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Celebrate Alberta Art Days in Drumheller

    It’s no secret that the area in and around the Drumheller Valley is home to a great many talented artists, musicians, dancers, and artisans, and September 30 to October 2 this community will be celebrating Alberta Art Days in Drumheller.
   With funding from the Government of Alberta, the Canadian Badlands Passion Play, Downtown Drumheller, East Coulee School Museum, and the Canadian Badlands Artists Association have come together to host a weekend of events to showcase our local talent.
   “It’s exciting to be able to partner with other arts and culture groups in the valley to host an event like this in Drumheller. We have so much talent locally, it’s always great to be able to show it off,” says Mike Todor, member of the Canadian Badlands Artists Association.
   All events are completely free to take in. The weekend kicks off Friday night at the East Coulee School Museum with doors opening at 6:30 pm. Crowd favorites, The Fire Coulee Bandits are set to take the stage at 7 pm followed by another local group, Roadside Attraction.
   A roving living statue will be making appearances throughout the night. Refreshments and snacks will be available in support of the East Coulee School Museum.
   The festivities continue on Saturday afternoon in downtown Drumheller from noon to 6 pm. The Hoodoo Voodoos and the Lannigan Band will take the stage throughout the afternoon. Cameo appearances will also be made by students from Carol Todor dance school as well as by members of Kaleidoscope Theatre.
   The Canadian Badlands Artists Association will be on site displaying some of their work, operating a photo booth, and will have a space for kids to create their own works of art with sidewalk chalk. They will also be hosting photography and painting demonstrations accompanied by Question and answer sessions throughout the day; so be sure to bring your camera or paintbrush down for some helpful hints.
   The Farmer’s Market will also move downtown from its usual location from 1 to 4 pm to help promote the ‘art’ of buying locally. Other local artisans will also be on hand displaying their work. Equinox Arts and Culture Society, a new local group dedicated to supporting and strengthening non-profit organizations in building and sustaining healthy communities, will be offering up some delicious BBQ meals for a small fee.
   Saturday evening come see the badlands of the Drumheller Valley on the silver screen. The Napier Theatre will be screening Warner Brothers Picture’s Academy Award winning film Unforgiven starring Clint Eastwood and Gene Hackman at 7:30 pm. Space will be limited so be sure to arrive early.
   The weekend finishes off with the opening reception of the new exhibit in the gallery at the Drumheller Public Library from 1-3 pm on Sunday, October 2.
   Art Days in Drumheller is part of the celebrations occurring throughout the province during Alberta Arts Days 2011. Alberta Arts Days, which is part of National Culture Days and runs from September 30 to October 2, is all about discovering, experiencing and celebrating our unique blend of peoples and passions, and the importance of arts and culture to a healthy and vibrant Alberta. To learn more, visit www.AlbertaArtsDays.ca.

Kitz 4 Kidz distributes 259 Kitz for area students in need

    Drumheller residents came out big for local students supporting Riverside Value Drug Mart’s Kitz 4 Kidz campaign.
   This was the eighth year for the program, which is run in Value Drug Mart locations. It is a community initiative where school supplies are collected for children who are not able to start the school year with the basic needs.
   Customers could purchase pre-selected school supplies, donate funds, or purchase ready made “Kitz” made up of all the supplies needed. These supplies are then given to local schools, where they are used in the classroom or distributed discreetly.
   In all, Riverside Value Drug Mart store collected 259 kits, and last week they distributed half to Greentree School and half to St. Anthony’s School.
   In all, this year Value Drug Marts have collected and distributed more than $20,000 worth of school supplies across B.C. and Alberta; this equates to 3,000 Kitz, all collected in just four weeks.
   Leading up to this year’s campaign, the program has distributed more than $130,000 worth of school supplies.

Producers optimistic with fall harvest

    Combines have been humming this fall, and so are farmers at the prospect of a very successful season.
    So far, it looks like a positive season for producers as conditions converge for a great harvest.
    “Things are rolling along great,” said Bruce Sommerville, Ag fieldman for Kneehill County. “Yields are up, quality is good, I don’t know what else to say.”
    Sommerville said Friday, he figures the area harvest was close to 50 per cent complete. He said quality is looking high, but so far, he has not heard how protein content is measuring up, as high protein can fetch a higher price with the exception of malt barley.
    “It is the best malt barley outlook we have had for a few years,” he said.
    While the area received a sprinkle of rain on Monday, for the most part the weather has cooperated with producers. Sommerville said a few low spots have been hit with frost, but nothing that would have great effect.
   “On a 10 year average, this would rank on top,” said Sommerville.
   Al Hampton, Ag field man for Starland is also cautiously optimistic.
    “I think it is going to be a decent year,” he said. “At the end of the day, the frost has stayed away and most of the crops have matured. There is still a ways to go but the fall is cooperating very well so far.”
    He gauges overall, in the area, producers are between one third to one half complete harvest.
    “I don’t think it is as far ahead as most think because we need the first couple weeks of September to try and mature things,” he said, adding crops closer to Drumheller, and areas with lighter soil like Craigmyle might be a little further ahead.
    He adds that feed and hay crops have also been good.
    Along with quality and yield looking positive, he said prices appear to be fairly strong.
    “You probably can’t get much better in a farmer’s world, other than getting it done,” chuckles Hampton.

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