Do it
Although the “it” in my headline is really left up to you. But whatever “it” is that you choose for this weekend, make it fun.
Of course, some of you may be heading down the highway to the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo. Say “Hi” to Spock for us.
It’s cool and rainy, so maybe something inside is just right for this weekend. How about something with lots of beer?
Also inside is the Edmonton Opera’s season-ending show, “Otelleo.” It’s Shakespeare’s Othello, but Opera-style.
Los Lonely Boys are over at the Winspear. But if that’s not your speed, how about a DJ set from TV’s Degrassi’s Caitlin and Spike?!
Now, let’s see what ShareEdmonton has to say about this weekend.
Of course, the Edmonton Poetry Festival is on. Poetry doesn’t have to be boring, check out some of the events they’ve got going. (I’m a terrible poet.)
Over at the Edmonton Expo Centre (at Northlands) you’ve got the Edmonton Ink Festival: The Tattoo & Body Modification Show.
I was talking about this in the Headlines this morning; the Edmonton Public Library is trying out an MP3 Experiment at Churchill Square. You download the audio file, head to the square, then everyone starts listening at the same time. I bet it tells you to do some wacky stuff that will appear odd to passersby. The EPL follows that up with an audience participation viewing of The Princess Bride.
Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Now prepare to die. (That I typed this from memory is impressive. Or the opposite of that.)
Saturday is Astronomy Day! Celebrate at the Telus World of Science with, uh, astronomy.
And if you like transit (And who doesn’t?) then you’ll already know the Edmonton Transit Service is hosting a Community Fair at Southgate and Century Park LRT stations. Those stations also officially open to the public. Finally, I have a reason (and a way) to get down to Century Park.
Transit nerds unite!
On Now: Alberta Bound Tattoo Arts Festival
Alberta Bound Tattoo Arts Festival is underway at the Shaw Conference Centre until Sunday (Photo by Terry Gent)
Tattoo culture from around the world has exploded into Edmonton’s Shaw Conference Centre, and there’s no exaggeration in the “around the world” part. I met artists tonight from Yamanashi, Japan; Ibiza and Madrid, Spain; Detroit, Michigan and Lockport, Illinois; and from cities all over Canada. They’ve come out in force for the Alberta Bound Tattoo & Arts Festival, which has taken over the Shaw for three colourful days.
Part trade show, part retail experience, and part giant artist-filled tattoo shop, the festival has just about everything you could want that relates to tattoos. Nearly every booth you walk past has at least one artist bent over a human canvas, but there are also clothing stores, curiosity shops, flash and tattoo supply stores, hand-made tattoo equipment, pin-up stickers, custom hot rods, personalized zombie portraits, and even a complimentary ink station, where the artists on scene can try out new colours and new brands that have been donated by the companies that make them.
Edmonton tattoo artists make a huge showing too, one that tattooed Edmontonians can be proud of. I honestly had no idea there were so many shops in our city, and that’s speaking as a tattooed person myself! Familiar names like Raptor, Urge, Strange City and Ritualistics are all there, but there are also newer shops and even established shops from other cities that have moved to Edmonton to set up business here, such as D&M from Fort McMurray.
Bear's Skin Art Booth (Photo by Terry Gent)
At the Bear’s Skin Art booth, five tattoo chairs sit under the largest banner at the festival, and all of them are occupied. Jordan, one of Bear’s staffers, tells us that right when the show opened at two o’clock, they booked solidly through until the end of the (more…)
