If you鈥檝e never attended a Wing Ding dinner at the Brackendale Art Gallery, this Saturday (Jan. 30) may be your last chance. According to a Facebook posting about the long-standing event, with the gallery up for sale and likely changing hands this year, 鈥渆ach event from now on may be the last of its kind.鈥�
The Eagle Festival Wing Ding Dinner and Dance celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, as well, according to award-winning performer Valdy, who has performed at every Wing Ding.
鈥淭hor (Froslev) asked me to play a dinner for his eagle counters,鈥� said Valdy. 鈥淪ince then, I鈥檝e been coming up with a variety of players.鈥�
Valdy, born Paul Valdemar Horsdal, kicked around in several different indie bands during the 60s, but really wove himself into the fabric of the Canadian music scene when the singer, guitarist and songwriter went solo. He鈥檚 best known for his hit 鈥淧lay Me a Rock and Roll Song,鈥� but over his long career, he has released 14 albums, four of which went Gold, and 22 singles, and has been nominated for a Juno Award seven times. He鈥檚 toured the world, earned a plethora of awards, guest-hosted a late-night TV talk show, had his music featured in a Steve McQueen movie and even played a character on The Beachcombers.
After all these years, he said he doesn鈥檛 feel particularly sad that the art gallery is being sold and may change as a venue.
鈥淚鈥檓 happy a change is happening,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hor built that place and with Dorte, they鈥檝e expanded it and made it a real community hub. And the changes will continue under a new owner, I am sure, depending on what they want to do.鈥�
Valdy said he just hopes whoever takes over the BAG has the same values as the Froslevs.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 mourn it, I celebrate it,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 just hope whoever it is, they have just as much juice as Thor and Dorte, and become as integral to the community as they鈥檝e been over the years.鈥�
For his part, Froslev said he had mixed feelings about the possibility of selling the gallery and having events like the Wing Ding cease.
鈥淚 have a lot of emotions about selling the gallery,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e tried to do my best over the years, and I鈥檇 be very surprised if we didn鈥檛 sell by next year. But we are booked until May, so there is still lots going on.鈥�
Valdy, meanwhile, said he鈥檒l enjoy celebrating 30 years of playing the Wing Ding and 45 years of the BAG on Saturday.聽
鈥淚t may be the last Wing Ding,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 miss it.鈥�
The Eagle Festival Wing Ding Dinner and Dance will be held on Saturday (Jan. 30) at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at BAG or XOCO.
