The Hixon Bluegrass & Country Jamboree twangs out another series of acts on May 15-17 at the Hixon Community Hall.
"Our desire is to help young and young-at-heart people learn the enjoyment of music by helping them to be able to go to music camp," said organizers Ken and Val Merritt. The jamboree is a fundraiser for some to attend Throssell's Retreat in Quesnel later this year. Some of the scheduled performers include Jeremy Pahl, Blackwater Express, Vern Charlton, Chainsaw Boys, Peace Country Ramblers, Grier Valley Blackbirds, and many more.
For ticket information visit their website, call 250-998-4550 or email hixpg14@gmail.com. Basic pass is $25 for the weekend or $10 per day, but there is a menu of options.
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Northern FanCon will have a built-in Settlers Of Catan tournament. It happens May 9 at the FanCon main CN Centre site. It is free with a FanCon pass but only 32 spots are available. Sign-up information is available on Facebook at the Northern Fancon Official Settlers of Catan Tournament event page.
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Tonight at Shiraz Cafe, hear the music of Chris Potts & Natasha Lynn Bodoc at 7 p.m. Saturday night the stage is turned over to Michael Morneau at 7:30 p.m.
Next weekend, the Friday-Saturday combo is Cici & Kazlo on May 8 then Navaz on May 9.
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Maureen Washington comes home for jazz. The expat Prince George singer now lives on Vancouver Island and rarely gets to perform in her hometown. On May 8, she is making one of those appearances. The winner of the 2014 Best Jazz/Soul Artist at the Black Canadian Awards, Washington delivers power vocals and a smooth sense of song to every tune. Showtime is 8:30 p.m. at ArtSpace. Tickets are $20 in advance (Books & Company) or $25 at the door if any remain.
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Theatre North West's latest play The Secret Mask is on now and runs to May 13. The Rick Chafe-written play was a finalist for the Governor General's Award and stars Ottawa's David Warburton, Toronto's Mark McGrinder and Prince George's Lauren Brotman.
It is the last play of the TNW season, and is directed by new TNW artistic director Jack Grinhaus.
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PGSO is in need of some new professional music staff. Applications are being accepted for the positions of interim concertmaster, principal viola and interim principal flute. May 11 is the application deadline for each of these jobs.
Also, for those with a librarian or curatorial aptitude, the PGSO is also in need of a key volunteer. An archivist is needed to help organize materials and update it into electronic storage formats.
The PGSO asks that no phone calls be made in regard to these positions. More details are available on their website. Email resumes to personnel manager Miguel Mori (personnel@pgso.com) or post to The Prince George Symphony Orchestra, 2880 15th Avenue, Prince George, BC V2M 1T1.
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Alban Classical presents a chamber concert on Sunday featuring the North Winds Quintet and pianist Angela Alba for a concert focused on Gershwin compositions. Alban Classical shows are held at 3 p.m. at St. Andrew's Church for $20 (children are free). Call 250-563-4693 or log on to albanclassical.org for more information.
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The city's premier theatre sports and improvisational comedy group Improv Ad Naseum will be back in the spotlight on Saturday at the Twisted Cork event room. Tickets are available in advance from the Twisted Cork and at Studio 2880.
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One night only, The Faceplants are coming to P.G. The Vancouver power-pop band (they're in the same family as Hedley or Marianna's Trench) will be at Nancy O's on Monday bringing their hit singles Why and Last Night (Was So Damn Easy). It's an 8:30 p.m. showtime and $5 admission.
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On Wednesday, Nancy O's is home stage to The Zavan Trio at 8 p.m. The gypsy jazz of Django Reinhardt and Stephan Grappelli is the main inspiration behind this trio. Imagine Paris during the 1930s with the swinging interpretations of songs by Cole Porter and George Gershwin, to name a few. Zavan covers a wide variety of swing tunes, ballads and waltzes. The three players are Kenny Ogilvie on bass, Eric Tompkins on guitar and Raghu Lokanathan on accordion.
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The 6th Annual John Harris Fiction Awards will be held on May 9th in the Stan Shaffer Theatre (Room 1-306) at the College of New Caledonia. The award is named for retired CNC professor Harris, one of Canada's celebrated fiction writers. He and fellow Prince George author Brian Fawcett will be in attendance, plus a full slate of readers from among this year's finalists. The award is bestowed on the best short story writer, as chosen by a panel of judges.
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Singer-songwriter Peter Katz brings his Juno-nominated songs and voice to Prince George this spring. Katz announced this week that he would return to Art Space on May 19 for the only northern B.C. stop on his 20-city Canadian tour. He is bringing his latest album We Are The Reckoning.
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Art Space is turned into a movie theatre for the night of May 21. Death By Joy is a film directed by James Cribb about "a quirky, selfless, funny, and irrepressible fifty-five-year-old who is told she will be dead in weeks without aggressive medical intervention." Mary chooses not to embark on a medical journey, and instead steps forward "on a clear-headed quest for the true meaning of healing." Showtime is 7 p.m., admission is free. More information is available at www.deathbyjoy.com.
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Exploration Place Museum & Science Centre has a new exhibit that digs through the snowy crusts of the planet's history and deep into the fossil record.
"Ice Age Mammals is a national travelling exhibition that explores the hot topic of climate change," said CEO Tracy Calogheros. "Find out all about the last ice age; the mammals that survived and those that didn't. See skulls and bones of ice age beasts, and detailed artwork of what they looked like. Touch a real mammoth tusk! Hear scientists' stories as they recount their Arctic adventures and discoveries. It's a cool experience."
Exploration Place displays are also in view in the First Nations Gallery, Children's Gallery, the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame and more showcase areas sure to engage local viewers and visitors from across Canada alike.
