The Labour Day weekend represents grand finales for the free summer-long music series that entertained audiences in Gibsons, Sechelt and Roberts Creek.
As part of Music in the Landing in Gibsons, Estelle Honeywell performs at the waterfront gazebo on Friday, Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. Honeywell’s band Estelle and the Honeydews will perform their trademark blend of romantic ocean folk-fusion, as inspired by the ocean and its symbolism. Honeywell released her debut EP in 2023, entitled The Beehive.
On Saturday, Aug. 31, the Billy Hillpicker band — playing foot-stomping acoustic roots, bluegrass, and folk music — appears in Winegarden Park at 3:30 p.m., followed by the smooth sounds of the Groove Syndicate at 6:30 p.m. (featuring Peter van Deursen on the Hammond B3 organ, Graham Ord on sax, Heather Anderson on trumpet, Budge Schachte on guitar, and John Rule on drums).
Performances from last weekend that were cancelled due to an intense deluge will now occur on Sunday, Sept. 1. Brazilian composer and performer Celso Machado shares his insatiable appetite for rhythm at 3:30 p.m. in Winegarden Park, followed by a performance by the rambunctious Brothers in Farms at 6:30 p.m.
In Sechelt, the music on Saturday, Aug. 31 takes place at a new time: 5 p.m. On the Hackett Park amphitheatre stage, it’s a special evening performance to close the Summer Music Series featuring guest artist Beau Wheeler, a queer non-binary composer and singer. Wheeler released a new album called Flying Colours in 2023. Over the years, they have performed at the Vancouver Juno Awards, recorded and toured with several of their own bands as well as contributing vocals to A Small Wonder by A.C. Newman of the New Pornographers, and shared the stage with groundbreaking artists including Dan Mangan, Shane Koyczan and Tanya Tagaq.
In Roberts Creek, the full lineup of the ultimate Slow Sunday in the Creek (Sept. 1 at noon) was not available at press time, but will be published in the fullness of Creek Time at facebook.com/groups/1719485014998167. Fans of the weekly summer concert series behind the Roberts Creek Community Library are assured that the Beachcombers Ukulele Group Singers (BUGS) will open the show with characteristic good cheer.
Picnic on Labour Day
The Sunshine Coast Labour Council will host its traditional community picnic on Monday, Sept. 2 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free hot dogs are on offer, plus a lively entertainment program. The Story Theatre company of the Driftwood Players will make its final appearance of the summer, delighting young-at-heart spectators with their whimsical retellings of famous folk tales.
Reel highlights in fall films
The Sunshine Coast Film Society has announced its fall season lineup, with the first movie due to be screened on Sept. 9 (at the Heritage Playhouse in Gibsons) and Sept. 12 (at the Raven’s Cry Theatre in Sechelt).
The Old Oak (the final project by British director and screenwriter Ken Loach) poignantly tells the story of the last pub standing in a once-thriving mining village in northern England, a gathering space for a community that has fallen on hard times. The arrival of a group of Syrian refugees sparks resentment among the villagers, which unexpectedly shifts to acceptance as residents come to recognize the humanity of their new neighbours.
Society membership is required in order to purchase tickets ($10). Advance tickets are available from the Society’s website; members can purchase tickets at the door with cash. Online ticket sales begin Sept. 1.
The full schedule of nine films — from September through November — is available online by browsing to scfa.ca.
Central America comes to the Seniors Centre
Mike and Jennie Starr, authors of the newly published book Friends in Nicaragua — are planning a Nicaragua Night at the Sechelt Seniors Activity Centre on Sept. 14 at 6 p.m.
Nicaragua is one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere and provides little resembling the Canadian social safety net. The Starrs’ Nicaraguan friends work hard to provide for their families but struggle to make ends meet.
The fundraising evening for their benefit will feature live music in Spanish, Nicaraguan cuisine and a cash bar, a silent auction, plus photos and stories from the nation nicknamed the Land of Lakes and Volcanoes. Admission is by donation ($10 is suggested).
