The annual Brackendale Winter Bald Eagle Count may have been tallied last weekend, but that doesn't mean the party is over.
The 26th annual festival will continue for the remainder of the month, with several guest lectures, music, art and dancing.
Rafe Mair, former CKNW talk show host and well-known political pundit, will appear at the Brackendale Art Gallery (BAG) on Sunday (Jan. 15) for a fireside chat titled "Rant and Rafe." Mair is also a former lawyer, cabinet minister and still blogs about politics at www.rafemair.com. The talk is scheduled to get underway at 8 p.m. and is free for the public.
On Saturday (Jan. 14), the acoustic trio known as Brighter Lights Thicker Glasses will hit the stage at the BAG at 8 p.m. The band, which is made up of John Palmer, Brian Samuels and Michael Dunn, promises an eclectic evening for all in attendance.
Pat Robinson will bring her watercolour skills to the BAG for a four-evening workshop on the next two Mondays (Jan. 16 and Jan. 23) and Wednesdays (Jan. 18 and Jan. 25) from 7 to 9 p.m. For a cost of $150, students will get a chance to use their creativity and imagination to create unique artwork. No previous art experience or skill is required to enroll.
Douglas Swanston and Jonn Matsen will be at the BAG on Jan. 22 to lecture about the herring's revival and survival. Both have a wealth of experience in the Howe Sound area and should shed light on the plight of the herring in local waters.
The WingDing dance and dinner takes place on Jan. 28 and will feature dinner and dancing, with Valdy and the Eagle Band providing both the music and the Caesar salad for the dinner. The meal begins at 7 p.m. and features salmon, Caesar salad, bread and a dessert, with the band hitting the stage at 8 p.m. It's $35 for the dinner and performance or $20 for just the concert, which starts at 8 p.m.
Featured throughout the BAG for the entire month will be the Eagle Art show, which features paintings and photography by several acclaimed West Coast artists. The final event for the festival will be a lecture hosted by Don McCubbing and Caroline Melvile on the chum salmon populations of the Cheakamus River and beyond. The lecture is scheduled to take place on Jan. 29 at 8 p.m.
For more information on the festival, visit www.brackendaleartgallery.com/festival.html.
