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Central Music Festival Kicks Off Saturday with Nice Horse, Bill Bourne and Kaylee Rose

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Nice Horse photo by Fawna Sidoryk

Central Music Festival is launching its fall season with an extra helping for the Red Deer Food Bank. In fact, all of the proceeds from the September 23 concert will help restock the local charity’s shelves.
“In this past year, we’ve raised $3,000. Guests at our concerts gave $1500 and we matched that dollar for dollar,” says CMF president Mike Bradford. Music lovers will be able to attend the evening, which will feature four excellent acts, for a $20 food bank donation. “This time we decided to do a great big party and give the whole gate to the food bank so they can bulk up in advance of their thanksgiving rush. If we can get 150 people at $20 per donation, I think we can double our contribution to the food bank this year,” Bradford adds. “There’s also potential for people to drop off food if they choose to do that.”

The Red Deer Food Bank Barbicrue will be on hand in the Elks Lodge parking lot, offering guests hamburgers and hot dogs, giving them a chance to recharge before local singer/songwriter Ross Stafford opens the show at 7:30. Stafford, Red Deer born and raised, has been a staple of the local folk scene for several years. He’ll give up the stage to another local talent, Kaylee Rose, who will perform a set of her excellent original material. “Kaylee Rose is a young songwriter who has a lot of talent,” he adds.

The evening will also be a welcome home for Bill Bourne, another central Albertan who has built a huge following world-wide over the past four decades, and will enjoy an evening with his home town fans. “Bill’s agreed to come down and do the show because he thinks it’s a great idea,” Bradford explains. The festival society has always been about its contribution to the local community and the food bank is a nice fit, both for the society and the people who attend its events.

The final act of the evening will be the return of Nice Horse, who played the Elks last year and then thrilled audiences at this year’s Westerner Exposition. “They’re an all Albertan band gaining traction in country radio, really entertaining, very real songs a lot of energy on stage. Their career trajectory is rising at a rapid rate right now, so we’re lucky we could get them. They also wanted to support this endeavour, Bradford says. “It will be like a mini-festival, with quick changes and a great sound.”

Bradford was reluctant to talk about rumours the society has an ambitious plan for the future. He wouldn’t deny that he’s had discussions about the possibility of seeing the Michener Centre lands turned into an outdoor culture campus for live events across a full spectrum of music and culture. “I can tell you its a great idea, but practically, in the transition of that property from the provincial government and the city, it would take a lot of time and doing. I’ve talked to both and they thought it was a great idea, but who knows what will happen. I don’t get into politics, but it would be something worth pursuing with city and county politicians once the elections are over,” he said.

For now, the focus is the Food Bank, where demand, Bradford says, shows no sign of levelling off, let alone dropping off.

Learn more about the Central Music Festival.

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Entertainment

Hunting Hills High School presents Ranked The Musical

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Students at Hunting Hills High School are excited to bring a relatable musical to local audiences next month.

Ranked, The Musical runs March 13-16 at the Memorial Centre in Red Deer. The show is rated PG.

“We looked at a number of different shows and we knew we wanted to do something contemporary,” said Piper Rempel, Director. “The show is extremely relatable in that it talks about struggles that teens go through with their parents, school, expectations with friends, anxiety, learning how to balance life and fitting in.”

Because the show is not as well known as past productions, Piper said students had to dive in head first, and as rehearsals have evolved, they have lived up to that challenge.

“We have really talented kids. Our poster design, our technical design – it’s all things the kids have to come up with,” she said. “Our pit band is playing parts that have never been played before. It’s all really incredible to see.”

About 70 students between the cast, tech and pit band have been rehearsing since last fall.

“When we introduced the production to them, they were surprised because it wasn’t a big name,” said Taryn Martinek, Choreographer. “We told them there were lots of reasons that we picked the production, and as soon as we started rehearsing they got it and they have never looked back.”

Both Piper and Taryn encourage the community to come out and support the students as they bring this new story to Red Deer.

“People can expect for songs to get stuck in their heads – it’s great music you have never heard before,” said Piper.

Taryn added the production was a risk, but it has been extremely rewarding to see it unfold. “We want to get the community out and take the risk with us,” she said.

For tickets or for more information, click here.

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City of Red Deer

Red Deer Lights the Nights offers festive fun all season long

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Red Deer Lights the Nights returns as a month-long celebration of the holiday season, starting this Friday, November 17.

Free, family-friendly activities are happening downtown and throughout the community, including:
  • North Pole Patio Party – November 17 from 4-7 p.m. at Ross Street Patio
  • Writes of Winter writing contest – through January 15, hosted by Red Deer Arts Council
  • Winter Market – November 24 and 25 at Millennium Centre
  • Rare & Remarkable Artisan Market – November 25 at Red Deer Museum + Art Gallery
  • Capstone Winter Nights Festival – December 1, 2 and 3 at Canada 150 Square
  • Downtown Twinkle Tour – December 15 throughout downtown
  • Santa’s Bus Tour – December 8, 9, 15 and 16 starting at 5:30 p.m.

Residents are invited to visit City Hall Park any time after November 16 to enjoy a beautiful display of colourful lights and festive decorations. Lights are turned on every day from sunset to sunrise until mid-January.

“We’re excited to welcome Red Deerians downtown once again to celebrate the season and enjoy the festive decorations in City Hall Park and along nearby streets. Everyone is invited to come out and participate in all the free activities that are planned, especially Santa’s Bus Tour which returns in December to bring Christmas joy to local neighbourhoods.”


North Pole Patio Party
Friday, November 17: 4 – 7 p.m.
Ross Street Patio

Santa Claus is coming to town – downtown! Visit with Santa in person on the Ross Street Patio as we celebrate the kickoff to the holiday season. Enjoy a free hot chocolate and cozy up to the warm firepits while the kids play candy cane games with the elves. Be sure to pick up a children’s craft bag from the friendly Family Services of Central Alberta team and check out the CMHA’s fun photo booth.

Kraze 101.3 will be live on location cheering on the holiday fun. We look forward to seeing you at this free family event!


Writes of Winter contest
November 17 – January 15

Red Deer Arts Council and The City of Red Deer have partnered on a writing contest to keep our imaginations warm this winter.

Red Deer youth, teens and adults are invited to create a short poem or story (fiction or creative non-fiction) with a maximum length of 500 words about winter and/or the holiday season in Red Deer.

All submissions can be sent to the Red Deer Arts Council at [email protected] for a chance to win exciting prizes. Works will be published for folks to read on We Are Red Deer and the Red Deer Arts Council’s social media pages.

Deadlines:

Holiday Season story deadline: December 10, 2023
Winter Blues story deadline: January 15, 2024

For more information, visit the Red Deer Arts Council website.


Winter Market

Downtown Market logo

November 24: 3 – 7 p.m.
November 25: 12 – 7 p.m.

Millenium Centre (location tentative)

Every winter, the farmers’ market makes a special appearance in downtown Red Deer to help you finish your holiday shopping. You can purchase tasty food and baked goods to feed the whole family, local beers and wines for holiday parties and beautiful handmade gifts sure to impress that special someone at this accredited Alberta Farmers’ Market. Join us November 24 and 25 for a great local shopping experience, with tastings and live music from local artists.


Rare & Remarkable Art Market

Saturday, November 25: 10 – 4 p.m.
Red Deer Museum and Art Gallery: 4525 47A Avenue

Join us for a unique Christmas shopping experience where you can explore the arts and crafts of some of central Alberta’s premier artists and craftspeople. Up to 15 artists will set up their displays throughout the MAG’s Remarkable Red Deer exhibit and gallery spaces, with artwork ranging from pottery, beaded jewelry, wool felting, textiles, oil, acrylic and watercolour paintings, sculpture, mixed media, printmaking, and more.

For more information, visit the MAG’s Rare & Remarkable Artisan Market web page.


Winter Nights in Capstone

Friday, December 1: 5 – 10 p.m.
Saturday, December 2: 5 – 10 p.m.
Sunday, December 3: 4 – 9 p.m.

Canada 150 Square, Capstone

Capstone presents “Winter Nights” an imaginative light and art festival featuring art installations by B!G ART, live music, entertainment, late night shopping, activities and more! For more information, visit www.liveincapstone.ca/events.


Frost Street PatioDecember 8: 4 – 7 p.m.
Ross Street Patio

Join the DBA and Spandy Andy on the Ross Street Patio for some frosty fun! Check out the children’s entertainers, activity booths and sip hot chocolate under the festive downtown lights. Bring the whole family together for an unforgettable outdoor celebration. Whether you’re grooving to the DJ or simply basking in the warm glow of the fire tables, the Ross Street Patio is the place to be for an evening of free family fun. Visit the DBA’s Frost Street Patio Party web page for more information.


Santa’s Bus Tour

December 8, 9, 15 & 16
5:30 – 8 p.m.
Red Deer neighbourhoods

Santa is back on the bus, merrily cruising down the streets of Red Deer! Check out the route maps below and give Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the dancing elves a wave – they light up this bus just for you!

We’ve done our best to help Santa visit each neighbourhood in the city, but due to his busy schedule he cannot visit every street. Please choose the route closest to your home to catch a glimpse of the jolly man and his crew. For safety reasons, please remain on the sidewalk or in your yard and stay off the street during the bus tours.

Tours operate from 5:30 p.m. to approximately 8 p.m. on the following evenings. Follow along on the MyBus website or app to see when Santa will arrive in your neighbourhood.


Downtown Twinkle Tour

Friday, December 15
4 – 7 p.m.

For one night, many Downtown businesses remain open late to help Red Deerians with their holiday shopping and to encourage the support of local businesses. Downtown visitors are invited to pick up a free hot chocolate and a copy of the holiday scavenger hunt on the Patio. Enjoy beautiful window and light displays throughout downtown as you make your way to your favourite shops. Be sure to snag some Reindeer Food and Snowman Soup during your visit, too!

For more information, visit the Downtown Business Association website.


A video showcasing Red Deer’s holiday spirit will be shared on The City’s social media channels so Red Deerians can enjoy the view from the comfort of home.

For more information on Red Deer Lights the Nights activities, presented by The City of Red Deer and the Downtown Business Association (DBA), visit reddeer.ca/RDLIGHTS and follow The City and DBA on social media.
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