Capital city has top-notch summer entertainment
Published Thursday June 11th, 2009
Fredericton has a wide variety of events and activities this summer.
Fredericton's downtown definitely comes alive during the summer months. Special events, outdoor theatre, concerts, and a growing list of festivals are sure to keep residents and visitors entertained during this year's sandal season. Being one of a select number of Canadian cities to carry the title of Cultural Capital of Canada for 2009, our province's capital is pleased to present what may be its most exciting summer schedule to date.
After an incredibly successful first year, Fredericton Tourism is very pleased to see the return of its edVentures program, a unique series of arts and learning workshops that highlight the city's strong artistic community.
"Last year was the first year for edVentures and it was very successful from all angles," said Debby Perry, of Fredericton Tourism. "We had about 240 people register for last year's workshops. This year we've already received over 200 registrations and we haven't even started the courses yet."
EdVentures brings together many of the city's most recognized artists known for their work with the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design, The Beaverbrook Art Gallery, King's Landing Historical Settlement, the Fredericton Arts Alliance, the New Brunswick Crafts Council and the Charlotte Street Arts Centre, to present a series of interactive workshops in a staggering list of artistic pursuits. Pottery, jewellery, painting, music, and even Chinese kite building are just a few of over a hundred exciting workshops and classes being offered to the public this summer.
"There's been an incredible amount of interest in the edVentures program since it began last year," said Perry. "It's been a really big success already and we really hope that it will continue to follow through as the summer progresses."
Growing interest in the edVentures series has in some ways, made the city's program the envy of others in the region.
"Based on what we've seen by being at tradeshows, having our booth set up, and the attention it's been getting let's us know that we've really created something special," said Perry. "People recognize that name; they want to know what's going on, and what new courses we're offering this time around. It's going to be a great program again this year.
"Our regular evening concert series' in Officer's Square, the guardhouse, and the lighthouse will be underway as usual," she said.
Between June and August, the city will host close to 70 free concerts downtown featuring some of the area's biggest names in rock, pop, folk, and traditional music.
"We'll also be hosting regular lunchtime concerts, weekly storytelling, outdoor theatre, and of course the changing of the guard beginning in July."
A record number of festivals are planned for this summer focusing heavily on music, visual arts, and cultural activities.
The Fredrock Festival scheduled for the third weekend in June has been one of the most talked about concert events of the year. Marking the city's first major outdoor rock concert, Fredrock will feature over 20 bands from around Canada and the United States including such big name acts as The Black Crowes, Live, and Fredericton's own Ross Neilsen and the Sufferin' Bastards. This event is expected to draw thousands of music lovers to the city's centre for an unforgettable weekend of live music.
Although it has become one of the most anticipated events of the year, it hasn't been without its fair share of controversy, largely from area residents unaccustomed to rock concerts taking place in their neighbourhood.
"In putting the idea for this festival together we looked at the Harvest Jazz and Blues, the Maritime Countryfest, as well as the River Fest and other things that were going on and realized that there wasn't anything that catered to a younger audience," said festival organizer Matt Harris. "We've met with some concern about noise and parking and we've met with many of the folks in the area to assure them that we'll have all the required security and emergency personal on hand to make sure everything runs smoothly. City council has given us nothing but support since we first made the proposal, so we're pretty excited about getting this first year under our belts," he said. "We don't plan on this being a one-time thing."
In addition to Fredrock, Fredericton has another new festival is set to leave its mark on the city near the end of June. Celebrating Fredericton's diverse cultural make-up, The Cultural Expressions Festival 2009 will bring together the city's many multicultural groups to present a weekend of music, dance, art, and ethnicity. Presented by the Fredericton Multi-Cultural Association, the festival will celebrate Canadian Multiculturalism Day on June 27, the 225th anniversary of New Brunswick, and the city's Cultural Capital designation.
In conjunction with the Cultural Expressions Festival 2009, the Chinese Cultural Association of New Brunswick will also be celebrating its 30th Anniversary by presenting what it is calling 'A Night of a Thousand Lanterns'.
"The lantern is a symbol of life and a lantern is used anywhere there is a festival in China," said Tom Ng, the association's president. "We've ordered close to a thousand lanterns directly from China for this event and we received them just a few weeks ago. We're going to be using them to light up Officer's Square and we'll also be hanging them on the lamp posts downtown," he said.
A lantern lighting ceremony will take place on the Saturday evening followed by a parade that will feature lanterns made by students in school district 18.
"We're going to try and provide lanterns of everybody who wants to take part in the parade and hope they joins us to be part of the evening," said Ng. "We're really looking forward to this event."
Many of the city's long running events and festivals will also be returning this year including the 8th annual River Jam, a day long series of concerts by area musicians and groups showcasing many of the city's up and coming talent pulling together to support local charities.
The New Brunswick Highland Games and Scottish Festival will take place again this July, drawing thousands of musicians, dancers, and heavy events competitors to the grounds of Old Government House for a weekend of Celtic celebration.
Music and theatre aside, the city's natural beauty is also a main attraction for many visitors and residents alike. Miles of well-groomed walking trails and countless green spaces make it the perfect place to simply enjoy the outdoors. Kayaking, canoeing, and boat tours of the beautiful St. John river valley will be running all summer long.
Bike rentals are also available linking visitors with many of the area's surrounding communities. Historic Maysville and the Bucket Club Outdoor Adventure Centre can easily be accessed through the city's one of a kind trail system.
For a complete list of activities detailing hundreds of exciting options to choose from, visit the city's tourism information website at www.tourismfredericton.ca or call 460-2041.
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