Art - come by and be enthralled and inspired by the work of more than 50 local island artisans who will be displaying their work.

Take home a piece of Gabriola History!

As a movement to protect the many petroglyphs on the Island, the Gabriola Museum decided to make reproductions of the petroghlyphs. They encourage rubbings and photographs of the reproductions, and if you go during museum hours you can buy a rubbing kit which includes the cloth and special wax crayon. There are over 30 reproductions to take a look at here, and you can choose from a variety of animal and human shapes.

This is a great outdoor activity for those that want to learn a bit and take home something unique, I took my 5 year old daughter and she loved the process, learning about the petroglyphs, looking at each one and doing the rubbing.

May - June 21: Sat to Sun: 10 am to 4 PM

June 25- Sept 7: Thur to Mon: 10 am to 4 PM

September 12 : Sat to Sun: 10 am to 4 PM

Admission
Adults: $2.00
Children (under 12): Free

For more information on the Gabriola Museum visit their website at : http://www.gabriolamuseum.org/ Submitted by: Tina LYNCH

Gabriola Home & Garden Tour 2009

Well hopefully everyone is enjoying watching their gardens grow and flourish with all the beautiful weather, even if you don't have a garden there's a unique opportunity to view some gardens that are rarely open to the public.

Gabriola's 11th annual Home & Garden Tour will be held this year on the 28th June 2009, there will be 9 private homes/gardens that will be open and two local nurseries, so you can go & shop after viewing all the inspiration of others.

Tickets are $20.00 and all proceeds go to People for a Healthy Community, right here on Gabriola and is their largest fundraiser of the year. It helps to support local programs such as our Emergency Food Depot, Violence Prevention porgrams, the Christmas Bureau, Social Soupls, Gardening Projects, and so much more.

The hand selected locations are carefully choosen to represent a variety of west-coast gardening &/or unique island homes, this year there are 5 new locations that have never been on the tour before, including culinary gardens, and everything from new to well established gardens. This fundraiser tries to showcase and give a glimpse of island life.

Make sure to get your tickets early for this popular event... Tickets are available at Artworks, Wheelbarrel Nursery & WildRose Garden Center her on the island. In Nanaimo at Dig This, Falconer Books & Carpe Diem, or you can hold tickets with a Visa or Mastercard by contacing Diana Mumford at #250-247-9092 or by email at: dmumford@shaw.ca .

(Also for the third year in a row, there will be the auction of a Sheila Norgate painting, which she so kindly donated for the use of our posters)! So bid big...

Visit the online website at: http://www.gabriolatour.islandbrowser.com

Tiller's Folly in Concert on Gabriola Island

The Gabriola Arts Council is pleased to welcome Tiller's Folly,the Pacific Northwest’s internationally traveled, virtuosic ambassadors of song.

Tiller’s Folly features lead vocalist and guitarist Bruce Coughlan, fiddle/mandolin player Nolan Murray, and bass player/vocalist Laurence Knight.

"This full-throated Canadian Celtic group, a cross between Stan Rogers and the Clancy Brothers, is on a stirring crusade. It wants to establish an oral story-telling tradition for the settlers, fishers, natives, loggers and adventurers of the misty West Coast."Douglas Todd, Vancouver Sun

Opening for Tiller's Folly is Gabriola's very own Myles Black & The Pearly Whites.

Advance tickets: $15 at Artworks

Tickets at the door (if available): $18

Randi will be on the door for the evening - so make sure to say hi!

Artists in the Village

Saturdays is a busy place in the Village, as people come out to the Farmers Market on Gabriola, and then proceed to the Village to finish up shopping, have a cup of coffee with friends, or perhaps pick up a fishing rod – for the afternoon. Well in the summer, there’s another reason to stop by the Village. The Gabriola Art’s council is featuring a different two artists each Saturday through until 5th September. It’s a great opportunity to come and meet some of the islands local artists who will display their art under the tents.

The Gabriola Arts council will also be selling art, by some very talented islanders, on magnets, ready to grace any metal surface in your home, and a great island keepsake. This year, there is a choice of 5 different magnets from artists such as; Dianna Bonder, Rick Cranston, Tammy Hudgeon, Rohana Laing & Sheila Norgate. If your not able to make it there on Saturday, they are also available at Gabriola Artworks. Cost is $5 each or the full set for $20 (receipt for charitable donation available). The funds will enable the Arts Council to continue to support artists and bring art to the Gabriola community.

The Empty Bowl Project

This weekend, as a fundraiser for Gabriola's Emergency Food Depot, People or a Healthy community are once again holding their annual fundraiser, and your chance to, make a bowl for hunger.

On Saturday, May 30th from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Sunstone Pottery studio's open it's doors, to all those interested in creating a bowl for Hunger. June 2nd is National Hunger Awareness Day and PHC welcomes your awareness and action to alleviate hunger on the island. Potter extoridnaire, Graham Sheehan and colleagues will be there to guide your talents in creating a bowl. A small fee of $5 is required to participate. Love your bowl??? During the week of June 18th - 24th the bowls will be displayed at Artworks, where you can bid on your own bowl or your favorite bowl. Note: Wear clothes suitable to play in the clay…have fun!!! You can register at PHC or on May 30th when you arrive at Sunstone. All ages welcomed!

Sunstone Pottery – 520 Argyle Lane, Gabriola

Exploring the Gulf Island and BC's West Coast

Over the past weekend I had some clients from out of province and one of our discussions on the tour of properties was about the BC Ferries Experience Card which allows you to get a significant discount when you travel on the Nanaimo - Gabriola route and other routes as well.

The clients I was out with had purchased a 4 consecutive day SailPass which allowed them to travel from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay and through several of the gulf Islands and returning to Vancouver for a cost of $189.00 for two adults and a car. This is a great way to explore Island Living and is a unique way for Islanders to travel locally.

There are many other options to consider when you are planning your vacation or exploring a route for commuting, one is the Assured Boarding Passes which are available for the three major Vancouver Island/Mainland routes or you may consider making reservations. To find out more about the specials and trip planning visit : http://www.bcferries.com/travel_planning/ . Submitted by: Tina LYNCH

Roots Show

Be prepared to be dazzled as you enter the ROOTS show, hosted at Artworks in the Village, there are still three days left to treat your eyes to this community art event.

This years theme really challenged the artists... We were very impressed with the creativity that was invoked by this show and the ages and diversity of the participants.

If you have a chance to go, have a look at Melinda Wilde's painting as it tells a very interesting story about family in a beautiful way. Another piece that I found intriguing is Donna Zakreski's quilt, she has a very artistic approach to quilting. Of course, I need to mention the family members who also have their pieces in the show, Randi's "14 carrots" incorporates her love of quilting into an amazing fiber art piece, and Bianca, my 6 year old niece for her brilliant painting entitled Hungry, after her neighborhood rabbit - who gave grief to her garden! (Congratulations B. on the sale of your very first piece- with her family roots I'm sure it's the first of many more to come...)

There is also a silent auction which has numerous items; from the beautiful driftwood coffee table, to tempting jewellery, island services & so much more, it's a great place to stock up on gifts for friends and family, while supporting the Gabriola Arts Council.