Winter Light: Star Party --- March 5, Elk Island National Park

A copy and paste from my email reminders....

Look up, way up: Star Party

March 5, 2011
4-10 pm   
Elk Island National Park

The stars of this festival are... the stars! There is so much to see in space, and just as much to do back on Earth at the Star Party, Saturday March 5 at Elk Island National Park.

Map of Star Party at Elk Island National Park - click here 

The highlight of this event is the Astotin Lake Star Field, where avid astronomers from the Royal Astronomical Society share their telescopes and expertise to help you view the solar system, faraway galaxies and interesting space oddities. Elk Island National Park is part of the Beaver Hills Dark Sky Preserve, a special area of night sky conservation that allows for observation of the stars with or without a scope.

Inside the theatre, tents and tipis, the Star Party offers a wealth of intriguing star lore, talks, and presentations by respected scientists, artists, and aboriginal knowledge keepers. This year’s Star Party features local and national guests, including well-known wilderness astronomer and television host Peter McMahon, internationally recognized nightscape photographer Yuichi Takasaka, and artist and educator Kathleen Houston. Closer to home, Star Party hosts local ‘stars’ of sky observation and research, Dr. Warren Finlay, Dr. Erin Hauck-Walton, and Parks Canada sky expert Matt Davis. Traditional knowledge and culture is presented by Betty Lafferty, Walter Quinn, Ben Moses, Sherryl Sewepagaham and special guest and ‘star’ elder, Francis Alexis.

Mill Creek Adventure Walk: Raven's Nest-- Feb 25 and 26!

Another copy and paste from my email updates on the Winter Light Festivals, this looks like an amazing event:

Mill Creek Adventure Walk: Raven's Nest

February 25-26, 2011  
Friday and Saturday 4-10 pm   
Mill Creek Park
Lantern parades at 6:30 and 9 pm nightly
The woods come alive with mysterious lights, sound and characters for Mill Creek Adventure Walk: Raven's Nest. The adventure walk takes place Friday and Saturday night in Mill Creek Park, running north and south between 82 Avenue and 92 Avenue, on the west side of the creek.

This new Winter Light art walk is conceived and created by artists Memi von Gaza and Dylan Toymaker, creators of the hugely popular Baba Yaga Trail Adventure. They have teamed up to transform Mill Creek into a series of magical realms, animating a story of light and hope. This is Winter Light's second event in Mill Creek, the first being the Light Meadow in 2009.

The people of Raven's Nest are gathered at Underbridge, a place of fire and flickering lights, ruled by the eccentric Raven King (Dave Clarke). He keeps his people safe, but fearful of what lays beyond the boundaries of his camp. Along the path, the Magpie people roam, free to travel,  encouraging people to explore magical worlds: the Light Camp where the Lantern Makers (Ryan Halun, Talia Morrissey) live; and the Shimmering Grove, where the Aurora people (Dylan Toymaker) make music and light dance amid the trees.

A Trip to the Muttart Conservatory!

Love in the Feature Pyramid ;-)

Yesterday we went to the Muttart Conservatory. We enjoyed strolling through the four glass pyramids, each supporting different plants: arid, temperate, and tropical zones, with the fourth pyramid being a changing themed pyramid. Right now the Feature Pyramid sports tons of brightly coloured flowers and several heart shaped arrangements.

We noticed several signs of spring, especially in the Temperate pyramid. I suppose spring comes early indoors ;-)

The Temperate Pyramid also features one of my favourite plants, the Wollemi Pine tree.  Apparently this pine was thought to be extinct and only know from fossil records until a man rappelled into a valley in Australia and found a living grove! About 15 years ago, in Sydney, they thought to reproduce this plant, for conservation, and send plants to various parts of the world. Canada got 6 plants with one going to the Muttart! It had been in quarantine for two years since it came growing in Australian soil. Then it had it's debut in a very informative display in the Feature Pyramid in 2009. And, like I said, it's final home is in the Temperate Pyramid!

Or Make a Wish (no coins)

My son's favourites are the Tropical and Temperate Pyramids followed closely by the Arid and Feature Pyramids. Overall, it's a lovely place to visit and sit. We ended up sitting in the Feature Pyramid listening to the classical music playing overhead while we snuggled and read through a guide book to prehistoric life.

Temperate Pyramid, A Pond with Fish

Signs of Spring in the Temperate Pyramid

More Signs of Spring in the Temperate Pyramid

Wollemi Pine with Cones

Arid Pyramid

Tropical Pyramid

Who's hiding in the Tropical Pyramid?

Lovely Water Feature in the Tropical Pyramid

STEP OUTSIDE! WINTER LIGHT

Illuminations on the Square: Saturday, January 29, 2011

This is quite late, but it looks like a BLAST! Happening tomorrow (Saturday).

Copied and pasted from my email:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Illuminations Lights up the Square TOMORROW

Saturday January 29, 2011
4-10 pm
Churchill Square
FREE!

If you've walked by Churchill Square this week you might have noticed that the Circus is in town! Circus Orange and the Winter Light team have been in full force preparing for Illuminations, happening this Saturday from 4 to 10 pm.

The past week has seen a giant Tricycle blowing off test flames, the installation of a 50-foot high crane above City Hall, and an amazing on-site crew testing the nuts and bolts for custom-built spectacle theatre: rigging, pyro, fire crew, lights, and sound.

Ice on Whyte: Jan 13- 23, 2011

The following is cut and pasted from my email notice of the event!
--------------------------------------------------------------- 

Sliiide on into Ice on Whyte

iceonwhyte.ca

January 13-23

Monday-Friday 2 pm-10 pm,
Saturday-Sunday 10 am-10 pm

Festival Park, 85 Avenue and 104 Street

$5/$2.50 kids

Old Strathcona comes shimmering to life with Ice on Whyte!

The 8th annual Ice on Whyte showcases an International Ice Carving Competition with artists from China, Holland, Russia, Armenia, and across Canada.

Ice on Whyte 2011 has a Chinese theme with ice and snow carvers coming from Edmonton’s sister city of Harbin, China. Nine Chinese artists will collaborate with their Canadian counterparts to create a fantasy-filled park that will include a Giant Ice Dragon Slide, an Ice Pagoda, a Great Wall, a Children's Play area and much more.

Warm up with a hot beverage available by donation in the YESS Cafe (in support of the Youth Emergency Shelter Society), then check out the action at the EIA Entertainment Stage with Chinese cultural performances and live blues, jazz, and folk music. Or take the mic yourself with Frozen Friday Karaoke!

Deep Freeze For Sure

I am no keener and the weather on Saturday, not to mention the horrible roads, almost kept me indoors. However, we needed to venture out on an unrelated errand and, so, dropped by the festival. And I am shocked at the amount of people out on such a day! No, I'm not saying it was packed by any means (except the indoor venues and those selling food ;-), yet it was quite decently well attended.

Caged Beasts on the Ave

We wandered around, listened to a spot of music briefly at The Carrot, saw wild caged animals performing some odd ritualistic activity with sticks, caught the end of the Mummer's act, all before checking out the intense music and good food in the main hall. There were ice sculptures diligently at work and ice bars not yet in service. A photo op castle was a hit with many, but nothing beat that dragon sculpted ice slide for the kids! Curling, skating, tobogganing, warming up around the many fire stations! Tipi, free samples from Burt's Bees, Farmer's Market (we bought our eggs!) and Artisan Market. ...and more :)

Ice Bar not in Service

Sculpting Away

Free Wagon Rides

Borrow a Sled and Have Fun!

Are You Cold?

Not Just For the Little Kids ;-)

Backside of the 'castle' wall. Photo Op Anyone?

Deep Freeze: A Byzantine Winter Festival Jan 8-9!

This weekend Alberta Avenue hosts the third (I think) annual winter festival: Deep Freeze. And I must say it gets better and bigger each year. So, bundle up and come on down for some fun! Oh, and feel free to bring scarf/mitt/hat donations as all Winter Light Festivals have collectors for these times somewhere on site!

Complete program and schedule:  deepfreezefest.ca

Idea: Chocolates!

Bulk Chocolate Melts

Any time is perfect for chocolate making, but holiday season is very ideal too: gift making!

I remember making coloured chocolates in Kindergarten, in fact I have a photo of it somewhere. Although I didn't look terribly pleased in the photo, I have fond memories of 'painting' the chocolate molds!

Used a Spoon To Mix the Colour and to Pour

We aren't painting with a brush as that detail is more than my son is interested in. In fact, I think the quicker the better in this case. Um, yeah, it means the chocolates are ready sooner! It's all about the eating :)

I purchased this pretzel chocolate mold from Michaels, but my son is not so keen on the mixing of chocolate and pretzels. Pretzels should be separate, duh  ;-)
The chocolate melts (a white and a dark chocolate) I bought in bulk at the grocery store as Michael's price is ridiculous, but I did buy the candy colouring from that craft store.

Oooey Gooey

And it was so simple...
just melt, in the microwave or double broiler
and pour!
---colour the melted white chocolate before pouring, if you feel like it!
Let them set in the fridge for 5-10 minutes (quicker, but not necessary)
The chocolates fall out of the molds very easily, so it's important not to flip over the mold too high or the chocolates will fall out and shatter... but you can always remelt and pour!

In the Mold

No Pretzles at the Bottom!

No Colours Added

WARM UP TO WINTER! WINTER LIGHT 2011

Get Ready! It's Coming....
January 8th - March 5th
2011
check out winterlight.ca for all kinds of info, including the pdf calendar of events!

here's one of last year's promos: