It’s the 20th anniversary of the Calgary Jazz Orchestra tonight, and they’re celebrating with a curated selection of director Johnny Summer’s favourite songs from the past 20 years, and a premiere of Summer’s new work, Africa Suite, which features African musicians alongside the orchestra creating a fusion of traditional African sound with good ol’ jazz. It runs from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at the Bella Concert Hall. Grab tickets starting at $58.
And it’s another anniversary on Tuesday, because WordFest is turning 30. WordFest invites seven storytellers who call Cowtown their home for the “The Way We Calgary’d” event. Writers such as Ali Bryan, Marcello Di Cintio and Teresa Wong will share a seven-minute story about their relationship to their hometown and their work. Dandy Brewing Co. will serve drinks, and Owl’s Nest Books will sell copies of Cowtown books. Plus, you’ll get the chance to pick up signed, first-edition copies from the WordFest archives. You can grab your tickets for $5 from the WordFests site, and be sure to bring extra cash along with you to snag a limited edition tote bag.
On Thursday, the Fairytales Queer Arts and Film Festival kicks off at Contemporary Calgary. Running all weekend until Sunday, you’ll get the chance to see nearly 60 feature films, documentaries and shorts, all told from a queer perspective. It’s a fun way to celebrate Pride Month, and you’ll get to see films that you may not get the chance to see anywhere else. Grab your tickets and check out the full lineup of films at queerfilmfest.ca.
Pride month celebrations continue on Friday at Telus Spark for Spark After Dark: Beyond the Rainbow. This is a jam-packed evening with a dance floor, multiple drag performances, a Pride-themed market, face and body painting, DIY pronoun pins, and more. The featured food for the event is a Rainbow tray full of tasty treats and a rainbow cocktail for a sweet, summery vibe. The event runs from 6 p.m. to midnight. Grab your tickets from Telus Spark’s site.
Heathers: The Musical starts its run on Friday at the Pumphouse Theatre. Whether or not you’re a fan of the 1989 film, you’ll have a blast watching this dark musical comedy that’s equal parts hilarious and homicidal. You won’t often get a chance to see a musical like this for only $27, so grab your tickets from untoldstoriestheatre.com.
Horror-Con runs Saturday and Sunday at the Genesis Centre. Catch a killer lineup of films from around the world, or take in a special effects makeup demo panel. Celebrity guests, including E.T. cast members and Dave Lombardo of Slayer and The Misfits, will appear at the con. It’s only $50 for a full weekend pass, and single-day passes are also available from horror-con.ca
Lighten the mood after all the horror with Laugh Loft at The Attic on Sunday. This staple of the Calgary comedy scene offers professional-quality laughs for just 10.50 – and you get 25 per cent off if you buy in advance. Enjoy laugh-out-loud femme-curated comedy while sipping on 6-dollar Blindman brewing beers.
Grab our June issue of The Scene on stands now for more events and things to do around the city.
