It’s a true winter weekend, with big beautiful snowflakes drifting down. We are going to do what we have to do to survive this together – find the good and celebrate.
We are holding the first of many 2016 winter festivals this weekend, right here on the Ave. Deep Freeze is in its 9th year, and here are five reasons why this ‘cool’ festival (sorry) should be on your to-list this weekend.
image from DeepFreezeFest.ca
INDEX FINGER: THE LEADER
Snow and Ice Carvings
The great big snow carvings are always a hit, and what I’ve seen developing on the Ave this year will not disappoint. The ice carving competition (with chainsaws) starts Saturday with judging on Sunday. It’s always fantastic to see what these carvers see in a block of snow or ice. In the case of the snow carvings, sometimes we also get to play.
MIDDLE FINGER: THE ATTITUDE
Mischievous Fairies Projection Mapping
I’m not sure exactly what to expect from this, but I looking forward to something cool every time I hear ‘projection mapping’. This is essentially projecting moving images onto a building in a way that interacts with the three dimension space of the building. These Deep Freeze projections are set to enchant us on the facade of Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts on Saturday from 6:30 to 9:30 PM. Once the sun goes down, get ready for the fairies will show up and get up to some sort of mischief.
From the website;
Mischievous fairies, elves and ogres take over the facade of the Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts through brilliant projector mapping by Owen Brierley and David Banks. Catch these fantastical creatures popping out of windows, jumping out of doors and sliding down balconies on Saturday from 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm.
RING FINGER: THE FAITHFUL
Alysha Creighton’s WAITING ROOM
Find respite from the madness that is a huge festival in the still solace of Alysha Creighton’s WAITING ROOM. Our current intermedia exhibit of image and sound ends very soon, so this is a perfect chance to catch it while you can.
Find out more about WAITING ROOM here.
PINKY FINGER: THE OUTLIER
Alberta. Of Earth and Sky at Gallery at Milner
image from Earth Sky Art
While not out of town, this show is not actually part of Deep Freeze at all, so we shall consider it the week’s outlier.
Local artist and arts champion Jay Bigam (@JayisPainting) has a solo show on at the Gallery at Milner at Stanley A. Milner Library downtown. His show features abstract landscapes that capture the feeling of a place, rather than a direct representation.
Get ready for landscapes that burst with colour and dance across the canvas in ribbons.
Jay Bigam will be live painting at the Gallery every Saturday from 2-5 while the show runs (throughout January).
THUMB: THE UNSUNG HERO
Deep Freezer Races
It’d be hard to dub the annual Deep Freezer Races as art, but I would say this one zany event is the force that keeps Deep Freeze interesting every year. This is the one thing that people tend to go ‘huh?’ about, and the one crazy idea that shows off just how willing Arts On The Ave is to bring crazy ideas to life.
It really is people pushing each other around in deep freezers, and it really is amazing.
Catch the races between noon and 2pm on Saturday, January 9 and Sunday, January 10 on 118th Ave between 92 and 93 Street.
See you on the Ave this weekend?