Port Perry and Scugog hosting small town BIG arts festival
Published May 5, 2023 at 11:45 am
Small town BIG, a multi-disciplinary arts festival in Port Perry and around Scugog, kicks off today with events happening over the next several weeks.
The festival is about creating one big festival from small communities by bringing together many different artists to showcase the vibrant art scene in Scugog.
A highlight of the festival is the Lake Scugog Studio Tour, a self-guided tour featuring 36 artists at 15 sites across the township. Visit the studios and explore the fantastic creations of artists making work in all types of mediums; painters, printmakers sculptors, jewellers, woodworkers, metalworkers, textile artists, and more. Learn something new, meet your favourite artists, and maybe even take home a special piece of art that was made by hand, all while enjoying the scenic views in Scugog and historic downtown Port Perry.
The tour runs Saturday and Sunday 10-5.
Visitors can try their hands at embroidery, with beginner (Saturday 9-4) and intermediate (Saturday 1-5) classes and workshops at the Meta4 Gallery.
Meta4 Gallery is also hosting a workshop on linocut printmaking (Sunday 1-4) and Scugog Arts will be out in the laneway Monday to Wednesday painting barn quilt mural boards – all are welcome to give it a try. The finished pieces will be displayed on local farms during Culture Days.
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The Awakening Gallery Exhibition of Charles Choi at the Kent Farndale Gallery, Scugog Memorial Public Gallery opens today (Friday) and runs all month, from May 6 to June 1. Choi is a multi-award winning artist both in Canada and China. His paintings have been selected in the MEAM Barcelona, Jackson’s Prize London, Beijing International Biennale, DaFen International Oil Painting Biennale and China National Art Exhibition.
The opening weekend at Applewood Farm & Winery is another favourite, with the Seagrave winery hosting tours Saturday and Sunday 11 to Noon.
Remembering Moe Koffman, presented by Lynn McDonald Jazz and featuring Jake Koffman (flute and alto), Bernie Senesky (Yamaha Grand) and Peter Telford (bass) is another special event at the festival, with the ticketed concert Saturday night from 7:30 to 9:30.
Moe Koffman
Moe Koffman was a Canadian jazz pioneer who died in 2001 after a celebrated 50-year career. He became a household word with his ‘Swingin’ Shepherd Blues’ his legacy lives on with grandson Jake, who inherited Moe’s alto saxophone, and through celebrated pianist Senensky, who was in Koffman’s quintet and on several of his recordings, and with the soulful bass playing of Telford, who provides the rhythm section.
Lynn McDonald Jazz will also be presenting Pipo Romero and the Sounds of Spain Thursday (2:30-4:30), featuring Romero, one of the world’s most promising acoustic guitarists.
Jonathan Van Vilsen will give a photography Q & A (Monday 5:30-7) and offering tips to those participating in the Photography Challenge.
Theatre by the Ridge will be hosting its 10th anniversary launch May 10 from Noon to 9 p.m. at the theatre on Island Road.
May 10 (Wednesday) will also be when you can see the winning film from the One Continuous Shot film contest screened during Film Night at the library.
For more information visit small town BIG
