Running and holding events in a community is a big commitment, and it’s always a plus if you have friends to lend a hand in entertaining people.
Such is the case for The Banff Centre and Canmore Folk Music Festival, which worked hand in hand to bring children’s musician Dan Zanes to the Bow Valley. Zanes will perform a student concert at Canmore’s Our Lady of the Snows, before performing as part of the entertainment planned for The Banff Centre Children’s Festival on May 21.
“Community outreach is part of our goal for the festival and we thought it would be a great partnership to work with The Banff Centre to support them with the children’s festival,” said folk fest art director Sue Panning.
“We’re helping bring Dan Zanes on May 21 to the children’s festival, and he’s also coming in to do a music in schools program with Our Lady of the Snows for students on May 20 – it makes sense to have that partnership and help promote each other.”
This year, the folk music festival is increasing events in its family areas, with a stage and performers, which also coincide with the annual festival’s Friday night street party.
“This year it’s with the band The Dead South, four young guys from Saskatoon. We also have a group out of Edmonton called The School of Song, which is a youth mentorship program,” said Panning.
“It was a real coup to get The Milk Carton Kids this year, and we also have Matt Anderson and Basia Bulat; those are three that I’m really excited for and happy to see that we got.”
Reuben And The Dark have also been added, along with world musician and guitarist Pavlo. Canmore Folk Music Festival takes place July 30 to Aug. 1, with all tickets now available online at www.canmorefolkfestival.com and at Stonewaters in Canmore.
The Banff Centre Children’s Festival begins Saturday, May 21 with a colourful lineup of more than 20 free or low-cost arts activities and live shows including theatre, music, dance, circus and puppetry.
Live shows include The Floating Mouse by Green Fools Theatre (set during the Alberta flood of 2013); Grammy award-winning children’s musician Zanes; the Kif-Kif Sisters and a modern take on Romeo and Juliet by dance troupe Cas Publique.
Free activities include a circus school with Calgary’s Green Fools Theatre; family dance with Kim Mayberry; family singalong with Heather Jordan and children-friendly Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival screenings.
Performances at The Banff Centre Children’s Festival include:
Kif-Kif Sisters – Circus/comedy, all ages, Margaret Greenham Theatre, 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., $5. Watch as this duo fights giant pink monsters and practices the art of snacking in true street theatre-style.
Dan Zanes – Music, all ages, Rolston Recital Hall, 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., $5. Zanes introduces audiences to new songs and reminds us of ones that have always been there in a show perfect for the whole family.
The Floating Mouse – Puppetry, all ages, Margaret Greenham Theatre, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., $5. The Floating Mouse is the story of a little mouse and a big mess told by a single performer through puppetry and song.
Cas Publique: Symphonie Dramatique – Dance, ages 10 and up, Eric Harvie Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $5. Cas Publique presents a modern interpretation of Shakespeare’s most popular play, Romeo and Juliet.
The Banff Centre Children’s Festival is proud to have John and Barbara Poole Legacy Funds at Edmonton Community Foundation, Telus Corporation and Tim Hortons Inc. as Festival Supporters. The Festival also acknowledges the support of Alberta Foundation for the Arts and The Town of Banff. For more information about The Banff Centre Children’s Festival, and to purchase your tickets online, visit www.banffcentre.ca.
