Arts & Life

Gary Chappel is wishing for a lump of coal this Christmas. He intends to be very, very bad. Specifically, the actor intends his character to be very, very bad and it's a portrayal that already comes from a nasty place.

Local musicians Raghu Lokanathan and Erika Callaweart will headline a fundraiser next week to support B.C. First Nations' legal battles against the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline.

The countdown to CBC comedy supremacy is into its final phase, with television sitcom projects from coast to coast vying for a shot at prime time TV. What started out as hundreds has now been whittled to the final 15 proposals.

Christmas has always been rooted in magic and mysticism, from stories of blazing stars over a manger to jolly North Pole gift-givers and flying reindeer, to angels and benevolent saints.

The Prince George Symphony Orchestra holds their annual general meeting this Sunday. "Please consider coming out," said current board chair Theresa Saunders. "If anyone would like to join this hardworking board, we would love to have you.

All that's needed now is PTV or MuchPoetry. The videopoem's day has finally arrived. The one to mark on the calendar is Thursday when the most recent local production is screened at Pageboy Books.

The Festival of Trees is one of the city's favourite annual events. It's winter wonderland feeling and mega fundraising for the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation make it a must-see extravaganza each year.

The latest book by B.C. poet Cecily Nicholson is called From The Poplars and some of the trees in that conceptual forest might well be found in Prince George.

Northern B.C.'s hottest pop music commodity will be anchoring the entertainment stage at this year's Festival of Trees.

Maureen Washington is coming home for Christmas. Since the Prince George jazz-soul-blues singer performed last in her Prince George hometown, she worked with Valdy on his Read Between The Lines album.