See you in Knowlton
for Arts Alive! Québec
The annual arts and culture festival offers activities for all ages
By Barbara Ford
There are plenty of reasons to head to Knowlton for its 2-week Arts Alive! Québec arts and culture festival, taking place throughout the charming tourist town from Sunday, June 25 to Saturday, July 8.
Since the inception of Arts Alive! Québec (AAQ) in 2015, Knowlton’s participation has grown in leaps and bounds. This year Knowlton has pulled out all the stops to create a festival of cultural performances and activities for the entire family.
Knowlton
Local organizer, Danny McAuley of Brome Lake Books, said, “I love how AAQ pulls the entire community together. This year we’re collaborating with the Brome County Historical Society, Theatre Lac-Brome, Pettes Memorial Library, the Knowlton Players, the Celtic Harmonies Festival, Coldbrook and Lions Parks, and more. The artists are making a special effort to showcase not only our region through art but Canada’s diversity as well.” Highlights of the festival include United We Stand, an original play with comedy and song, written by Roger de la Mare. Gemini Award-winning Jefferson Lewis – French Immersion (2011), Emotional Arithmetic (2007), Mon amie Max (1994) – will give a two-part screenwriting workshop, followed by a film workshop and a public screening of the final product on July 8.
Directly following the film premiere, Celtic flautist Dave Gossage closes the two-week festival with a concert featuring an eclectic line-up of musical guests such as the up-and-coming Quebec fiddler, Alexis Chartrand, renowned step-dancer Pierre Chartrand, Inuit throat-singers Nina Segalowitz and Taqralik Partridge and, in honour of recent immigrants, tabla player Shawn Mativetsky.
Here’s the programme:
Sunday, June 25
At the Old Court House, 15 St. Paul
9:30 am to 12:30 am (break) 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm – Screenplay Writing Part 1
Saturday, July 1
The Honeysuckle Sisters – Image: Sheila Quinn
At the Brome County Historical Society, 130 Lakeside
11 am – Theatre – United We Stand
12:30 pm – Honeysuckle Sisters Concert
At Lion’s Park, 41 Centre
1:30 pm to 5:30 pm – Kid’s Art Tent
2 pm to 3 pm – Drumming
3 pm to 4 pm – Line Dancing
4 pm to 5 pm –Visual Art
At Theatre Lac Brome, 9 Mont Echo
6 pm to 8 pm – Arts Alive Reception
8 pm – Vintage Wine Concert
Sunday, July 2
At the Old Court House, 15 St. Paul
Noon to 5 pm – Screenplay Writing Part 2
Alexis Chartrand – Image: Guillaume Morin
At the Brome County Historical Society, 130 Lakeside
7 pm – Theatre – United We Stand
Tuesday, July 4
At the Old Court House, 15 St. Paul
10 am to 5 pm – Film Workshop
Thursday, July 6
At Pettes Memorial Library lawn, 276 Knowlton Road
6 pm to 8 pm – Kite Making
Friday, July 7
At the Brome County Historical Society, 130 Lakeside
7 pm – Theatre – United We Stand
Shawn Mativetsky – Image: Caroline Tabah
At Knowlton United Church, 234 Knowlton
7 pm to 9 pm – Flower Arranging
Saturday, July 8
In Coldbrook Park, 32 Lakeside
1 pm to 3 pm – Bodhran Drumming
3 pm to 5 pm – Lantern Making
At the Brome County Historical Society, 130 Lakeside
7 pm – Theatre – United We Stand
At Knowlton United Church, 234 Knowlton
7 pm – Film Premiere
8 pm – Dave Gossage & Friends Concert
About Arts Alive! Québec
Arts Alive! Québec is a moveable feast of music, theatre, dance, visual arts, film and so much more. Initiated by ELAN (English-language Arts Network) in 2015, six dynamic regions – Knowlton, Quebec City, Hudson, Huntingdon, Wakefield and the West Island –produce six individual festivals to showcase Quebec’s diverse cultural communities and innovative artists with activities and performances for the entire family.
About ELAN
ELAN (English-Language Arts Network) is a not-for-profit organization that connects, supports, and promotes Quebec’s English-speaking artists and arts communities. Its members include artists and organizations representing a multitude of artistic disciplines and regions of Quebec. ELAN’s philosophy is inclusive, encouraging an evolving Quebec identity that recognizes French as the public language and celebrates social, cultural, and artistic diversity.
Feature image: courtesy of Dave Gossage
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