A fire dance, free cake, balloons and a free caricature drawing - it was a day of fun for the whole family at the 小蓝视频 Mining Museum's Copper and Fire arts festival in Britannia Beach Sunday (Aug.16).
The festival is spread over three Sundays this year, with the second weekend celebrating an extra special occasion: the museum's 35th birthday.
While last weekend featured live sculpting, metal work and ceramic art demonstration, the main attraction on Sunday (Aug. 16) was a fire dance by Laura Scarlett of Vancouver. Kids watched with wide-eyed amazement as Scarlett twirled and danced to electronica music in her fire-lit hula-hoop.
Two and a half-year-old Hannah Frketich of Vancouver had a front row seat to the fire dance, and she could barely contain her excitement as she watched the show with Mom, Sanja Frketich and sister, Amanda Frketich.
"That girl was throwing fire all around and then she blew it," Hannah said, her voice laced with excitement and a tinge of horror.
For Scarlett, generating excitement among the audience is key to a satisfying performance as her flaming hula-hoops cause some nervous energy, even for her.
"When the wicks are freshly lighted, then it can get quite hot so you have to make sure you are spinning quickly," she said.
She also drew comparison between the everyday work of the miners and her own art.
"It just comes back to the theme of copper and fire. Working in mine, I mean there is excitement and danger involved. It's also about being aware of the elements around you, and being very focused on what you are doing," she said.
The main purpose of the mill was to separate waste rock and minerals from the precious ore of copper. The intrinsic relationship of copper and fire in this process forms the main crux of all the celebrations.
"The artists that we have, their arts pertain to mining, metals, mineralsbasically, the products of the Earth. The whole premise of this show is to draw the relationship between mining and the arts," said Carol Watts, the event co-ordinator for the festival.
Sunday (Aug. 23) is the final weekend, and visitors will be treated to live demonstrations by Judy McQuinn, a Squamish stained-glass artist. There will also be a series of concerts in the refurbished and restored historic mill building from 3 to 6 p.m.
